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Why does the Rambam (רמב"ם) classify shevuat shav (false oath) as a chumrah requiring death for atonement, alongside sins punishable by karet and misas beis din? The shiur develops the concept that chilul Hashem (ה׳) isn't merely a "bad impression"—it's the literal desecration of God's shem (name), which is the created vehicle through which we relate to Him as children to a Father. When one swears falsely by God's name, one destroys that sacred relationship at its foundation.
The shiur explores a difficult Rambam (רמב"ם) in Hilchos Teshuvah concerning the se'ir hamishtalei'ach (scapegoat of Yom Kippur). The Rambam states that the se'ir atones for both kalos (light sins) and chamuros (severe sins) only if one does teshuvah; without teshuvah, it atones only for kalos. The Rambam then adds a perplexing statement: shevuat shav and shevuat sheker (false and vain oaths), though not punishable by karet, are nevertheless classified among the chamuros—severe sins requiring death for complete atonement. This classification is puzzling because the standard definition of chamuros includes only sins punishable by karet or misas beis din (death by the court). Why would a false oath, which carries neither penalty, be elevated to this category? The Rambam in Hilchos Shevuos (12:1) provides the key: the sin of swearing falsely involves chilul Hashem (ה׳)—desecration of God's name. He writes that one who is guilty of shevuat shav or shevuat eidus has no atonement "ad sheyispareh mimenu al Hashem hagadol shechilel"—until he atones for desecrating the great name of God. The pasuk states "lo yenakeh Hashem"—God will not cleanse. Therefore, the Rambam concludes, one must be more careful with this sin than with all others.
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Hilchos Teshuvah (halachos 2–4), Hilchos Shevuos 12:1
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