B"H
Shalom,
Q. Dear Rabbi,
On the answering machine, sometimes people leave a message that they will answer as soon as possible. Isn't there an issue with a potential neder in case the caller represents a pesky marketing company and the person does not want to call them back? Isn't it better not to leave a promise to return the call?
Thanks,
Hodesh tov!
A. Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit"a indicated that a recorded message offering to call back is not a neder or promise at all. Since a main purpose of an answering system is to filter wanted from unwanted incoming calls, it is tacit and implicit that not necessarily all calls will be replied to. It is also obvious that only the calls that matter to you will when possible eventually be addressed.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit'a
Important Numbers
