Sotah 63

Chapter 63

א והכא במאי עסקינן כגון דאתאי אשה מעיקרא
1 and with what circumstance are we dealing here?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' When the Mishnah teaches: IF ONE WITNESS&nbsp;… AND TWO SAY etc. ');"><sup>1</sup></span> For example, if it was a woman who came first [and testified]; and R. Nehemiah's statement is to be construed thus: R. Nehemiah says: 'Wherever the Torah accepts the testimony of one witness, [the decision] follows the majority of persons [who testify]', so that two women against one woman is identical with two men against one man, but two women against one man is like half and half.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' One witness against one witness; if they testified simultaneously the evidence is not accepted. ');"><sup>2</sup></span>
ב ותרצה לדרבי נחמיה הכי ר' נחמיה אומר כל מקום שהאמינה תורה עד אחד הלך אחר רוב דיעות ועשו שתי נשים באשה אחת כשני אנשים באיש אחד אבל שתי נשים באיש אחד כי פלגא ופלגא דמי
2 Why, then, have we two teachings concerning disqualified witnesses?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In these last two clauses of the Mishnah which have been explained as referring to the evidence of women and slaves. ');"><sup>3</sup></span> What you might have said was that when we follow the majority of persons [who testify] it is for taking the severer view, but to take the lenient view we do not follow [the majority]. Therefore [the Mishnah] informs us [of one case where the accused must drink and one where she does not drink, and in each the majority is followed].
ג ותרתי בפסולי עדות למה לי מהו דתימא כי אזלינן בתר רוב דיעות לחומרא אבל לקולא לא אזלינן קמ"ל
3 <b><i>MISHNAH</i></b>. THE FOLLOWING MAY BE RECITED IN ANY LANGUAGE: THE SECTION CONCERNING THE SUSPECTED WOMAN,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The exhortation addressed to her by the priest (Num. V, 19ff). ');"><sup>4</sup></span> THE CONFESSION MADE AT THE PRESENTATION OF THE TITHE,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XXVI, 13ff. ');"><sup>5</sup></span>
ד <br><br><big><strong>הדרן עלך מי שקינא</strong></big><br><br>
4 THE <i>SHEMA'</i>,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Glos. ');"><sup>6</sup></span> THE 'PRAYER',<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' 'The Eighteen Benedictions' recited twice daily. V. P.B. pp. 44ff. ');"><sup>7</sup></span>
ה מתני׳ <big><strong>אלו</strong></big> נאמרין בכל לשון פרשת סוטה ווידוי מעשר קרית שמע ותפלה וברכת המזון ושבועת העדות ושבועת הפיקדון
5 THE GRACE AFTER MEALS,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Op. cit. pp. 280ff. ');"><sup>8</sup></span> THE OATH CONCERNING TESTIMONY<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Against the withholding of evidence (Lev. V, 1ff.). ');"><sup>9</sup></span>
ו ואלו נאמרין בלשון הקודש מקרא ביכורים וחליצה ברכות וקללות ברכת כהנים וברכת כהן גדול ופרשת המלך ופרשת עגלה ערופה ומשוח מלחמה בשעה שמדבר אל העם
6 AND THE OATH CONCERNING A DEPOSIT.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That it had not been misappropriated if the bailee declares that it had been stolen or is missing. ');"><sup>10</sup></span> THE FOLLOWING ARE RECITED IN THE HOLY TONGUE:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Hebrew. ');"><sup>11</sup></span>
ז מקרא ביכורים כיצד (דברים כו, ה) וענית ואמרת לפני ה' אלהיך ולהלן הוא אומר (דברים כז, יד) וענו הלוים ואמרו מה להלן בלשון הקודש אף כאן בלשון הקודש
7 THE DECLARATION MADE AT THE OFFERING OF THE FIRSTFRUITS,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XXVI, 9ff. ');"><sup>12</sup></span> THE FORMULA OF <i>HALIZAH</i>,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XXV, 9. ');"><sup>13</sup></span>
ח חליצה כיצד (דברים כה, ט) וענתה ואמרה ולהלן הוא אומר וענו הלוים ואמרו מה להלן בלשון הקודש אף כאן בלשון הקודש
8 THE BLESSINGS AND CURSES,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XXVII, 15ff. ');"><sup>14</sup></span> THE PRIESTLY BENEDICTION,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. VI, 24ff. ');"><sup>15</sup></span>
ט ר' יהודה אומר וענתה ואמרה ככה עד שתאמר בלשון הזה
9 THE BENEDICTION OF THE HIGH PRIEST,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. infra. Mishnah p. 198. ');"><sup>16</sup></span> THE SECTION OF THE KING,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. infra, Mishnah p. 202. ');"><sup>17</sup></span>
י ברכות וקללות כיצד כיון שעברו ישראל את הירדן ובאו אל הר גריזים ואל הר עיבל שבשומרון שבצד שכם שבאצל אלוני מורה שנאמר (דברים יא, ל) הלא המה בעבר הירדן וגו' ולהלן הוא אומר (בראשית יב, ו) ויעבר אברם בארץ עד מקום שכם עד אלון מורה מה אלון מורה האמור להלן שכם אף אלון מורה האמור כאן שכם
