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{
"language": "en",
"title": "Sifrei Zuta",
"versionSource": "https://www.sefaria.org",
"versionTitle": "Sefaria Community Translation",
"actualLanguage": "en",
"languageFamilyName": "english",
"isSource": false,
"direction": "ltr",
"heTitle": "Χ‘Χ€Χ¨Χ ΧΧΧΧ",
"categories": [
"Midrash",
"Halakhah"
],
"text": {
"": [
[],
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"\"Based on the verse, 'You shall not touch any holy thing' (Leviticus 12:4), one might think this prohibition even applies to tithes. The verse clarifies, 'And you shall not come into the sanctuary.' Just as the sanctuary is entered only after sunset, so too holy things are only approached after sunset. I might think this applies even to the 'most holy' items, but the text says, 'You shall not touch any holy thing.' I argue, just as the sanctuary is only entered after sunset, so too holy items are only approached after sunset. Or, just as the sanctuary does not admit those lacking atonement, so too holy items do not admit them. These are the holy items of the sanctuary. I also include the holy items of the border areas, which are only approached after sunset. Why exclude tithes? Because they can be consumed by someone who immersed that day but hasn't yet seen sunset. The implication of 'You shall not touch any holy thing' only applies to a woman who has given birth. When the verse says, 'And the LORD spoke to Moses saying,' it adds [implications]. I argue, just as a woman who gives birth becomes impure by touch and by carrying, so too I include all those who become impure by touch and by carrying, similar to her, as it says 'Command the children of Israel' to include those impure by touch but not by carrying. The implication is only for someone who became impure outside, they should not enter inside. But someone who became impure inside should not exit outside. You said, 'Command the children of Israel and they shall send out of the camp.' 'And they shall send' implies a positive command, but where is the negative command? You said, 'And they shall not defile their camps.' And from where do we know that if they unintentionally do so, they bring a sin offering? You said, 'Or when a person touches any unclean thing... and he brings his guilt offering to the LORD for his sin...' (Leviticus 5:6). One might think that even someone who contracts light impurity in the market must bring a sin offering. And where is the positive and negative command concerning someone who becomes impure and enters the sanctuary unintentionally? And from where do we know that if they do so intentionally, they are liable to karet (divine punishment)? You said, 'And the man who shall be unclean...' (Numbers 19:20). The implication is only for someone who was not sprinkled at all, but I include someone who was sprinkled but did not wait the required time, or was sprinkled and waited but did not immerse, or further, was sprinkled, waited, immersed, but did not wait for sunset, or further still, was sprinkled, waited, immersed, waited for sunset, but did not bring his atonement offering. All of them are liable under positive and negative commands, liable to bring a sin offering, and liable to karet. 'And they shall send' - an impure person should be sent away, an impure corpse from the place of someone who immersed that day, or from the place of those lacking atonement. 'And they shall send' - a discharge should be sent away from the place of an impure corpse. 'And they shall send' - a leper should be sent away from the place of discharge. One might think all of them should be sent outside of one camp, but you said, 'Command the children of Israel and they shall send out of the camp,' which adds a camp here. 'Outside the camp you shall send them,' adding two camps here. 'And they shall not defile their camps,' adding three camps here. One might think all of them should be sent outside of three camps, but it's possible they are divided, this one to this place, and this one to that place. The most severe of all of them is sent outside of three camps, which is the leper. Discharge outside of two camps, and an impure corpse outside of one camp. From here, the sages instituted barriers and said there are ten levels of sanctity. The land of Israel is holier than all other lands. And what is its sanctity? From it we bring the omer offering, the two loaves, and the first fruits, which we don't bring from all other lands. The land of Canaan is holier than the land across the Jordan, as the land of Canaan is fit for the Divine Presence and the land across the Jordan is not. Walled cities are holier than the rest of the land because lepers can go everywhere in the land but cannot enter walled cities. Jerusalem is holier than walled cities because lesser holy items and the second tithe can be eaten in Jerusalem but not in walled cities. The Temple Mount is holier than Jerusalem because those with genital discharges can