Sotah 51

Chapter 51

א מעוברת חבירו ומינקת חבירו לא שותות ולא נוטלות כתובה דברי ר' מאיר
1 '[A wife] who was pregnant by a former husband or was suckling a child by a former husband does not drink and does not receive the marriage-settlement.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 6. ');"><sup>1</sup></span>
ב שהיה רבי מאיר אומר לא ישא אדם מעוברת חבירו ומינקת חבירו ואם נשא יוציא ולא יחזיר עולמית וחכמים אומרים יוציא וכשיגיע זמנו לכנוס יכנוס
2 Such is the statement of R. Meir; because R. Meir says: A man may not marry a woman who is pregnant by a former husband or is suckling a child by a former husband, and if he married her he must let her go and never take her back; the Sages, on the other hand, say: He must let her go, but when the time arrives when he may marry her<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., after the lapse of two years from the birth of the child. ');"><sup>2</sup></span>
ג והרובא שנשא עקרה וזקינה ואין לו אשה ובנים מעיקרא לא שותה ולא נוטלת כתובה ר' אלעזר אומר יכול הוא לישא אחרת ולפרות ולרבות הימנה
3 he marries her. 'If a youth married a barren woman or one too old to bear, and he did not previously have a wife and children, she does not drink and does not receive the marriage-settlement. R. Eliezer says: He is able to marry another wife and have offspring by her'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Tosef. ibid. 5. The last sentence occurs in the Mishnah p. 120, and instead the Tosef. reads: R. Eliezer says: He is able to separate from her and take her back after a time. ');"><sup>3</sup></span>
ד אבל המקנא לארוסתו ולשומרת יבם שלו ומשכנסה נסתרה או שותה או לא נוטלת כתובה מעוברת ומינקת עצמו או שותה או לא נוטלת כתובתה הרובא שנשא עקרה וזקינה ויש לו אשה ובנים או שותה או לא נוטלת כתובה
4 But 'if a man gives a warning to his betrothed or to his brother's childless widow and she secluded herself after marriage, she either drinks or does not receive the marriage-settlement. If the wife is pregnant or suckling a child by himself,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., by the husband who gives her warning. ');"><sup>4</sup></span>
ה אשת ממזר לממזר ואשת נתין לנתין ואשת גר ועבד משוחרר ואיילונית או שותה או לא נוטלת כתובה קתני מיהא איילונית תיובתיה דרב נחמן
5 she either drinks or does not receive the marriage-settlement. And if a youth married a barren woman or one too old to bear, and he already had a wife and children, she either drinks or does not receive the marriage-settlement. The legal wife of an illegitimate,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Viz., a woman who was competent to marry such a man, and she secluded herself after warning. ');"><sup>5</sup></span>
ו אמר לך רב נחמן תנאי היא ואנא דאמרי כי האי תנא דתניא ר' שמעון בן אלעזר אומר איילונית לא שותה ולא נוטלת כתובה שנאמר (במדבר ה, כח) ונקתה ונזרעה זרע מי שדרכה להזריע יצאתה זו שאין דרכה להזריע
6 the legal wife of a Nathin, the wife of a proselyte or freed slave, and a woman incapable of conception either drink or do not receive the marriage-settlement.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Tosef. ibid. 1-4. ');"><sup>6</sup></span>
ז ורבנן האי ונקתה ונזרעה זרע מאי עבדי ליה מיבעי להו לכדתניא ונקתה ונזרעה [זרע] שאם היתה עקרה נפקדת דברי ר' עקיבא אמר לו ר' ישמעאל אם כן יסתרו כל העקרות ויפקדו וזו הואיל ולא נסתרה הפסידה
7 Here the woman incapable of conception is specified [among the woman who are required to drink]! It is a refutation of R. Nahman.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' He asserted above, 'All agree that she does not drink'. ');"><sup>7</sup></span>
ח אם כן מה תלמוד לומר ונקתה ונזרעה זרע שאם היתה יולדת בצער יולדת בריוח נקבות יולדת זכרים קצרים יולדת ארוכים שחורים יולדת לבנים
8 R. Nahman can reply, [That which I stated above is a difference between] Tannaim, whereas I agree with the following Tanna. For it has been taught: R. Simeon b. Eleazar says: A woman incapable of conception does not drink and does not receive the marriage-settlement, as it is said: Then she shall be free and shall conceive seed<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. V, 28. ');"><sup>8</sup></span>
ט אשת ממזר לממזר פשיטא מהו דתימא אפושי פסולין לא ליפוש קא משמע לן
9 — i.e., one whose way is to conceive seed, thus excluding one whose way is not to conceive seed.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Tosef. ibid. 4. ');"><sup>9</sup></span>
י אשת גר ועבד משוחרר ואיילונית פשיטא
