Sotah 64

ולנו במקומן

AND SPENT THE NIGHT IN THEIR PLACE.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Viz., in Gilgal where they were again set up (Josh. IV, 20). ');">¹</span>

<big><strong>גמ׳</strong></big> פרשת סוטה מנלן דכתיב (במדבר ה, כא) ואמר הכהן לאשה בכל לשון שהוא אומר

<b><i>GEMARA</i></b>. Whence have we it that the section concerning the suspected woman [may be recited in any language]? — As it is written: And the priest shall say unto the woman<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. V, 21. ');">²</span>

תנו רבנן משמיעין אותה בכל לשון שהיא שומעת על מה היא שותה ובמה היא שותה על מה נטמאת ובמה היא נטמאת

— in whatever language he speaks.

על מה היא שותה על עסקי קינוי וסתירה ובמה היא שותה במקידה של חרש

Our Rabbis taught: They explain to her in any language she understands for what reason she is about to drink the water, in what [sort of vessel] she drinks, why she had misconducted herself and in what manner she had misconducted herself. For what reason she is about to drink the water — because of [her husband's] warning and her subsequent seclusion. In what [sort of vessel] she drinks — in a potsherd.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. supra p. 38. ');">³</span>

על מה נטמאת על עסקי שחוק וילדות ובמה היא נטמאת בשוגג או במזיד באונס [או] ברצון וכל כך למה שלא להוציא לעז על מים המרים

Why she had misconducted herself- because of levity and childishness. And in what manner she had misconducted herself — whether in error or deliberately, under compulsion or of free will. But why all this? So as not to discredit the water of bitterness.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' So that if she had offended in error or under compulsion and the water did not affect her, she should not think there would have been no effect if she had offended deliberately or of her free will. ');">⁴</span>

וידוי מעשר מנלן דכתיב (דברים כו, יג) ואמרת לפני ה' אלהיך בערתי הקודש מן הבית ויליף אמירה מסוטה בכל לשון שהוא אומר

THE CONFESSION MADE AT THE PRESENTATION OF THE TITHE. Whence have we it that this [may be recited in any language]? — As it is written: And thou shalt say before the Lord thy God, I have put away the hallowed things out of mine house,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XXVI, 13. ');">⁵</span>

א"ל רב זביד לאביי ולילף אמירה מלוים מה להלן בלשון הקודש אף כאן בלשון הקודש

and the deduction is to be drawn from the analogous use of the word 'say' in connection with the suspected woman that it may be in whatever language he speaks. R. Zebid said to Abaye, But let the deduction be drawn from the analogous use of the word 'say' in connection with the Levites<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. ibid. XXVII, 14 and Mishnah p. 157. ');">⁶</span>

דנין אמירה גרידתא מאמירה גרידתא ואין דנין אמירה גרידתא מענייה ואמירה

[as follows]: As there it means that it must be in the holy tongue so here it must be in the holy tongue! — [He answered], We deduce [the meaning of] an unqualified use of 'say' from another occurrence of an unqualified use of 'say, but we do not deduce [the meaning of] an unqualified use of 'say' from a passage where the expression 'answer and say' occurs.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Viz., in connection with the Levites. Consequently the analogy is drawn with the reference to the suspected woman and not the Levites. ');">⁷</span>

תניא רשב"י אומר אדם אומר שבחו בקול נמוך וגנותו בקול רם

It has been taught: R. Simeon b. Yohai said: A man should recount what is to his credit in a low voice and what is to his discredit in a loud voice. That he is to recount what is to his credit in a low voice [is learnt] from the confession made at the presentation of the tithe, and what is to his discredit in a loud voice from the declaration made at the offering of the first-fruits.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In the former he tells how he had done his duty (V. Deut. XXVI, 13f.) and in that connection the unqualified 'say' occurs. In the latter he tells of his humble ancestry (ibid. 5ff.) and in that connection 'answer and say', i.e., say aloud, occurs. ');">⁸</span>

שבחו בקול נמוך מן וידוי המעשר גנותו בקול רם ממקרא ביכורים

But should one recount what is to his discredit in a loud voice? Surely R. Johanan has said in the name of R. Simeon b. Yohai: Why was It instituted that the 'prayer'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. supra p. 157, n. 4. ');">⁹</span>

וגנותו בקול רם והאמר רבי יוחנן משום רבי שמעון בן יוחי מפני מה תקנו תפלה בלחש כדי שלא לבייש את עוברי עבירה שהרי לא חלק הכתוב מקום בין חטאת לעולה

should be recited softly? So as not to put transgressors to shame;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Who confess their sins in the course of prayer. ');">¹⁰</span>

לא תימא גנותו אלא אימא צערו כדתניא (ויקרא יג, מה) וטמא טמא יקרא צריך להודיע צערו לרבים ורבים מבקשים עליו רחמים וכל מי שאירע בו דבר צריך להודיע לרבים ורבים מבקשים עליו רחמים

for behold, Scripture made no distinction as to the place of a sin-offering or burnt-offering!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' They were offered on the same side of the altar, and an onlooker would not be able to tell which offering was being sacrificed. ');">¹¹</span>

