For the source text click/tap here: Nedarim 24
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Our new Mishna teaches us about vows of exaggeration. These vows are understood as either tools to explain something unusual, or complete fabrications.
Rava asks: What is the necessity of teaching us this case (that such an oath is permitted)? Furthermore, the braisa said that we are comparing the cases of insignificant oaths to the cases of nedarim (and we are only stating one case)!
Rava answers: The case is as follows: He said, “All the fruits in the world should be forbidden to me if I didn’t see on this road as many people as went out from Egypt at the time of the Exodus.”
Ravina asked Rav Ashi: Perhaps he is referring to an anthill (shumshemanei ) and he gave them the name “those who went out of Egypt,” and the oath is a proper one? Rav Ashi answers: One swears according to our understanding of the words..
How many did in fact emerge from Egypt? We cite Colin Humphreys mathematical postulation.
We explore the world of the shumshemanei….in antiquity Herodotus, and the medieval beastiary.