enter Jerusalem but not the Temple Mount. The Women's Courtyard is holier than the Temple Mount because someone who immersed that day can enter the Temple Mount but not the Women's Courtyard. The Israelites' Courtyard is holier than the Women's Courtyard because those lacking atonement can enter the Women's Courtyard but not the Israelites' Courtyard. Israelites who have waited for sunset can enter the Priests' Courtyard on a width of eleven cubits and a length of 135, but they cannot stand on the platform. And the Levites stood on the platform but did not enter further from here. And priests with blemishes, with unkempt hair, and who drank wine would enter further from here, but they did not enter between the vestibule and the altar, and not to the vestibule, and not to the hall, and not around the altar by four cubits. And the rest of the priests entered the vestibule, the hall, and around the altar by four cubits. But they did not enter the Holy of Holies. And the high priest entered the Holy of Holies four times on Yom Kippur. Rabbi Yosi says in five things, between the vestibule and the altar is equivalent to the hall because one with unkempt hair, or who drank wine, or who did not wash their hands and feet, cannot enter there. And just as they withdraw from the hall during the incense offering, so too they withdrew from between the vestibule and the altar during the incense offering. Abba Shaul says the attic was holier than all of them because they only went up there if they had a need. Rabbi Judah says the roof was holier than the attic because they only went up there once every three years to fix it.",
"All are crows: lepers, this is a definite leper, all lepers, this is an uncertain leper, discharge, this is a definite discharge, all discharge, this includes a discharge that saw two sightings, and all discharge, this includes a discharge that saw one sighting.",
"All lepers and all discharge and all impure to a corpse, one might think that I only have this sending away applied to a person who can be sent away, but when it says 'impure,' this includes vessels that touch a corpse. All impure, this includes vessels that touch a creeping creature. And all impure, this includes all other impurities that will see before the festival.",
"Speak to the children of Israel, this includes walled cities. And on the other hand, 'And they shall send' - a discharge at the time when they perform the Passover sacrifice in impurity, those with genital discharge and women who gave birth did not eat from it. And if they ate, they are exempt.",
"Male, this is someone who immersed that day, and until female, this includes those lacking atonement. Outside the camp you shall send them, outside of three camps.\""
],
[],
[
"And the children of Israel did so, and sent them out.\" Rabbi Elazar son of Rabbi Shimon says: \"The implication is only about those who send [the impure individuals] out, [meaning] they didn't need [to be commanded again]; but from where do we know that even those who are being sent out also didn't need [to be commanded again]? The scripture says, 'As the LORD commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did.' They did it on their own and didn't need Moses and Aaron to do it for them."
],
[],
[],
[],
[
"And he spoke, 'Speak to the children of Israel, man or woman,' β from here, where it is said, 'And confess the sin which they have committed' (Leviticus 5:5), one should confess for the sin they have committed. Regarding the sin itself, one confesses when the sin offering is still available and not after it has been slaughtered. The implication is that an individual's confession is only for entering the Temple. But how do we include other commandments? It says, 'Speak and they shall confess.' And how do we include even death penalties and karets (cutting off)? It says, 'Their sin offering, their sin.' Every sin offering, this includes a negative commandment; when they do, this includes a positive commandment. The implication is that confession is only for an individual. How do we include even for the community? It says, 'Speak and they shall confess.'",
"'Speak to the children of Israel,' β through Israel, they confess, and they do not confess through non-Jews or residents. 'Or children of Israel' β this excludes converts. It says, 'man' to include converts.",
"'Man or woman, when they commit,' β they intended to commit and did not do.",
"'Any of the sins of man,' β for what is between him and his fellow, for thefts, for robberies, and for slander.",
"'For a trespass,' β even for guilt offerings they confess. Can it be only when they bring the offerings? How do we know even when they don't bring them? It says, 'For a trespass.' 'Trespass' includes one who swears falsely in God's name and one who curses. 'Guilt and guilty' includes all those liable for death penalties that they should confess. Can it be even those executed based on conspiring witnesses? It says, 'And that soul.'"
