Sotah 14

וקטליאות נזמים וטבעות מעבירין ממנה כדי לנוולה ואחר כך מביא חבל מצרי וקושרו למעלה מדדיה

AND NECKLACES, EAR-RINGS AND FINGER-RINGS, THEY REMOVE THEM FROM HER IN ORDER TO MAKE HER REPULSIVE. AFTER THAT [THE PRIEST] TAKES A COMMON ROPE<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The Palestinian Gemara explains it as 'an Egyptian cord' which is used because she followed the immoral practices of Egypt. More probably it means a cord made of twisted strips of the bark of the palm-tree. It was the commonest form of rope and used here as a mark of contempt. ');">¹</span>

וכל הרוצה לראות בא לראות חוץ מעבדיה ושפחותיה מפני שלבה גס בהן וכל הנשים מותרות לראותה שנאמר (יחזקאל כג, מח) ונוסרו כל הנשים ולא תעשינה כזמתכנה

AND BINDS IT OVER HER BREASTS.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' To prevent her clothing from falling down. ');">²</span>

<big><strong>גמ׳</strong></big> מנהני מילי א"ר חייא בר גמדא א"ר יוסי בר' חנינא אתיא תורה תורה כתיב הכא (במדבר ה, ל) ועשה לה הכהן את כל התורה וכתיב התם (דברים יז, יא) על פי התורה אשר יורוך מה להלן בשבעים ואחד אף כאן בשבעים ואחד

WHOEVER WISHES TO LOOK UPON HER COMES TO LOOK WITH THE EXCEPTION OF HER MALE AND FEMALE SLAVES, BECAUSE HER HEART IS MADE DEFIANT THROUGH THEM. ALL WOMEN ARE PERMITTED<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Interpreted in the Gemara to mean that they should as a duty look. ');">³</span>

ומאיימין עליה וכו' ורמינהו כדרך שמאיימין עליה שלא תשתה כך מאיימין עליה שתשתה אומרים לה בתי אם ברור לך הדבר שטהורה את עמדי על בורייך ושתי לפי שאין מים המרים דומין אלא לסם יבש שמונח על בשר חי אם יש שם מכה מחלחל ויורד אין שם מכה אינו מועיל כלום

TO LOOK UPON HER, AS IT IS SAID, THAT ALL WOMEN MAY BE TAUGHT NOT TO DO AFTER YOUR LEWDNESS.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ezek. XXIII, 48. ');">⁴</span>

לא קשיא כאן קודם שנמחקה מגילה כאן לאחר שנמחקה מגילה

<b><i>GEMARA</i></b>. Whence is this?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That the water must be administered by the great Court in Jerusalem. ');">⁵</span>

ואומר לפניה וכו' ת"ר אומר לפניה דברים של הגדה ומעשים שאירעו בכתובים הראשונים כגון (איוב טו, יח) אשר חכמים יגידו ולא כחדו מאבותם

— R. Hiyya b. Gamda said in the name of R. Jose b. Hanina: From the analogous use of the word 'law'. It is written here, And the priest shall execute upon her all this law;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. V, 30. ');">⁶</span>

יהודה הודה ולא בוש מה היה סופו נחל חיי העולם הבא ראובן הודה ולא בוש מה היה סופו נחל חיי העולם הבא ומה שכרן מה שכרן כדקא אמרינן אלא מה שכרן בעולם הזה (איוב טו, יט) להם לבדם נתנה הארץ ולא עבר זר בתוכם

and elsewhere it is written: According to the tenor of the law which they shall teach thee.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XVII, 11. The reference is here to the Supreme Court. ');">⁷</span>

בשלמא ביהודה אשכחן דאודי דכתיב (בראשית לח, כו) ויכר יהודה ויאמר צדקה ממני אלא ראובן מנלן דאודי

As in this latter case it is [the Court of] seventy-one,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Sanh. 14b and 86a. ');">⁸</span>

דא"ר שמואל בר נחמני אמר ר' יוחנן מאי דכתיב (דברים לג, ו) יחי ראובן ואל ימות (דברים לג, ז) וזאת ליהודה

so also in the former it is [the Court of] seventy-one.

