Mivta (ΧΦ΄ΧΦ°ΧΦΈΧ) refers to a rash or hasty utterance, an oath or vow made impulsively with the lips, particularly a vow of self-denial. The word appears in Numbers 30:6,8 in the context of the laws governing women's vows β a husband may annul a wife's mivta made rashly.
The category of mivta β the hasty oath β reflects biblical wisdom about the power and peril of words. Proverbs 20:25 warns: "It is a trap to dedicate something rashly and only later to consider one's vows." Ecclesiastes 5:2 echoes: "Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God."
Jesus addresses this directly in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:33-37): the solution is not better oath-management but integrity of character β "Let your yes be yes and your no be no." The person who lives in covenant fidelity does not need elaborate oath-taking because their word itself is trustworthy. Mivta warns against the gap between impulsive speech and reliable character.