],
[
"And all the heave offerings of all the holy things of the children of Israel\" β this includes other unspecified holy items that are not explicitly mentioned in this context. And which do I include? The challah (a portion of dough set aside), the devoted things, the skins, the firstborns, the redemption of the firstborn son, and the redemption of the firstborn donkey. And from where do you say that a person is permitted to give his holy things to one specific priest? It says, \"Which they will present to the priest, it shall be his.\" Rabban Gamliel made a logical deduction before Rabbi Akiva: \"And if in a matter in which I have no portion, if you give it to me, it is mine; in a matter in which I have a portion, if you give it to me, won't it be mine?\" Rabbi Akiva said to him, \"No, if you say in a matter in which you have no portion, if you give it to me, it is mine, since no one else has a portion with you in it. Will you say in a matter in which you have a portion, if you give it to me, it is mine, since someone else does have a portion with you in it?\" Rabban Gamliel said, \"And if in a woman in which I have no portion, if I betroth her to me, she is mine. I have the right to annul her vows, and no one else can prohibit her [from marrying another] on my behalf.\" Rabbi Akiva said to him, \"No, if you say in a woman in which you have no portion, if you betroth her to you, she is yours, and you have the right to annul her vows, and no one else can prohibit her on your behalf, since no one else has a portion with you in her. Will you say in a matter in which you have a portion, if you give it to me, it is mine, since someone else does have a portion with you in it?\" It says, \"Whatever man gives to the priest, it shall be his."
],
[
"\"And every man's hallowed things shall be his\" β the sanctified items of an Israelite belong to the Israelite; his tithe of money, his tithe of animals, and his peace offerings. The sanctified items of a priest belong to the priest; his sin offering, his guilt offering, his tithe, and his firstborn.",
"\"Whatever man gives to the priest, it shall be his\" β since you have said \"the watch\" that you have acquired with money, you shall acquire with a ram, behold, one who gave money to a priest but did not manage to bring the ram before the man died; you might think he can take the money from the priest and return it to the heirs of the man. The verse says, \"Whatever man gives to the priest, it shall be his.\" Rabbi Elazar son of Rabbi Shimon said, \"This was the teaching of Rabbi Akiva until Mazifrin came. Once Mazifrin came, he said to me whether Yehoyariv takes the money or Yedayah takes the money. For instance, one who gave money to Yehoyariv and did not manage to bring the ram before Yedayah took over; you might think he can take the money from Yehoyariv and return it to Yedayah. The verse says, 'Whatever man gives to the priest, it shall be his.'\"",
"\"Whatever man gives\" β a gift from a man is valid. But a gift from a minor is not valid. I only know of a gift from a man, so how do you include a gift from a woman or the heirs of a minor? The verse says, \"And whatever man gives to the priest, it shall be his.\""
],
[],
[
"\"Speak unto the children of Israel\" β transactions (acquisitions) are valid only if conducted by Israelites. They are not valid if done through non-Jews or through residents (non-Israelite inhabitants of the land). \"Or children of Israel\" β this excludes converts. But you said, \"Any man\" to include converts. \"And his brother's wife has gone astray from her husband\" β after her husband's death, he becomes jealous because of a positive commandment. And from where do we know this is the case for negative commandments? Because it was said, \"And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying.\" But this still implies only his wife, who is married to him, for jealousy. From where do we extend this to include his betrothed or his brother's wife, or any woman associated with him for marriage? Because it was said, \"saying\" and \"And say unto them.\" Since it was said, \"And the man shall bring his wife to the priest,\" a man makes her drink, but a court doesn't make her drink, or a man becomes jealous, but a court doesn't become jealous. It was said, \"Israel\" and \"becomes jealous\" to include a court that they may become jealous. From here they said: The court acts on behalf of those whose husband became deaf, insane, is in another country, or is imprisoned. Not to make her drink, but rather to disqualify her from her marriage contract. \"The man and becomes jealous\" β to include his neighbor, that he may become jealous for him.",
"\"Any man whose wife goes astray\" β his wife is prohibited; her close relatives do not prohibit her. And doesn't it say, since he can prohibit her and she can prohibit him? What is taught by the prohibition that he imposes on her? If she has relations with any man prohibited to her, she immediately becomes prohibited to her husband. You might think this also applies to the prohibition she imposes on him. If he has relations with any woman prohibited to him, his wife should become prohibited and not permitted to him. The verse teaches, \"his wife\" β only his wife becomes prohibited to him, not her close relatives. [I would exclude her close relatives, but wouldn't exclude her maidservant or sister. The verse teaches, \"his wife\" β only his wife becomes prohibited to him, not her close relatives.]",
"\"And he commits a trespass against him\" β he changes regarding him. I only know about him, but from where do you include all other people? The verse teaches, \"And he commits a trespass against him\"; trespass."
