Three oaths are of Scriptural origin: claims involving movable property, the watchman's oath, and the oaths of ha'edut/hapikadon.
Question 2
The court administers an oath without the defendant holding a sacred object. The result:
The court has made an error, but the oath administered is still considered valid — the object-holding is required but its absence doesn't void the oath retroactively.
Question 3
How is a Torah scholar different from an ordinary person in oath procedure?
A Torah scholar takes the oath while seated, holding tefillin — a mark of dignity and respect for his status.
Question 4
The court's pre-oath admonition must be delivered:
The admonition must be communicated in a language the person actually understands so its weight is genuinely conveyed.
Question 5
Is a false sh'vuat heset as serious as other judicial oaths?
The severity of taking a false judicial oath applies equally to sh'vuat heset — Rabbinic origin does not diminish the gravity of the transgression.