The Gemara tells us that attacks by wild beasts are the result of vain oaths (Shabbos 33a). You should know that in general when the Talmud speaks of “wild beasts” it is referring to the wicked Lilis, mother of the demons. She is responsible for many of the evil decrees that have befallen Israel, on account of our many sins. She is also a regular visitor to houses in which vain oaths are common, often taking up residence there and causing the deaths of the small children. Poverty is also common in the house or city where such oaths are heard.
Come and see the harm that is caused by swearing in vain. The Zohar (Parashas Yisro 91b) relates that when the Hashem decreed that all the water covering the earth be confined to the depths He made for them a covering, upon which were engraved certain Divine names to prevent the water from gushing up again and inundating the planet. But when a person swears falsely, the water overpowers this covering and the letters of the names flee. At that moment the water has permission to well up and flood the earth. Then the Holy One Blessed is He motions to an angel named YAZRIEL, custodian over seventy keys, to engrave the holy names on the cover once again. This causes the water of the deep to return to its place and the world is saved. Nevertheless, woe to the person who brought about the removal of those holy letters in the first place, thereby putting the Creator to the trouble, so to speak, of having to re-engrave them!
Mortal man! Mortal man! Born from a putrid drop! How dare he trouble his Maker? Undoubtedly those holy names will curse him and raise accusations against him, which if he could hear them would surely cause him to dash his head against a wall in remorse for the blemish that he brought about. The Sages have said that whoever utters the name of Heaven in vain will be uprooted from the world (Pesikta Zuta, Bereishis 1), because simply mentioning His name is vain is a slight to His honor. How much more so, then, is swearing in vain or falsely, Heaven forbid!
The principle to recall is that every false oath that a person makes takes its toll either from his person or from his wealth, whether at that time or in the future. Eventually his iniquity will catch up with him, whether in the home or in the field, on a mountain or in a forest, on dry land or at sea. Thus it stares, “For Hashem will not exonerate the one who bears His Name in vain” (Shemos 20:7). When a person has the urge to swear, let him imagine that engraved before him in black fire upon white fire are the words, “For Hashem will not exonerate the one who bears His name in vain.” Then awe and trepidation will overcome him and he will refrain from swearing falsely.
One must not be in the habit of swearing by one’s person or one’s soul, for the soul is an element of Divinity from On High. Nor should one swear by the lives of one’s children or anything else, following the impetuous and empty-headed. Such people frequently swear for no good reason, saying things like, “If such-and-such is true let my house burn down” or “let me die.” All such oaths place a person in tremendous danger. Who knows what astrological configurations were ascendant when he uttered those words? Perhaps the evil that he wished upon himself will come to pass!
The Ari, z”l, also warned his disciples against referring to the angels by their full name (Sha’ar HaMitzvos, Parashas Shemos 11b). Thus in place of the name MTTRUN one should say only “Metat” and for SNDLFON one should say “Sandal.” The same applies to the names of all the angels other than those that are also the names of people, such as Michael, Gavriel, Refael, etc., in which case there is need for concern. This admonition is based on the fact that the Holy One Blessed is He created everything for the sake of human beings. Thus when He created the angels He made them swear that they would appear whenever human beings called upon them for deliverance or the like. Therefore, when someone mentions the name of an angel it is compelled by its oath to appear. If it then discovers that it has been summoned in vain it may be prompted to cause the person harm. From this one can estimate the amount of danger a person places himself in when he swears in vain or falsely.
You should know that a handshake is also like an oath. For the soul is dependent upon the palm of the hand to its benefit as well as its detriment. It is dependent upon it to its benefit when a person raises his hands Heavenward to invoke mercy. Moreover, a high percentage of the mitzvos are performed by the hand, including: performing circumcision, offering a sacrifice, separating off the priestly and Levitical gifts, constructing a Sukkah, taking the four species, giving charity, donning tefillin and many others. These are just some of the ways in which the soul is dependent upon the hand. This is what King Dovid meant when he said, “My soul is in my palm continually and I have not forgotten Your Torah” (Tehillim 119:109). That is, I have chosen to use my hands for good purposes and not the opposite, Heaven forbid.