],
[
"\"And if a man lies\" β he makes her jealous only through a man, he does not make her jealous through an animal.",
"\"With her\" β this refers to a woman he had warned.",
"\"And it was hidden from her husband's eyes\" β I only know [this applies] from her husband. From where can I include all other people? The verse teaches, \"And it was hidden from the eyes.\"",
"\"And she was concealed and she became defiled\" β I do not know how much [time is required for the concealment]. You mentioned \"a man's emission,\" implying the time it takes for a man's emission. How much is concealment? The time required for impurity. How much is impurity? The time required for intercourse. How much is intercourse? The time it takes for a palm tree to return to its upright position, according to Rabbi Ishmael. Rabbi Eliezer says the time it takes to mix a cup. Rabbi Joshua says the time it takes to drink it. Ben Azzai says the time it takes to roast an egg. Rabbi Akiva says the time it takes to swallow it. Rabbi Yehuda ben Beteira says the time it takes to swallow three eggs consecutively. Rabbi Elazar ben Pinchas says the time it takes to tie a thread to a spindle. Plimo says the time it takes to stretch out her hand and take a loaf from the basket. Though there is no explicit proof for this, there is a hint in the verse: \"For on account of a harlot, to a loaf of bread\" (Proverbs 6:26).",
"\"And a witness\" β who is qualified to testify. And from where do we know even a witness who is not qualified to testify? The verse says \"witness\" and \"witness.\" From here they said: If one witness says, \"I saw her become impure,\" she would not drink [the bitter water], and furthermore, even a slave or a maidservant, these are believed to disqualify her from her marriage contract, she does not drink, and she becomes forever forbidden to her husband.",
"\"And she became defiled\" β Rabbi Akiva says, why does the verse mention \"defiled\" three times? [It teaches] she is defiled to her husband, defiled to her lover, and defiled for eating terumah (priestly gift)."
],
[],
[
"\"And the man shall bring his wife to the priest\" β This is what we said: The husband makes her drink, but the court does not make her drink.",
"\"And he shall bring her offering for her\" β One might think that even if she violated the Sabbath [this applies]. The verse teaches, \"her offering.\" When it says \"her offering,\" it includes her offering for skin afflictions and for abnormal genital discharges. Why include these and exclude others? I include those that come for purification and exclude those that come only for atonement.",
"\"He shall not pour oil on it\" β He should pour it on its remnants.",
"\"Nor put frankincense on it\" β This teaches that there are two prohibitions: one for not pouring oil on it and one for not putting frankincense on it.",
"\"For it is a grain offering of jealousy\" β Since it is a grain offering of jealousy, all people transgress regarding it. You might think they transgress in its invalidation. The verse teaches \"a reminder.\" It says \"reminder\" here and \"reminder\" elsewhere. Just as the \"reminder\" mentioned below is for salvation and benefit, so too the \"reminder\" mentioned here is for salvation and benefit. You might think that even if she did not sin [this applies]. The verse teaches \"bringing iniquity to remembrance.\" Alternatively, \"bringing iniquity to remembrance\" means that everyone who sees her remembers her sin and the sin of her ancestors who raised her."
