Commentary for Sotah 17:15

תנו רבנן סוטה נתנה עיניה במי שאינו ראוי לה מה שביקשה לא ניתן לה ומה שבידה נטלוהו ממנה שכל הנותן עיניו במה שאינו שלו מה שמבקש אין נותנין לו ומה שבידו נוטלין הימנו

R. Hamuna said: The Holy One, blessed be He, does not exact punishment of a man until his measure [of guilt] is filled; as it is said: 'In the fullness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits, etc'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Job XX, 22. ');">¹⁴</span> R. Hinena b. Papa expounded: What means the text: Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous; praise is comely for the upright?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. XXXIII, 1. ');">¹⁵</span> Read not praise is na'wah ['comely'], but praise is neweh ['a habitation']. This alludes to Moses and David over whose works [in erecting a Sanctuary] their enemies had no power.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., the enemies of Israel did not profit by any of the materials when the Temple was destroyed. ');">¹⁶</span> Of [the Temple planned by] David, it is written: Her gates are sunk in the ground.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lam. II, 9. ');">¹⁷</span> With regard to Moses the Master said: After the first Temple was erected, the Tent of Meeting was stored away, its boards, hooks, bars, pillars and sockets. Where [were they stored]? — R. Hisda said in the name of Abimi: Beneath the crypts of the Temple. Our Rabbis have taught: The suspected woman<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Who is guilty. ');">¹⁸</span> set her eyes on one who was not proper for her; what she sought was not given to her<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' She is not allowed to marry her lover. ');">¹⁹</span> and what she possessed was taken from her;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' She dies if she drinks the water, and is divorced with loss of her settlement if she confesses. ');">²⁰</span> because whoever sets his eyes on that which is not his is not granted what he seeks and what he possesses is taken from him.

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