When a person affirms an agreement by placing his own palm within that of the other party he is symbolically delivering to him his soul as a security. Yet this form of oath is even more serious than if he actually swore by his soul because if he violates it he blemishes the aspect of the soul known as the supernal nefesh, corresponding to the name Ad-n-y. When this name is written out in full it is comprised of twelve letters (אל"ף דל"ת נו"ן יו"ד). These twelve letters correspond to the twelve words of the first line of the Shema and the declaration “Blessed is the name, etc.” Thus one who violates a handshake also blemishes the words of the Shema. Moreover, the numerical values of the middle letters of this expansion (ללו"ו) come to a total of 72. Thus he also blemishes Hashem’s seventy-two letter name, derived from the three verses, “And he went, etc.,” “And he came, etc.,” “And he extended, etc.,” (Shemos 14:19-21; see Chapter 65). The values of the final letters of the expanded name (פתנ"ד) come to a total of 534, for which the usual acronym is תקל"ד. This acronym can be rearranged to form the words das kal [“trivial law”], indicating that he causes a blemish to the holy Torah, concerning which it is written, “From His right [He gave] them a law of fire [eish das]. In addition, the component kal hints that he blemishes the “light cloud” [av kal] upon which Hashem rides, as is known to the Kabbalists.
In view of all this, whoever cares about his soul will scrupulously avoid swearing in vain and will refrain from taking oaths and shaking hands in general, recalling at all times the blemishes these practices may cause to the holy names mentioned above. For Hashem’s sake let this iniquity not seem insignificant in anyone’s eyes! For the image of the hand that violates a handshake goes ahead of the offender’s coffin, while upon each finger are thousands of damaging angels, Heaven spare us! Then, when he arrives in the other world it testifies to the fact that he violated his handshake.
Therefore a person must warn his children and the members of his household not to be in the habit of swearing, vowing and shaking hands. Moreover, whoever fears Hashem’s word should pray that he be saved even from swearing unnecessarily, not to mention making vain and false oaths and giving handshakes. If a person is careless in this matter he grants an opening to the evil Lilis to take up residence and acquire a share in his home, Heaven forbid. In consequence he may lose his young children and the rest of his family may suffer as well. Afterwards bans and execrations will be proclaimed against him in all the firmaments and he will be mentioned continually for evil. Therefore whoever cares about his soul will avoid this pitfall. Then he may be certain that Hashem will shower him with blessing, prosperity and salvation, amen.
אַמְרִינָן בַּגְּמָרָא: חַיָּה רָעָה בָּאָה לָעוֹלָם עַל עֲווֹן שְׁבוּעַת שָׁוְא. דַּע לְךָ, כִּי סְתָם חַיָּה, הַנִּזְכֶּרֶת בַּגְּמָרָא, הִיא לִילִית הָרְשָׁעָה — אִמְּהוֹן דְּשֵׁדִין, אֲשֶׁר הִיא מְעוֹרֶרֶת בַּעֲווֹנוֹתֵינוּ הָרַבִּים כַּמָּה גְּזֵרוֹת רָעוֹת עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְהִיא תָּדִיר בְּאוֹתוֹ בַּיִת, אֲשֶׁר שְׁבוּעַת שָׁוְא מְצוּיָה שָׁם, וְהִיא דָּרָה שָׁם בְּאוֹתוֹ הַבַּיִת, וְהִיא הוֹרֶגֶת יְלָדִים קְטַנִּים. וּבְאוֹתוֹ הַבַּיִת אוֹ עִיר אֲשֶׁר שָׁם שְׁבוּעַת שָׁוְא, עֲנִיּוּת מָצוּי שָׁם.
The Gemara tells us that attacks by wild beasts are the result of vain oaths (Shabbos 33a). You should know that in general when the Talmud speaks of “wild beasts” it is referring to the wicked Lilis, mother of the demons. She is responsible for many of the evil decrees that have befallen Israel, on account of our many sins. She is also a regular visitor to houses in which vain oaths are common, often taking up residence there and causing the deaths of the small children. Poverty is also common in the house or city where such oaths are heard.