],
[
"\"And the priest shall bring her near\" β She does not come within the [Temple] courtyard.",
"\"And set her before the LORD\" β The Temple courtyard should be cleared for her."
],
[
"\"And the priest shall take holy water\" β sanctified [water] from the laver, and its measure is half a log. \"In an earthen vessel\" β You might think [it could be] in a shard of earthenware? The Torah specifies \"in an earthen vessel\". This teaches that it must be in an earthenware bowl.",
"\"And of the dust that is in the floor of the tabernacle\" β There should be a designated place for it there. How [is this done]? One enters the Sanctuary, turns to the right, and there's a spot there measuring a cubit by a cubit, and a marble slab, and a ring was fixed in it. When it is lifted, dust is taken from beneath it. From where do you derive that if there is no dust there, [the priest] should place some there? The Torah specifies \"the priest shall take\". Dostaai ben Yehuda says: \"The priest shall take\" and not a non-priest.",
"\"And put [it] upon the water\" β so that the dust can be seen floating, just as the ashes of the red heifer should be visible, just as the spittle of the yavam (brother-in-law in the context of levirate marriage) should be visible, just as the blood of the bird of a leprous person should be visible."
],
[
"\"She shall be bound with a rooftop rope\" β Rabbi Eliezer says: \"She was girded with two belts, one above her breasts and one below them.\" What does the Torah indicate by [the words] \"and he shall set her and give\", and not \"tear\" and \"gird\"?",
"\"He shall put into her hands the meal offering of remembrance\" β It says \"remembrance\" here and \"remembrance\" is mentioned earlier. Just as the \"remembrance\" mentioned earlier [refers to] salvation and goodness, so too, the \"remembrance\" mentioned here [refers to] salvation and goodness.",
"\"It is a meal offering of jealousy\" β All its actions should be for the sake of jealousy. You might think that if not all its actions were for the sake of jealousy, it would not be valid. The Torah specifies \"it is\", indicating it remains valid regardless.",
"\"And in the priest's hand shall be the bitter, curse-inducing waters\" β She should see the water."
],
[
"\"The priest shall adjure her\" β Two suspected adulteresses (Sotahs) are not adjured together. Similarly, two cows are not burned together, two calves are not beheaded together, two men are not executed together, two [people or animals] are not quarantined together, and two [objects or people] are not scalded together.",
"\"He shall say to the woman\" β In her language. To a thief and to a robber, in their language.",
"\"If no man has lain with you\" β This includes a man who seduced her from any side.",
"\"And if you have not gone astray to impurity with another instead of your husband\" β This includes a man's wife who strayed with his brother after the brother's death. You might think all these women drink [the bitter waters]. The scripture specifies \"with another instead of your husband\"; only she who is with a husband drinks, not all these [other cases].",
"\"Impurity\" β This excludes [acts of] impurity through body parts."
],
[
"\"And you\" β You were intentional.",
"\"If you have gone astray while married to your husband and if you have become impure\" β This includes a boy of nine years and one day, who can cause her to become impure and she can drink the bitter waters under his influence.",
"\"Another interpretation: 'and a man lay with you carnally, and it was hidden from your husband's eyes'\" β We do not adjure you only concerning this [specific man], but for anyone with whom you have strayed without your husband's knowledge."