גופא א"ר יוחנן משום רבי שמעון בן יוחי מפני מה תיקנו תפלה בלחש שלא לבייש את עוברי עבירה שהרי לא חלק הכתוב מקום בין חטאת לעולה

— Do not read [in R. Simeon's statement] 'his discredit' but 'his trouble';<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In the declaration made over the first-fruits, the allusion was to the vicissitudes of the patriarch; and such should be spoken aloud. ');">¹²</span>

ולא והא איכא דמים דם חטאת למעלה ודם עולה למטה התם כהן הוא דידע

as it has been taught: And he shall cry, Unclean, unclean<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XIII, 45. ');">¹³</span>

והאיכא חטאת נקבה עולה זכר התם מיכסיא באליה

— it is necessary [for the leper] to make his trouble known to the multitude so that the multitude may pray on his behalf; and thus everybody to whom a calamity has occurred should make it known to the multitude so that the multitude may pray on his behalf. The [above] text states: 'R. Johanan said in the name of R. Simeon b. Yohai: Why was it instituted that the 'prayer' should be recited softly? So as not to put transgressors to shame; for, behold, Scripture made no distinction as to the place of a sin-offering or burnt-offering.' But it is not so, for there is a difference in the treatment of the blood. The blood of a sin-offering [was applied] above [the red line which ran round the altar], whereas the blood of a burnt-offering [was applied] below it! — Only the priest would know that. There is, however, the difference that for a sin-offering a female animal was sacrificed and for a burnt-offering a male! — Being covered by the fat tail [the sex would not be recognised]. That is quite right with a female lamb, but what of a female goat?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which has no fat tail. ');">¹⁴</span>

תינח כבשה שעירה מאי איכא למימר התם איהו דקא מיכסיף נפשיה דאיבעי ליה לאיתויי כבשה וקא מייתי שעירה

— In that case the man brought the shame upon himself, because he should have offered a lamb but offered a goat. What, however, of the sin-offering brought for idolatry when only a goat suffices!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Num. XV, 27, 29. ');">¹⁵</span>

חטאת דעבודת כוכבים דלא סגי דלאו שעירה מאי איכא למימר התם ניכסיף וניזיל כי היכי דנכפר ליה

— In that case let him experience shame so that he may receive atonement.

קרית שמע מנלן דכתיב (דברים ו, ד) שמע ישראל בכל לשון שאתה שומע

THE SHEMA'. Whence have we it that this [may be recited in any language]? As it is written: Hear, O Israel<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. VI, 4. The word for 'Hear' also means 'understand'. ');">¹⁶</span>

תנו רבנן קרית שמע ככתבה דברי רבי וחכמים אומרים בכל לשון

— in any language you understand.

מאי טעמא דרבי אמר קרא (דברים ו, ו) והיו בהווייתן יהו

Our Rabbis taught: The <i>Shema'</i> must be recited as it is written.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Only in Hebrew. ');">¹⁷</span>

ורבנן אמר קרא שמע בכל לשון שאתה שומע

Such is the statement of Rabbi but the Sages say: In any language. What is Rabbi's reason? — Scripture declares, And [these words] shall be,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 6. ');">¹⁸</span>

ורבנן נמי הא כתיב והיו ההוא שלא יקראנה למפרע

i.e., they must remain as they are. And [what is the reason of] the Rabbis? — Scripture declares, 'Hear, O Israel' — in any language you understand. But for the Rabbis it is likewise written: 'And [these words] shall be'!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Why do they not explain them: they must remain as they are? ');">¹⁹</span>

ורבי שלא יקראנה למפרע מנליה נפקא ליה מדברים הדברים ורבנן דברים הדברים לא משמע להו

— That indicates that one may not read it in the wrong order.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. supra p. 91. ');">²⁰</span>

ורבי נמי הכתיב שמע ההוא מיבעי ליה להשמיע לאזניך מה שאתה מוציא מפיך ורבנן סברי לה כמאן דאמר הקורא את שמע ולא השמיע לאזנו יצא

And whence does Rabbi derive the rule that one may not read it in the wrong order? — From the fact that the text uses 'these words' and not merely 'words'. And the Rabbis?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' What do they derive from the use of 'these words'? ');">²¹</span>

לימא קסבר רבי

— They draw no inference from the use of 'these words' instead of 'words'. But for Rabbi it is likewise written: 'Hear'! — He requires that for the rule: Make audible to your ears what you utter with your lips.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., the Shema' must be recited audibly. ');">²²</span> And the Rabbis? — They agree with him who said that if one has not recited the <i>Shema'</i> audibly he has fulfilled his obligation. It is possible to say that Rabbi holds