Sotah 40

חוץ מפרשת סוטה בלבד רבי יעקב אומר משמו חוץ מפרשת סוטה של מקדש מאי בינייהו א"ר ירמיה למחוק לה מן התורה איכא בינייהו

except only for the portion concerning the suspected woman. R. Jacob says in his [R. Meir's] name, Except the portion of the suspected woman [written] in the Temple.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Specially prepared for the ordeal. ');">¹</span>

והני תנאי כי הני תנאי דתניא אין מגילתה כשירה להשקות בה סוטה אחרת רבי אחי בר יאשיה אומר מגילתה כשירה להשקות בה סוטה אחרת

What is the difference between them? — R. Jeremiah said: The point between them is [whether it is permissible] to blot out from the Torah [-scroll the passage required for the rite of the water of bitterness];<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' According to R. Jacob it is not permissible, and consequently one may use vitriol for writing that portion in the Torah-scroll. ');">²</span>

אמר רב פפא דילמא לא היא עד כאן לא קאמר ת"ק התם אלא כיון דאינתיק לשום רחל לא הדרא מינתקא לשום לאה אבל תורה דסתמא כתיבה הכי נמי דמחקינן

and these teachers [differ on the same issue] as the following teachers, for it has been taught: Her scroll is not valid to be used in giving another suspected woman to drink. R. Ahi b. Joshiah says: Her scroll is valid to be used in giving another suspected woman to drink.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The point here also is whether the scroll must be expressly written for the ordeal. ');">³</span>

אמר רב נחמן בר יצחק דילמא לא היא עד כאן לא קאמר רבי אחי בר יאשיה התם אלא במגילה דאיכתוב לשום אלות בעולם אבל תורה דלהתלמד כתיבה הכי נמי דלא מחקינן

R. papa said: perhaps it is not so, the first teacher only gives his opinion there because [the scroll] was designated for Rachel and cannot therefore be re-designated for Leah, but since the text of the Torah-scroll is written without reference to any individual, we may obliterate [the passage]. R. Nahman b. Isaac said: perhaps It is not so; R. Ahi b. Joshiah only gives his opinion there in the case of a scroll which was written for the purpose of the curses; but with a Torah-scroll which is written for the purpose of study, we may not obliterate [the passage]. Does not, then, R. Ahi b. Joshiah accept what we learnt: If a man wrote [a document] to divorce his wife but changed his mind, and then met a man who resided in the same city<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The name of the city is inserted in the document. ');">⁴</span>

ורבי אחי בר יאשיה לית ליה כתב לגרש את אשתו ונמלך מצאו בן עירו ואמר לו שמי כשמך ושם אשתי כשם אשתך פסול לגרש בו

and said to him, 'My name is identical with yours and my wife's name identical with your wife's name', it is invalid [as a document] wherewith to divorce?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The second woman, since it must be written expressly for the woman who is to be divorced, v. Git. 24a. ');">⁵</span>

אמרי התם (דברים כד, א) וכתב לה אמר רחמנא בעינן כתיבה לשמה הכא נמי (במדבר ה, ל) ועשה לה מאי עשייה מחיקה

— They answer: There [in connection with divorce] the All-Merciful declared: He shall write for her<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XXIV. 1. ');">⁶</span>

אינה מספקת לשתות עד שפניה [כו'] מני ר"ש היא דאמר מקריב את מנחתה ואח"כ משקה דכמה דלא קרבה מנחתה לא בדקי לה מיא דכתיב (במדבר ה, טו) מנחת זכרון מזכרת עון

— we require that it should be written expressly for her; here likewise [it is stated], Shall execute upon her<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. V, 30. ');">⁷</span>

אימא סיפא יש לה זכות היתה תולה לה אתאן לרבנן דאי ר"ש האמר אין זכות תולה במים המרים

— what is intended by the word 'execute'? The obliteration [of the writing].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Only the obliteration, but not the writing, must be expressly for the woman who is being tried. ');">⁸</span>

אמר רב חסדא הא מני ר"ע היא דאמר מקריב את מנחתה ואח"כ משקה ובזכות סבר לה כרבנן

SHE HAD SCARCELY FINISHED DRINKING WHEN HER FACE etc. Whose [teaching] is this?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That the water takes effect as soon as she drinks it. ');">⁹</span>