],
[
"\"And the priest shall adjure the woman with the oath of the curse\" β One might think that even the oath of judges (taken in a court setting) would come with a curse. It says, \"And the priest shall adjure the woman with this oath.\" The woman's oath comes with a curse, but the oath of judges does not come with a curse. What can be inferred from \"And the priest shall adjure the woman with the oath of the curse\"? If he adjured her with an oath, she is exempted; if he adjured her with a curse, she is not exempted.",
"\"And the priest shall say to the woman\" β This excludes a woman who is deaf.",
"\"By these curses and this oath\" β One might think the woman herself [takes the oath] with the curse and the oath. But it says, \"among your people,\" meaning all women swear by you, cursing each other, saying, \"If you have done this deed, may your end be like the end of so-and-so.\"",
"\"May the Lord make your thigh fall away and your belly swell\" β The punishment begins from the place where the transgression started. ",
"The thigh, which initiated the transgression, is punished first, followed by the belly. The rest of the body remains intact. Similarly, it is said, \"And every living thing from man to beast was blotted out\" (Genesis 7:23). The one who began the transgression first was the first to be punished. Similarly, it is said about the men of Sodom surrounding the house, and then, \"But the men who were at the entrance of the house were struck with blindness\" (Genesis 19:4,11). The ones who started the transgression first were the first to be punished. Similarly, it is said, \"And every firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die\" (Exodus 11:5). The one who began the transgression first was the first to be punished. Samson followed his eyes (lusted), and therefore the Philistines gouged out his eyes."
],
[
"\"And these cursed waters shall enter your innards\" β I only know about [the effect on] her innards. How do we know that it applies to every limb and every hair? It says, \"And enter\" and \"and enter,\" indicating that it applies to every limb and every hair.",
"\"To make the belly swell and the thigh fall away\" β Rabban Gamliel says, \"From where do we derive that just as the waters examine the woman, they also examine the man?\" The scripture says, \"To make the belly swell and the thigh fall away.\"",
"\"Amen, amen\" β \"Amen\" for the curse, \"Amen\" for the oath, \"Amen\" [asserting] that [it was not] with this man, \"Amen\" [asserting] that [it was not] with another man, \"Amen\" for past [incidents], \"Amen\" for future [incidents], \"Amen\" that I have not been defiled since the betrothal, \"Amen\" that I have not been defiled since the marriage."
],
[
"\"And he shall write these curses\" β one might think that he writes all the curses in the Torah. The scripture specifies \"these,\" indicating only these specific curses.",
"\"The priest\" β this implies that if the curses are written by an ordinary Israelite or by a minor priest, they are invalid."
],
[
"\"And he shall make the woman drink against her will\" β Rabbi Eliezer says: \"They would strike her with the flat of a sword, intimidate her, and make her drink against her will.\" Rabbi Akiva responded to him: \"We don't know whether she is pure or impure. If she says 'I am impure,' or if she says 'I am pure,' when do we make her drink against her will? Only after the Name is erased.\"",
"\"And these cursing waters will enter her to become bitter\" β What does the scripture teach us here? It means that these waters will produce various unique afflictions in her. If she was pale, it would turn her skin very dark; if she was very thin, her neck would swell; her flesh would become scabby; she would discharge excessively from her private parts; her face would become bloated; she would sneeze frequently; and her limbs would break apart limb by limb."
],
[
"\"And the priest shall take from the hand of the woman\" β It says here 'from the hand', and elsewhere it says 'give from your hand'. Just as the 'hand' mentioned elsewhere requires waving (tenufah), so too the 'hand' mentioned here requires waving.",
"\"Her grain offering of jealousy\" β This indicates that she brings one grain offering for the sake of two jealousies.",
"\"And he shall wave the grain offering before the Lord and bring it to the altar\" β This teaches that it requires both waving (tenufah) and presentation (hagashah).",
"\"And the priest shall take a handful from the grain offering\" β From the attached grain offering, so that it should not be placed in two vessels, and he then takes a handful."