וְהִנֵּה בּוֹא וּרְאֵה גֹּדֶל הַפְּגָם עַל שְׁבוּעַת שָׁוְא. דַּע, דְּאִיתָא בַּזֹּהַר פָּרָשַׁת יִתְרוֹ, כִּי בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁגָּזַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַל מֵימֵי הָעוֹלָם שֶׁיֵּרְדוּ לַתְּהוֹם — עָשָׂה לָהֶם כִּסּוּי, וּבְתוֹךְ הַכִּסּוּי הוּא כִּסּוּי אַחֵר, וּבְתוֹךְ זֶה הַכִּסּוּי חֲקוּקִים וּרְשׁוּמִים שֵׁמוֹת הַקְּדוֹשִׁים, אֲשֶׁר הֵם שׁוֹמְרִים אֶת מֵי הַתְּהוֹם, שֶׁלֹּא יִגְבְּרוּ לַעֲלוֹת וּלְהָצִיף אֶת הָעוֹלָם. וּבְשָׁעָה שֶׁאָדָם נִשְׁבָּע לַשֶּׁקֶר, אֲזַי הַמַּיִם מְתַגְבְּרִים וְגוֹבְרִים אֶת הַכִּסּוּי, עַד שֶׁאוֹתָן אוֹתִיּוֹת וְשֵׁמוֹת הַקְּדוֹשִׁים פּוֹרְחִים וּמִסְתַּלְּקִין מֵהַכִּסּוּי, וְיֵשׁ בְּאוֹתוֹ פַּעַם רְשׁוּת לְמֵי תְּהוֹם לְהִתְגַּבֵּר וְלִשְׁטֹף אֶת הָעוֹלָם. וּבְאוֹתוֹ הַפַּעַם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְרַמֵּז לְמַלְאָךְ אֶחָד, וְיַעֶזְרִיאֵל שְׁמֵיהּ, וְהוּא מְמֻנֶּה עַל שִׁבְעִים מַפְתְּחוֹת, וְחוֹקֵק מֵחָדָשׁ שֵׁמוֹת הַקְּדוֹשִׁים הַנִּזְכָּרִים לְעֵיל, עַל כִּסּוּי שֶׁל תְּהוֹם, וְאָז מֵי תְּהוֹם חוֹזְרִין לַאֲחוֹרֵיהֶן לֵירֵד לִמְקוֹמָהּ, וְאָז נִצּוֹל הָעוֹלָם מִשְּׁטִיפַת הַמַּיִם. וַי לְאוֹתוֹ הָאָדָם, שֶׁגָּרַם קִצּוּץ וּפֵרוּד בָּאוֹתִיּוֹת הַקְּדוֹשִׁים מִמְּקוֹמָם, וְכִבְיָכוֹל הִטְרִיחַ אֶת קוֹנוֹ לָצֵאת לַחֲקֹק מֵחָדָשׁ שֵׁמוֹת הַקְּדוֹשִׁים.
Come and see the harm that is caused by swearing in vain. The Zohar (Parashas Yisro 91b) relates that when the Hashem decreed that all the water covering the earth be confined to the depths He made for them a covering, upon which were engraved certain Divine names to prevent the water from gushing up again and inundating the planet. But when a person swears falsely, the water overpowers this covering and the letters of the names flee. At that moment the water has permission to well up and flood the earth. Then the Holy One Blessed is He motions to an angel named YAZRIEL, custodian over seventy keys, to engrave the holy names on the cover once again. This causes the water of the deep to return to its place and the world is saved. Nevertheless, woe to the person who brought about the removal of those holy letters in the first place, thereby putting the Creator to the trouble, so to speak, of having to re-engrave them!
בֶּן אָדָם, בֶּן אָדָם! טִפָּה סְרוּחָה! אֵיךְ יַטְרִיחַ אֶת קוֹנוֹ?! וּבְוַדַּאי הַשֵּׁמוֹת מְקַלְּלִין אוֹתוֹ וּמְקַטְרְגִים עָלָיו, וְלוּלֵא הָיָה אָדָם שׁוֹמֵעַ קִלְלָתָם וְקִטְרוּגָם — בְּוַדַּאי הָיָה מַכֶּה אֶת רֹאשׁוֹ בַּכֹּתֶל עַל גֹּדֶל הַפְּגָם. וְעַל כֵּן אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה: כָּל הַמַּזְכִּיר שֵׁם שָׁמַיִם לְבַטָּלָה, נֶעֱקַר מִן הָעוֹלָם, כִּי אֵין זֶה דֶּרֶךְ כָּבוֹד לְהַזְכִּיר שְׁמוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַל חִנָּם לְבַטָּלָה, וּמִכָּל שֶׁכֵּן לַשָּׁוְא וָשֶׁקֶר, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם.
