2,712. Taking the Oath Oneself

Hilchos Shevuos 11:8

An oath of judges, regardless of whether it’s Biblical or rabbinic in nature, and regardless of whether it’s being given for a definite or an indefinite claim, is imposed as the follows: The one taking the oath holds a Torah scroll; he must stand to take the oath or to utter a curse using God’s name or one of the terms we use to describe Him. He may speak the oath himself or it may be spoken by the judges. The Rambam says that his teachers required an oath of judges to be delivered in Hebrew.

Hilchos Shevuos 11:9

Speaking the oath oneself means that he says something like, “I take an oath by Hashem, the God of Israel...,” “by the One Whose Name is gracious...” or “by the One Whose Name is merciful that I do not owe this person anything.” The same is true if he says “May I be cursed to God...” or “to the One Whose Name is gracious if I owe this person anything.”