],
[
"\"And he shall burn it upon the altar\" β The handful (kometz) is burned, and the remainder is eaten by the priests.",
"\"And afterward he shall make the woman drink the water\" β After all these procedures. And how do we know this applies even to individual actions? The text says \"and afterward.\" - Rabbi Shimon says: \"It mentions making her drink before the grain offering, and it also mentions making her drink after the grain offering. So, what does \"and afterward\" come to teach us? Rather, if the grain offering preceded [the drinking], it is valid, and if the drinking preceded, it is also valid.\""
],
[
"\"And he made her drink the water\" β This is what we said: once the scroll is erased, she is made to drink the water against her will.",
"\"And it shall be, if she was defiled and had committed a breach against her husband\" β This excludes those who acted unintentionally."
],
[
"\"And if the woman has not been defiled\" β This refers to her past actions. \"And is clean\" β This pertains to her future actions. Some say, \"And she is clean\" means that her offspring is pure. Rabban Gamliel says, \"and she will be free and will conceive\" to exclude her conceiving, meaning that a pregnant woman does not undergo the Sotah drinking process.",
"\"And will conceive offspring\" β Rabbi Meir says it's worth the pain to grant her the reward of children, for if she was barren, she will now conceive. Rabbi Yehuda says, if she used to give birth to ugly children, she will now give birth to handsome ones; if she gave birth to dark-skinned children, she will now give birth to light-skinned ones; if she used to give birth to short children, she will now give birth to tall ones; if she used to give birth to females, she will now give birth to males; if she used to give birth once every two years, she will now give birth every year; if she used to give birth to one child, she will now give birth to twins. Rabbi Shimon says that one doesn't reward a transgression, but because she was previously prohibited to her husband's seed, one might think she will remain so in the future. Therefore, the scripture says, \"and will conceive offspring\", indicating she is permitted to her husband from now on."
],
[
"\"This is the law of jealousies\" β A husband may express his jealousy and subject his wife to the Sotah procedure both in Shiloh and in the eternal Temple. One might think this can also be done with a \"Bamah\" (a private altar), but the Torah states \"this\", indicating a limitation.",
"\"When a woman goes astray under her husband\" β What does the Torah mean by \"woman\"? The term \"woman\" is repeated throughout this section to include various categories of women. This encompasses a widow married to a High Priest, a divorced woman or a woman who underwent the levirate marriage procedure (chalitzah) married to an ordinary priest, a mamzeret (a woman born from certain forbidden relationships) and a Nethinah (a member of a group assigned to perform menial tasks in the Temple) married to an Israelite, an Israelite woman married to a mamzer, Nethin, Ammonite, Moabite, Egyptian, or Edomite, a man with crushed or severed genitals married to a convert, and a profaned priestess (daughter of a priest and a woman forbidden to him). This includes all women who are disqualified but still undergo the Sotah procedure. Rabbi Elazar, the son of Rabbi Shimon, says that disqualified women are not subjected to the Sotah procedure."
],
[
"\"Or a man who has relations with her\" β The term \"man\" or \"a man\" is used to include a priest and a eunuch, indicating that they can initiate the Sotah procedure. One might argue that a priest shouldn't have the right to initiate the procedure. For example, if a woman was taken captive (and therefore might have been defiled), she is temporarily forbidden to an Israelite, but she is perpetually forbidden to an ordinary priest. Similarly, a woman deemed mentally unstable (shoteh) is temporarily forbidden to an Israelite. So, shouldn't she be perpetually forbidden to a priest? The Torah uses the terms \"man\" or \"a man\" to include a priest and a eunuch, emphasizing that they too can initiate the Sotah procedure.",
"\"And he shall set the woman before the Lord\" β This includes the wife of a priest and the wife of a eunuch, indicating that they can undergo the Sotah procedure.",
"\"And the priest shall do unto her\" β One might think that everything mentioned in this context must be done. However, from where do we derive that even if the priest only made her take an oath, gave her the water to drink, and burned a handful of her grain offering, it is sufficient? The Torah states, \"And the priest shall do unto her according to this entire law\", emphasizing that these actions alone are sufficient for the procedure."
