Musar for Sotah 27:16
וממאי משום דחסה הוא דילמא כי היכי דלא תימחק מגילה קסבר
'Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great' — it is possible [to think that his portion will be] with the [great of] later generations and not former generations; therefore there is a text to declare, 'And he shall divide with the strong', i.e., with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob who were strong in Torah and the commandments. 'Because he poured out his soul unto death' — because he surrendered himself to die, as it is said: And if not, blot me, I pray thee etc.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XXXII, 32. ');"><sup>14</sup></span> 'And was numbered with the transgressors' — because he was numbered with them who were condemned to die in the wilderness. 'Yet he bare the sins of many' — because he secured atonement for the making of the Golden Calf. 'And made intercession for the transgressors' — because he begged for mercy on behalf of the sinners in Israel that they should turn in penitence; and the word pegi'ah ['intercession'] means nothing else than prayer, as it is said: Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to Me.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Jer. VII, 16. [It is suggested that the application of these verses to Moses was a tacit parrying of the use made of that passage by Christian apologists. V. Moore, Judaism III, p. 166, n. 254. ');"><sup>15</sup></span> <b><i>MISHNAH</i></b>. [THE HUSBAND] BRINGS HER MEAL-OFFERING<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. V, 15. ');"><sup>16</sup></span> IN A BASKET OF PALM-TWIGS AND PLACES IT UPON HER HANDS IN ORDER TO WEARY HER. WITH ALL OTHER MEAL-OFFERINGS, THE BEGINNING AND END OF THEIR [SACRIFICE] ARE IN MINISTERING VESSELS; BUT WITH THIS, ITS BEGINNING IS IN A BASKET OF PALM-TWIGS AND ITS END IN A MINISTERING VESSEL. ALL OTHER MEAL-OFFERINGS REQUIRE OIL AND FRANKINCENSE, BUT THIS REQUIRES NEITHER OIL NOR FRANKINCENSE. ALL OTHER MEAL-OFFERINGS CONSIST OF WHEAT, BUT THIS CONSISTS OF BARLEY. THE MEAL-OFFERING OF THE 'OMER,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. II, 14. The Talmud (Men. 68b) argues that it consisted of barley. ');"><sup>17</sup></span> ALTHOUGH CONSISTING OF BARLEY, WAS IN THE FORM OF GROATS; BUT THIS WAS IN THE FORM OF COARSE FLOUR. RABBAN GAMALIEL SAYS: AS HER ACTIONS WERE THE ACTIONS OF AN ANIMAL, SO HER OFFERING [CONSISTED OF] ANIMAL'S FODDER. <b><i>GEMARA</i></b>. It has been taught: Abba Hanin says in the name of R. Eliezer: What is the purpose [of placing the basket upon her hands]? In order to weary her so that she may retract.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And confess, if guilty. ');"><sup>18</sup></span> If the Torah has such consideration<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In its endeavour to make the woman avoid the serious consequences of drinking the water. ');"><sup>19</sup></span> for them who transgress His will, how much more so for them who perform His will. But whence is it [known that the object of this regulation is] to show consideration; perhaps it is to avoid [the Divine Name on] the scroll being obliterated? — He is of the opinion