10 What, then, do the Rabbis make of the phrase 'Then she shall be free and shall conceive seed'? They require it in accordance with the following teaching: 'Then she shall be free and conceive seed' — so that if she had been barren, she now becomes visited.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The Biblical term used of barren women who conceive. ');"><sup>10</sup></span>
יא מהו דתימא (במדבר ה, ו) דבר אל בני ישראל ולא גרים קמ"ל ואימא הכי נמי ואמרת רבויא הוא
11 Such is the statement of R. Akiba. R. Ishmael said to him, In that case, all barren women will seclude themselves and be visited, and since this one did not seclude herself she will be the loser!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' By remaining loyal to her husband and avoiding all suspicion a barren woman will continue sterile! ');"><sup>11</sup></span>
יב אשת כהן שותה כו' (אשת כהן. שותה) פשיטא מהו דתימא (במדבר ה, יג) והיא לא נתפשה אסורה הא נתפשה מותרת וזו הואיל ונתפשה אסורה אימא לא תשתה קא משמע לן
12 If so, what is the purpose of 'Then she shall be free and shall conceive seed'? If she formerly bore children in pain she will now bear with ease; if formerly girls she will now give birth to boys; if formerly short she will now bear tall children; if formerly dark she will now have fair children.
יג ומותרת לבעלה פשיטא אמר רב הונא במתנוונה מתנוונה הא בדקוה מיא
13 'The legal wife of an illegitimate [either drinks or does not receive the marriage-settlement]' — this is self-evident!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since her marriage is legal. ');"><sup>12</sup></span>
יד במתנוונה דרך אברים מהו דתימא הא זנויי זנאי והא דלא בדקוה מיא כי אורחיה משום דבאונס זנאי ולגבי כהן אסירא קא משמע לן
14 — What you might have said was that disqualified [members of the Community] should not be multiplied.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The purpose of the Torah cannot be to restore harmony between such a couple, since the offspring of the union would be disqualified from membership in the Community. ');"><sup>13</sup></span>
טו אשת סריס שותה פשיטא מהו דתימא מבלעדי אישך אמר רחמנא והאי לאו בר הכי הוא קא משמע לן
15 Therefore he informs us [that such a marriage is treated like any other].
טז על ידי כל עריות מקנין פשיטא
16 'The wife of a proselyte or freed slave and a woman incapable of conception [either drink or do not receive the marriage-settlement]' — this is self-evident! — What you might have said was, Speak unto the children of Israel<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. V, 12. ');"><sup>14</sup></span> — but not to proselytes. Therefore he informs us [that proselytes are included in the law]. Or as an alternative answer: And say<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. ');"><sup>15</sup></span> is to be interpreted as including [the wife of a proselyte, etc.]. THE WIFE OF A PRIEST DRINKS etc. This is self-evident! — What you might have said was, And she had not been violated<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. V, 13; i.e., she had been a consenting party. ');"><sup>16</sup></span> — then she is prohibited [to her husband];<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. supra 2b. ');"><sup>17</sup></span> hence if she had been violated she is permitted to him; but this woman [being the wife of a priest] is prohibited to him even if she had been violated, and consequently she does not drink. Therefore he informs us [that she does undergo the ordeal]. AND IS PERMITTED TO HER HUSBAND. This is self-evident! — R. Huna said: [This refers to a case where] she becomes ill.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' After drinking the water. ');"><sup>18</sup></span> But if she becomes ill, the water has proved her [guilty]! — [It refers to a case where] she becomes ill in other limbs.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Not those enumerated in Num. V, 22. ');"><sup>19</sup></span> What you might have said was that she had committed adultery, and the fact that the water did not affect her in the usual way was due to her having acted immorally under force and as such she is prohibited to a priest. Therefore he informs us [that she is permitted to her husband]. THE WIFE OF A EUNUCH DRINKS. This is self-evident! — What you might have said was, Besides thine husband<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 20. ');"><sup>20</sup></span> declared the All Merciful, and this man [being a eunuch] does not come within the category [of husband]. Therefore he informs us [that he is considered to be her husband for the law of the ordeal]. THROUGH [SECLUSION WITH] ALL PERSONS FORBIDDEN TO HER IN MARRIAGE JEALOUSY IS ESTABLISHED. This is self-evident!