Mortal man! Mortal man! Born from a putrid drop! How dare he trouble his Maker? Undoubtedly those holy names will curse him and raise accusations against him, which if he could hear them would surely cause him to dash his head against a wall in remorse for the blemish that he brought about. The Sages have said that whoever utters the name of Heaven in vain will be uprooted from the world (Pesikta Zuta, Bereishis 1), because simply mentioning His name is vain is a slight to His honor. How much more so, then, is swearing in vain or falsely, Heaven forbid!
וְזֶה לְךָ הַכְּלָל כִּי שְׁבוּעַת שֶׁקֶר לֹא תַּחֲזֹר, עַד אֲשֶׁר תַּעֲשֶׂה רשֶׁם בְּגוּפוֹ אוֹ בְּמָמוֹנוֹ לִזְמַן קָרוֹב אוֹ רָחוֹק, וּשְׁבוּעַת שֶׁקֶר תַּשִּׂיגֵהוּ בַּבַּיִת אוֹ בַּשָּׂדֶה, בָּהָר אוֹ בָּעִיר, בַּיַּבָּשָׁה אוֹ בַּיָּם, וּבְוַדַּאי לֹא תַּחֲזֹר רֵיקָם. כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב: כִּי לֹא יְנַקֶּה ה' אֶת אֲשֶׁר יִשָּׂא אֶת שְׁמוֹ לַשָּׁוְא. וּבְעֵת אֲשֶׁר יִרְצֶה הָאָדָם לִשָּׁבַע — יְצַיֵּר לְפָנָיו כְּאִלּוּ כְּתִיב: כִּי לֹא יְנַקֶּה ה' אֶת אֲשֶׁר יִשָּׂא אֶת שְׁמוֹ לַשָּׁוְא בִּכְתָב אֵשׁ שָׁחוֹר עַל גַּבֵּי אֵשׁ לְבָנָה, וְיִפֹּל עָלָיו מוֹרָא וּפָחַד, וְאָז יִנָּצֵל מִשְּׁבוּעַת שֶׁקֶר.
The principle to recall is that every false oath that a person makes takes its toll either from his person or from his wealth, whether at that time or in the future. Eventually his iniquity will catch up with him, whether in the home or in the field, on a mountain or in a forest, on dry land or at sea. Thus it stares, “For Hashem will not exonerate the one who bears His Name in vain” (Shemos 20:7). When a person has the urge to swear, let him imagine that engraved before him in black fire upon white fire are the words, “For Hashem will not exonerate the one who bears His name in vain.” Then awe and trepidation will overcome him and he will refrain from swearing falsely.
עַל כֵּן לֹא יַרְגִּיל הָאָדָם לִשָּׁבַע בְּגוּפוֹ אוֹ בְּנִשְׁמָתוֹ, כִּי הַנְּשָׁמָה הִיא חֵלֶק אֱלוֹהַּ מִמַּעַל. אוֹ בְּחַיֵּי בָּנָיו אוֹ בִּשְׁאָר דְּבָרִים כְּדֶרֶךְ הַפּוֹחֲזִים וְרֵיקִים לִשָּׁבַע בְּחִנָּם, וְנִשְׁבָּעִים: אִם הַדָּבָר כֵּן — תָּבוֹא שְׂרֵפָה לְבֵיתוֹ אוֹ שֶׁיֵּהָרֵג. וְכָל אֵלּוּ הַשְּׁבוּעוֹת יֵשׁ בָּהֶם סַכָּנָה, שֶׁלֹּא יְקֻיַּם בּוֹ, כִּי מִי יוֹדֵעַ בְּאֵיזֶה שָׁעָה וּבְאֵיזֶה מַזָּל הוּא אוֹמֵר כֵּן, וִיקֻיַּם חַס וְשָׁלוֹם אוֹתוֹ הָרָעָה.
One must not be in the habit of swearing by one’s person or one’s soul, for the soul is an element of Divinity from On High. Nor should one swear by the lives of one’s children or anything else, following the impetuous and empty-headed. Such people frequently swear for no good reason, saying things like, “If such-and-such is true let my house burn down” or “let me die.” All such oaths place a person in tremendous danger. Who knows what astrological configurations were ascendant when he uttered those words? Perhaps the evil that he wished upon himself will come to pass!
