Binding Nature of Charitable Pledges for Building a New Synagogue

Description

The Chasam Sofer rules that pledges made toward building a new synagogue in Alt-Ofen are fully binding and not asmachta, because sacred vows are equivalent to binding delivery and the donors genuinely desired the outcome. Donors may not retract on grounds that construction is delayed, as delay due to economic hardship does not cancel the underlying project, and beis din may compel those who have not yet paid to separate and hand over their pledged funds to the gabba'im.