כל אותן שנים שהיו ישראל במדבר היו עצמותיו. של יהודה מגולגלין בארון עד שעמד משה ובקש עליו רחמים אמר לפניו רבש"ע מי גרם לראובן שהודה יהודה וזאת ליהודה

AND [THE JUDGES] SOLEMNLY CHARGE HER etc. I quote in contradiction: Just as they solemnly charge her not to drink,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If guilty, but make confession. ');">⁹</span>

מיד (דברים לג, ז) שמע ה' קול יהודה על איבריה לשפא ולא הוה קא מעיילין ליה למתיבתא דרקיעא (דברים לג, ז) ואל עמו תביאנו ולא הוה קא ידע משקל ומטרח בשמעתא בהדי רבנן (דברים לג, ז) ידיו רב לו לא הוה קא סלקא ליה שמעתא אליבא דהילכתא (דברים לג, ז) ועזר מצריו תהיה

so they solemnly charge her to drink, saying to her, 'My daughter, if the matter is clear to thee that thou art pure, rely upon thy purity and drink; because the water of bitterness is only like dry powder which is placed upon living flesh. If there is a wound, it penetrates and goes through [the skin]; and if there is no wound, it has no effect.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Quoted from Tosefta Sotah I, 6. ');">¹⁰</span>

בשלמא יהודה דאודי כי היכי דלא תישרף תמר אלא ראובן למה ליה דאודי והאמר רב ששת חציף עלי (בר ישראל) דמפריט חטאיה כי היכי דלא ליחשדו אחוהי

— There is no contradiction; here [they charge her not to drink] before [the writing on] the scroll is blotted out,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. V, 23, so that the Divine Name may not be obliterated in vain. ');">¹¹</span>

אם אמרה טמאה אני וכו' שמעת מינה כותבין שובר

and there [they charge her to drink] after it has been blotted out.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' To encourage her to go through the ordeal if she is convinced of her innocence. ');">¹²</span>

אמר אביי תני מקרעת א"ל רבא והא שוברת קתני אלא אמר רבא במקום שאין כותבין כתובה עסקינן

AND SAY TO HER etc. Our Rabbis have taught: He tells her narratives and incidents which occurred in the early writings;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The Pentateuch. ');">¹³</span>

ואם אמרה טהורה אני מעלין אותה לשערי מזרח מעלין אותה

for instance, Which wise men have told and have not hid it [from their fathers],<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., they confessed, Job XV, 18. (E.V. 'Which wise men have told from their fathers and have not hid it'). ');">¹⁴</span> namely Judah confessed and was not ashamed; what was his end? He inherited the life of the world to come. Reuben confessed and was not ashamed; what was his end? He inherited the world to come. And what was their reward? What was their reward [you ask]! It was as we have just mentioned. But [the meaning is], What was their reward in this world? Unto them alone the land was given, and no stranger passed among them.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 19. ');">¹⁵</span> It is quite right with Judah; we find that he confessed, for it is written: And Judah acknowledged them, and said: She is more righteous than I.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Gen. XXXVIII, 26. ');">¹⁶</span> Whence, however, is it that Reuben confessed? — As R. Samuel b. Nahmani said in the name of R. Johanan: What means that which is written: Let Reuben live and not die; and this for Judah?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XXXIII, 6f. ');">¹⁷</span> All the years that the Israelites were in the wilderness, Judah's bones<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' According to tradition, the bones of all Jacob's sons were carried out of Egypt. ');">¹⁸</span> kept turning in his coffin until Moses arose and begged mercy for him. He said before Him, Lord of the Universe, who caused Reuben to confess? It was Judah,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' When he confessed, Reuben followed his example. ');">¹⁹</span> [as it is stated], 'And this for Judah'; immediately [after Moses prayed], 'Hear, Lord, the voice of Judah', each limb entered its socket.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Of the skeleton and ceased rolling about. ');">²⁰</span> But [the angels] would not permit him to enter the heavenly Academy;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Where the Torah is studied. ');">²¹</span> [so Moses prayed], 'And bring him in unto his people'. He was unable to discuss the theme which the Rabbis were then debating; [so Moses prayed], 'With his hands let him contend for himself.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' May he be able to prevail in the debate. ');">²²</span> He was still not able to secure a decision in accordance with the traditional practice; [so Moses prayed], 'Be an help against his adversaries'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. B.M. 86a. ');">²³</span> It is quite right that Judah confessed so that Tamar should not be burnt; but why did Reuben confess? Surely R. Shesheth has declared: Consider him shameless who [publicly] specifies his sins! — [Reuben confessed] so that his brothers should not be suspected [of his offence]. IF SHE SAID, 'I HAVE MISCONDUCTED MYSELF' etc. Is it to be concluded from this that a quittance is written out?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The question whether a quittance is given or the document of the marriage-settlement torn is discussed in B.B. 170b. ');">²⁴</span> — Abaye said: Read [in our Mishnah]: [The document of the marriage-settlement] is torn. Raba replied to him, But the Mishnah mentions A QUITTANCE! But, said Raba, we deal here with places where they do not write a document for a marriage-settlement.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This was sometimes not done because there was an established rule about the amount due to a wife from her husband, v. B.M. (Sonc. ed.) p. 107, n. 4. ');">²⁵</span> BUT IF SHE SAYS, 'I AM PURE', THEY BRING HER UP TO THE EAST GATE. 'THEY BRING HER UP'?