Shevuot 36A

ומנין לעשות אלה שאין עמה שבועה כאלה שיש עמה שבועה, ושבועה שאין עמה אלה כשבועה שיש עמה אלה? תלמוד לומר: ״ושמעה קול אלה״⁠ – ושמעה אלה, ושמעה קול.

And from where is it derived to render an ala with which the word oath is not written like an ala with which the word oath is written and an oath with which the word ala is not written like an oath with which the word ala is written? The verse states: “And he hears the voice of an ala” (Leviticus 5:1). The phrase “the voice of an ala” is unnecessary, as it would have been sufficient to write: And he heard an ala. It is interpreted as though it were written: And he heard an ala and he heard a voice.

אמר רבי אבהו: מנין ל״אלה״ שהיא שבועה? שנאמר: ״ויבא אתו באלה וגו׳״; וכתיב: ״וגם במלך נבוכדנצר מרד אשר השביעו באלהים״.

R' Abbahu says: From where is it derived with regard to ala that it is an oath? It is derived as it is stated: “And he took from the seed of the monarchy…and brought it into an ala” (Ezekiel 17:13); and it is stated with regard to Zedekiah, who was from the seed of the monarchy: “And he also rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar who had administered an oath to him by God” (II Chronicles 36:13). This indicates that the ala is an oath.

תנא: ״ארור״⁠ – בו נידוי, בו קללה, בו שבועה.

§ The Talmud proceeds to define a related term. It is taught with regard to the term arur: There is an element of ostracism within it, there is an element of curse within it, and there is an element of oath within it.

בו נידוי ⁠– דכתיב: ״אורו מרוז אמר מלאך ה׳, ארו ארור ישביה״, ואמר עולא: בארבע מאה שיפורי שמתיה ברק למרוז.

The Talmud elaborates: There is an element of ostracism within it, as it is written in the song of Deborah: “Curse [oru] Meroz, said the angel of God; cursed with a curse [oru aror] are its inhabitants” (Judges 5:23). And Ulla says: With blasts from 400 shofarot, Barak ostracized the city of Meroz, indicating that the term arur has the connotation of ostracism.