וְהָרַב הָאֲרִ"י, זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה, הִזְהִיר לְתַלְמִידָיו, שֶׁלֹּא לְהַזְכִּיר שׁוּם מַלְאָךְ בִּשְׁמוֹ אֲפִלּוּ בְּלִמּוּדוֹ, כְּגוֹן: מַטַּטְרוֹן — יֹאמַר רַק מַטָּט, וְסַנְדַּלְפוֹן — יֹאמַר רַק סַנְדָּל, וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶם שְׁאָר שְׁמוֹת מַלְאָכִים, זוּלַת שְׁמוֹת הַמַּלְאָכִים, שֶׁהֵן כִּשְׁמוֹת הָאֲנָשִׁים, כְּגוֹן: מִיכָאֵל, גַּבְרִיאֵל, רְפָאֵל וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶן — אֵין חֲשָׁשׁ. וְהַטַּעַם, כִּי הַכֹּל בָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְצֹרֶךְ הָאָדָם. וּבְשָׁעָה שֶׁבָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַלְאָכִים, הִשְׁבִּיעָם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁיִּהְיוּ מְצוּיִים בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁיַּזְכִּירֵם הָאָדָם לְאֵיזֶה הַצָּלָה בְּהַשְׁבָּעָה וְכַיּוֹצֵא בּוֹ. וּבַהַשְׁבָּעָה, כְּשֶׁמַּזְכִּיר הָאִישׁ שֵׁם הַמַּלְאָךְ, אֲזַי הַמַּלְאָךְ בָּא וּמֻכְרָח לַעֲשׂוֹת כְּפִי הַהַשְׁבָּעָה. וּכְשֶׁרוֹאֶה הַמַּלְאָךְ שֶׁבִּיאָתוֹ הוּא בְּחִנָּם — לִפְעָמִים מַזִּיקוֹ. מִזֶּה יִתְבּוֹנֵן הָאָדָם, שֶׁגָּדוֹל הוּא סַכָּנַת שְׁבוּעַת שָׁוְא וָשֶׁקֶר.
The Ari, z”l, also warned his disciples against referring to the angels by their full name (Sha’ar HaMitzvos, Parashas Shemos 11b). Thus in place of the name MTTRUN one should say only “Metat” and for SNDLFON one should say “Sandal.” The same applies to the names of all the angels other than those that are also the names of people, such as Michael, Gavriel, Refael, etc., in which case there is need for concern. This admonition is based on the fact that the Holy One Blessed is He created everything for the sake of human beings. Thus when He created the angels He made them swear that they would appear whenever human beings called upon them for deliverance or the like. Therefore, when someone mentions the name of an angel it is compelled by its oath to appear. If it then discovers that it has been summoned in vain it may be prompted to cause the person harm. From this one can estimate the amount of danger a person places himself in when he swears in vain or falsely.
וְדַע, כִּי עִנְיַן תְּקִיעַת כַּף הוּא כְּמוֹ שְׁבוּעָה. וְהָעִנְיָן, כִּי מְקוֹר הַנֶּפֶשׁ תָּלוּי בְּכַף הָאָדָם, הֵן לְטוֹבָה וְהֵן לְרָעָה. לְטוֹבָה — בִּהְיוֹתוֹ פּוֹרֵשׂ כַּפָּיו אֶל ה' וּמְעוֹרֵר רַחֲמִים, וְכֵן רֹב הַמִּצְווֹת תְּלוּיִין בְּיַד הָאָדָם: בְּיָדוֹ הוּא כּוֹרֵת בְּרִית מִילָה, בְּיָדוֹ מְקַיֵּם כָּל מִינֵי דְּקָרְבָּנוֹת, תְּרוּמוֹת וּמַעַשְׂרוֹת, סֻכָּה, אַרְבָּעָה מִינִים שֶׁבַּלּוּלָב, צְדָקָה, תְּפִלִּין, וְהַרְבֵּה מִצְווֹת תְּלוּיִין בַּיָּדַיִם. עַל כֵּן חַיֵּי הַנֶּפֶשׁ תְּלוּיִין בְּיָדָיו, וְעַל זֶה אָמַר דָּוִד הַמֶּלֶךְ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם: נַפְשִׁי בְּכַפִּי תָּמִיד, וְתוֹרָתְךָ לֹא שָׁכָחְתִּי. רָצָה לוֹמַר, שֶׁבָּחַרְתִּי לִי דְּרָכִים טוֹבִים שֶׁל הַיָּדַיִם, וְלֹא הֶהָפוּךְ חַס וְשָׁלוֹם.