10 THE SECTION OF THE CALF WHOSE NECK IS BROKEN,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XXI, 7f. ');"><sup>18</sup></span> AND THE ADDRESS TO THE PEOPLE BY THE PRIEST ANOINTED [TO ACCOMPANY THE ARMY] IN BATTLE.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XX, 3ff. ');"><sup>19</sup></span>
יא ששה שבטים עלו ראש הר גריזים וששה שבטים עלו לראש הר עיבל והכהנים והלוים והארון עומדים למטה באמצע הכהנים מקיפין את הארון והלוים את הכהנים וכל ישראל מכאן ומכאן שנאמר (יהושע ח, לג) וכל בני ישראל וזקניו ושוטריו ושופטיו עומדים מזה ומזה לארון וגו'
11 WHENCE IS IT THAT THE DECLARATION MADE AT THE OFFERING OF THE FIRST-FRUITS [MUST BE IN HEBREW]? [IT IS STATED]. AND THOU SHALT ANSWER AND SAY BEFORE THE LORD THY GOD,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XXVI, 5. ');"><sup>20</sup></span> AND ELSEWHERE IT IS STATED, AND THE LEVITES SHALL ANSWER AND SAY;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XXVII, 14. ');"><sup>21</sup></span>
יב הפכו פניהם כלפי הר גריזים ופתחו בברכה ברוך האיש אשר לא יעשה פסל ומסכה ואלו ואלו עונין אמן הפכו פניהם כלפי הר עיבל ופתחו בקללה (דברים כז, טו) ארור האיש אשר יעשה פסל ומסכה ואלו ואלו עונין אמן עד שגומרין ברכות וקללות
12 AS THE LATTER MUST BE IN THE HOLY TONGUE,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This will be demonstrated in the Gemara. ');"><sup>22</sup></span> SO MUST THE FORMER BE IN THE HOLY TONGUE. WHENCE IS IT THAT THE FORMULA OF <i>HALIZAH</i> [MUST BE IN HEBREW]? [IT IS STATED]. AND SHE SHALL ANSWER AND SAY,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XXV, 9. ');"><sup>23</sup></span>
יג ואחר כך הביאו את האבנים ובנו את המזבח וסדוהו בסיד וכתבו עליו את כל דברי התורה בשבעים לשון שנאמר (דברים כז, ח) באר היטב ונטלו את האבנים ובאו
13 AND ELSEWHERE IT IS STATED, AND THE LEVITES SHALL ANSWER AND SAY'; AS THE LATTER MUST BE IN THE HOLY TONGUE. SO MUST THE FORMER BE IN THE HOLY TONGUE. R. JUDAH SAYS: [IT IS DERIVED FROM THE TEXT], AND SHE SHALL ANSWER AND SAY THUS<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' He attaches the word 'thus' to what precedes. ');"><sup>24</sup></span> — I.E., SHE MUST SAY IT IN THIS LANGUAGE. HOW WERE THE BLESSINGS AND CURSES [PRONOUNCED]? WHEN ISRAEL CROSSED THE JORDAN AND CAME TO MOUNT GERIZIM AND MOUNT EBAL WHICH ARE BY SAMARIA, (THIS IS IN THE VICINITY OF SHECHEM WHICH IS IN THE VICINITY OF THE TEREBINTHS OF MOREH, AND IT IS SAID, ARE THEY NOT BEYOND JORDAN ETC.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XI, 30. The verse ends with: beside the terebinths of Moreh. ');"><sup>25</sup></span> AND ELSEWHERE IT STATES, AND ABRAM PASSED THROUGH THE LAND UNTO THE PLACE OF SHECHEM UNTO THE TEREBINTH OF MOREH;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Gen. XII, 6. ');"><sup>26</sup></span> AS THE TEREBINTH OF MOREH MENTIONED IN THIS LATTER VERSE IS SHECHEM, SO THE TEREBINTH OF MOREH MENTIONED IN THE FORMER VERSE IS SHECHEM.) SIX TRIBES ASCENDED THE SUMMIT OF MOUNT GERIZIM, SIX TRIBES ASCENDED THE SUMMIT OF MOUNT EBAL, AND THE PRIESTS AND LEVITES WITH THE ARK WERE STATIONED BELOW IN THE CENTRE, THE PRIESTS SURROUNDING THE ARK, THE LEVITES [SURROUNDING] THE PRIESTS, AND ALL ISRAEL ON THIS SIDE AND THAT SIDE; AS IT IS SAID, AND ALL ISRAEL, AND THEIR ELDERS AND OFFICERS, AND THEIR JUDGES STOOD ON THIS SIDE THE ARK AND ON THAT SIDE ETC.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Josh. VIII, 33. ');"><sup>27</sup></span> THEY TURNED THEIR FACES TOWARDS MOUNT GERIZIM AND OPENED WITH THE BLESSING: BLESSED BE THE MAN THAT MAKETH NOT A GRAVEN OR MOLTEN IMAGE',<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The reverse of Deut. XXVII, 15. ');"><sup>28</sup></span> AND BOTH PARTIES<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' On the two mounts. ');"><sup>29</sup></span> RESPOND AMEN. THEY THEN TURNED THEIR FACES TOWARDS MOUNT EBAL AND OPENED WITH THE CURSE: CURSED BE THE MAN THAT MAKETH THE GRAVEN OR MOLTEN IMAGE', AND BOTH PARTIES RESPOND 'AMEN.' [SO THEY CONTINUE] UNTIL THEY COMPLETE THE BLESSINGS AND CURSES. AFTER THAT THEY BROUGHT THE STONES,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Deut. XXVII, 2ff. ');"><sup>30</sup></span> BUILT THE ALTAR AND PLASTERED IT WITH PLASTER, AND INSCRIBED THEREON ALL THE WORDS OF THE TORAH IN SEVENTY LANGUAGES,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The total number of languages in the world as the Rabbis thought. ');"><sup>31</sup></span> AS IT IS SAID, VERY PLAINLY.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 8. ');"><sup>32</sup></span> THEN THEY TOOK THE STONES<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' After the sacrifices had been offered, the altar was taken to pieces. ');"><sup>33</sup></span> AND WENT
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