והם אומרים הוציאוה וכו' מ"ט דדילמא מתה למימרא דמת אסור במחנה לויה

— It is R. Simeon's, because he said that [the priest] sacrifices her meal-offering and then gives her to drink,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. supra 19a. ');">¹⁰</span>

והתניא טמא מת מותר ליכנס למחנה לויה ולא טמא מת בלבד אמרו אלא אפילו מת עצמו שנאמר (שמות יג, יט) ויקח משה את עצמות יוסף עמו עמו במחיצתו

since the water does not affect her so long as her meal-offering is not sacrificed, as it is written: A meal-offering of memorial, bringing iniquity to rememberance.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 15. ');">¹¹</span>

אמר אביי שמא תפרוס נדה למימרא דבעיתותא מרפיא אין דכתיב (אסתר ד, ד) ותתחלחל המלכה מאד ואמר רב שפירסה נדה והא אנן תנן חרדה מסלקת דמים פחדא צמית ביעתותא מרפיא

But cite the continuation [of the Mishnah]: IF SHE POSSESSED A MERIT, IT [CAUSES THE WATER] TO SUSPEND ITS EFFECT UPON HER — this accords with the view of the Rabbis; because if [it be supposed that it accords with the view of] R. Simeon, behold he has declared: Merit does not cause the water of bitterness to suspend its effect!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. supra p. 25. Consequently the above teaching cannot be R. Simeon's. ');">¹²</span>

יש לה זכות היתה וכו' מני מתני' לא אבא יוסי בן חנן ולא ר"א בן יצחק איש כפר דרום ולא רבי ישמעאל

— R. Hisda said: Whose is it, then? It is R. Akiba's, because he said: He sacrifices her meal-offering and then gives her to drink, and on the question of [the effect of] merit he agrees with the Rabbis.

דתניא אם יש לה זכות תולה לה שלשה חדשים כדי הכרת העובר דברי אבא יוסי בן חנן ר"א בן יצחק איש כפר דרום אומר ט' חדשים שנאמר (במדבר ה, כח) ונקתה ונזרעה זרע ולהלן הוא אומר (תהלים כב, לא) זרע יעבדנו יסופר זרע הראוי לספר

AND IT IS EXCLAIMED, 'REMOVE HER' etc. What is the reason? — Perhaps she dies. Is this to say that a corpse is forbidden in the camp of the Levites?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The Court of the Levites in the Temple where the Court of Women and the Nicanor Gate (v. supra p. 30, n. 9.) were located. ');">¹³</span>

רבי ישמעאל אומר שנים עשר חדש ואע"פ שאין ראיה לדבר זכר לדבר דכתיב (דניאל ד, כד) להן מלכא מלכי ישפר עליך וחטיך בצדקה פרוק ועויתך במיחן ענין

But it has been taught: One who is defiled through contact with a corpse is permitted to enter the camp of the Levites; and not only did they say this of one who is defiled through contact with a corpse but even the corpse itself [may be taken there], as it is said: And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XIII, 19. ');">¹⁴</span> — 'with him', i.e., in his division!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which was the camp of the Levites. ');">¹⁵</span> — Abaye said: [The reason is] lest she become menstruant.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As the result of her agitation. ');">¹⁶</span> Is this to say that a sudden fright brings on [menstruation]? — Yes, for it is written: And the queen was exceedingly grieved,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Est. IV, 4. ');">¹⁷</span> and Rab said, [It means] that she became menstruant. But we have learnt: Trembling holds back [the menstrual] flow! — Fear holds it back but a sudden fright brings It on. IF SHE POSSESSED A MERIT etc. Whose teaching is our Mishnah? It is not that of Abba Jose b. Hanan, nor of R. Eleazar b. Isaac of Kefar Darom, nor of R. Ishmael; for it has been taught: If she possess a merit, it suspends [the effect of the water] for three months, sufficiently long for pregnancy to be recognisable. Such is the statement of Abba Jose b. Hanan; R. Eleazar b. Isaac of Kefar Darom says: For nine months, as it is stated: Then she shall be free and shall conceive seed,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. V, 28. ');">¹⁸</span> and elsewhere it declares, A seed shall serve him, it shall be related<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. XXII, 31. ');">¹⁹</span> — i.e., a seed which is fit to be related.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Viz., at birth, and so the period of nine months is required. Rashi explains differently. ');">²⁰</span> R. Ishmael says: For twelve months, and although there is no proof of this, yet there is some indication; because it is written, Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by showing mercy to the poor,'