You should know that a handshake is also like an oath. For the soul is dependent upon the palm of the hand to its benefit as well as its detriment. It is dependent upon it to its benefit when a person raises his hands Heavenward to invoke mercy. Moreover, a high percentage of the mitzvos are performed by the hand, including: performing circumcision, offering a sacrifice, separating off the priestly and Levitical gifts, constructing a Sukkah, taking the four species, giving charity, donning tefillin and many others. These are just some of the ways in which the soul is dependent upon the hand. This is what King Dovid meant when he said, “My soul is in my palm continually and I have not forgotten Your Torah” (Tehillim 119:109). That is, I have chosen to use my hands for good purposes and not the opposite, Heaven forbid.
וְהִנֵּה, כְּשֶׁרוֹצֶה הָאָדָם לְאַמֵּת דְּבָרָיו — תּוֹקֵעַ כַּפָּיו כְּאִלּוּ נוֹתֵן לוֹ מַשְׁכּוֹן בָּטוּחַ, שֶׁהוּא הַנֶּפֶשׁ דִּילֵיהּ, אֲשֶׁר הוּא בְּכַפּוֹ. וְהוּא יוֹתֵר חָמוּר מִנִּשְׁבָּע עַל נַפְשׁוֹ, וּפוֹגֵעַ בִּבְחִינוֹתָיו, שֶׁהוּא נֶפֶשׁ הָעֶלְיוֹנָה, הַנִּקְרֵאת נֶפֶשׁ, וְהוּא שֵׁם שֶׁל אַדְנוּת. וְהִנֵּה שֵׁם אַדְנוּת בִּמְלוֹאוֹ — יֵשׁ לוֹ שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה אוֹתִיּוֹת כָּזֶה: אָלֶ"ף, דָּלֶ"ת, נוּ"ן, יוּ"ד — וְנִמְצָא שֶׁהוּא פּוֹגֵם גַּם כֵּן בִּשְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה תֵּבוֹת שֶׁל 'שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל, ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ, ה' אֶחָד. בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד', שֶׁהֵן נֶגֶד שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה אוֹתִיּוֹת מִלּוּאִים שֶׁל אַדְנוּת. וְהִנֵּה אוֹתִיּוֹת אֶמְצָעִים שֶׁל מִלּוּי שֵׁם שֶׁל אַדְנוּת הֵן: ל, ל, ו, ו, שֶׁהֵן גִּימַטְרִיָּא שִׁבְעִים וּשְׁתַּיִם. נִמְצָא, שֶׁפּוֹגֵם גַּם כֵּן בְּשֵׁם ע"ב, הַיּוֹצְאִים מִפְּסוּקִים: וַיִּסַּע וַיָּבֹא וַיֵּט. וְאוֹתִיּוֹת שְׁלִישִׁיּוֹת הֵן: פ, ת, נ, ד שֶׁהֵן גִּימַטְרִיָּא חֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת שְׁלשִׁים וְאַרְבַּע, שֶׁהֵם אותִיּוֹת 'דָּת קֵל'. מַרְאֶה, שֶׁפּוֹגֵם עַל הַתּוֹרָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בָּהּ: מִימִינוֹ אֵשׁ דָּת לָמוֹ; וְאוֹתִיּוֹת 'קַל' מוֹרֶה, שֶׁפּוֹגֵם בְּ'עַב קַל', אֲשֶׁר שֵׁם ה' רוֹכֵב עָלָיו, כַּיָּדוּעַ לְיוֹדְעֵי חֵן.
When a person affirms an agreement by placing his own palm within that of the other party he is symbolically delivering to him his soul as a security. Yet this form of oath is even more serious than if he actually swore by his soul because if he violates it he blemishes the aspect of the soul known as the supernal nefesh, corresponding to the name Ad-n-y. When this name is written out in full it is comprised of twelve letters (אל"ף דל"ת נו"ן יו"ד). These twelve letters correspond to the twelve words of the first line of the Shema and the declaration “Blessed is the name, etc.” Thus one who violates a handshake also blemishes the words of the Shema. Moreover, the numerical values of the middle letters of this expansion (ללו"ו) come to a total of 72. Thus he also blemishes Hashem’s seventy-two letter name, derived from the three verses, “And he went, etc.,” “And he came, etc.,” “And he extended, etc.,” (Shemos 14:19-21; see Chapter 65). The values of the final letters of the expanded name (פתנ"ד) come to a total of 534, for which the usual acronym is תקל"ד. This acronym can be rearranged to form the words das kal [“trivial law”], indicating that he causes a blemish to the holy Torah, concerning which it is written, “From His right [He gave] them a law of fire [eish das]. In addition, the component kal hints that he blemishes the “light cloud” [av kal] upon which Hashem rides, as is known to the Kabbalists.
עַל כֵּן שׁוֹמֵר נַפְשׁוֹ יִתְרַחֵק מִשְּׁבוּעַת שָׁוְא וּמִסְּתָם שְׁבוּעוֹת וּמִתְּקִיעוֹת כַּף, וְתָמִיד יִהְיֶה לוֹ לְזִכָּרוֹן גֹּדֶל הַפְּגָם, שֶׁפּוֹגֵם בַּשֵּׁמוֹת הַקְּדוֹשִׁים הַנִּזְכָּרִים. לְמַעַן ה', אַל יִהְיֶה עָווֹן זֶה קַל בְּעֵינֶיךָ, כִּי צוּרַת הַיָּד הַעוֹבֶרֶת עַל תְּקִיעַת כַּף, הִיא לִפְנֵי מִטָּתוֹ, וְעַל כָּל אֶצְבַּע עוֹמְדִין כַּמָּה אֲלָפִים מַזִּיקִין, רַחֲמָנָא לִצְלַן, וּבְעֵת פְּטִירָתוֹ הַיָּד הַהִיא מְעִידָה עָלָיו, שֶׁעָבַר עַל תְּקִיעַת הַכַּף שֶׁלּוֹ.
In view of all this, whoever cares about his soul will scrupulously avoid swearing in vain and will refrain from taking oaths and shaking hands in general, recalling at all times the blemishes these practices may cause to the holy names mentioned above. For Hashem’s sake let this iniquity not seem insignificant in anyone’s eyes! For the image of the hand that violates a handshake goes ahead of the offender’s coffin, while upon each finger are thousands of damaging angels, Heaven spare us! Then, when he arrives in the other world it testifies to the fact that he violated his handshake.
עַל כֵּן צָרִיךְ הָאָדָם לְהַזְהִיר אֶת בָּנָיו וּבְנֵי בֵיתוֹ, שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיוּ רְגִילִין בִּשְׁבוּעוֹת וּנְדָרִים וּתְקִיעוֹת כַּף; וְהַיָּרֵא לִדְבַר ה' מְחֻיָּב לְהִתְפַּלֵּל עַל זֶה, שֶׁלֹּא יִכָּשֵׁל בִּשְׁבוּעַת חִנָּם. וּמִכָּל שֶׁכֵּן בִּשְׁבוּעַת שָׁוְא וָשֶׁקֶר וּתְקִיעוֹת כַּף שֶׁל שֶׁקֶר; וּמִי שֶׁלֹּא נִזְהָר, אֲזַי יִתֵּן מָקוֹם, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, לְלִילִית הָרְשָׁעָה לִהְיוֹת לָהּ מָדוֹר וְחֵלֶק בְּבֵיתוֹ, וִיאַבֵּד אֶת בָּנָיו הַקְּטַנִּים, וְנִפְרָעִין מִמֶּנּוּ וּמִמִּשְׁפַּחְתּוֹ, וְאַחַר כָּךְ מַכְרִיזִין עָלָיו חֲרָמוֹת וּשְׁמָתוֹת בְּכָל רְקִיעִין, וְתָמִיד מַזְכִּירִין אוֹתוֹ לְרָעָה. עַל כֵּן שׁוֹמֵר נַפְשׁוֹ יִרְחַק מִמִּכְשׁוֹל זֶה, וְאָז בָּטוּחַ תִּהְיֶה, שֶׁיְּמַלֵּא ה' לוֹ בְּרָכוֹת וְהַצְלָחוֹת, יְשׁוּעוֹת וְנֶחָמוֹת, אָמֵן.
Therefore a person must warn his children and the members of his household not to be in the habit of swearing, vowing and shaking hands. Moreover, whoever fears Hashem’s word should pray that he be saved even from swearing unnecessarily, not to mention making vain and false oaths and giving handshakes. If a person is careless in this matter he grants an opening to the evil Lilis to take up residence and acquire a share in his home, Heaven forbid. In consequence he may lose his young children and the rest of his family may suffer as well. Afterwards bans and execrations will be proclaimed against him in all the firmaments and he will be mentioned continually for evil. Therefore whoever cares about his soul will avoid this pitfall. Then he may be certain that Hashem will shower him with blessing, prosperity and salvation, amen.