],
[
"\"But the man will be free from guilt\" β This indicates that the man bears a responsibility for the sin until the woman drinks the water. From where do we derive that the woman too bears the responsibility for the sin? It is stated, \"And that woman shall bear her iniquity.\" Rabbi Yehuda says: If she drank and was found to be impure, her husband need not be concerned that she might have secretly sinned another time and became impure without his knowledge. As it's written, \"But the man will be free from guilt.\" - Rabbi Chalfta says: If a woman drank the water and had merits on her side, these merits will protect her temporarily. But from where do we derive that eventually, she will be examined after some time? It is stated, \"And that woman shall bear her iniquity.\" Rabbi Shimon says: There was a desecration of God's name in this matter because if the water did not examine her immediately, when she would leave the Temple, she might say to her friends, \"Do not refrain from sinning. I already drank, and the waters did not harm me,\" giving the impression that the waters are ineffective. Therefore, it is stated, \"And that woman shall bear her iniquity\" β immediately."
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"Verse from the Torah: \"ΧΧΧΧ ΧΧ’Χ\" (And the people were) Midrash commentary: \"The word 'ΧΧΧΧ' (And it was) indicates something that they did not have initially. It teaches that they were accustomed to being corrupted and returned to their initial corruption. Similarly, it is said, 'And there was that man, Job, great' (Job 1:3). 'ΧΧΧΧ' (And it was) indicates something that they did not have initially, namely, good deeds. Likewise, it is said, 'And there was a certain man from Ramathaim Zophim' (1 Samuel 1:1). 'ΧΧΧΧ' (And it was) indicates something that they did not have initially, and here also it indicates something that they did not have initially, as it teaches that they were accustomed to being corrupted and returned to their initial corruption. 'ΧΧ’Χ' (The people) indicates wicked individuals, as it is stated, 'I have seen this People, and indeed, they are a stiff-necked people' (Exodus 32:9). But when it says 'My people,' 'Χ’ΧΧ' (My people) refers to the righteous, as it is stated, 'Send forth My people, and they shall serve Me' (Exodus 7:16). 'Met'ananinim' (murmuring) refers to those who seek trouble. How can one separate from the Divine presence? It is said about Jehoram the son of Ahab, 'Only know and see that trouble has come from the Lord' (2 Kings 6:33). Likewise, it is said about Samson, 'For he sought an occasion against the Philistines' (Judges 14:4) Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov says that 'met'ananinim' (murmuring) refers to those who mock, as it is stated, 'The words of a mocker are like playful blows' (Proverbs 26:22). But a knife descended from heaven and cleaved their bellies, as it is stated, 'And they fell out of the belly' (Jonah 1:15) Rabbi Shimon says that 'met'ananinim' (murmuring) refers to those who complain, as it is stated, 'I have not eaten from it in my mourning' (Deuteronomy 26:14). 'Like met'ananinim' (like complainers) indicates something evil. 'Ra' (evil) refers to idol worship, as it is stated, 'When you do what is evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke Him through the work of your hands' (Deuteronomy 31:29).\"",
"Verse from the Torah: \"ΧΧΧΧ Χ ΧΧ\" (In the ears of the Lord) Midrash commentary: It teaches that they intended to make their words heard by God. A parable can illustrate this. It is similar to someone who stands in the marketplace and curses the king. When the king passes by, he tells him to be silent so that the king doesn't hear. The person says to him, \"Who told you that I intended only to make him hear?\" Similarly, the Israelites intended to make their voices heard by God. And the Lord heard, and His anger was kindled. His wrath was aroused against them, and fire descended from heaven and consumed them with the fire of one hand, and it went back and forth among them. There was nothing between the living and the dead, as it is stated, 'And he stood between the dead and the living' (Numbers 17:13).\"",
"Verse from the Torah: \"ΧΧͺΧΧ’Χ¨ ΧΧ ΧΧ© ΧΧ\" (And the fire of the Lord burned among them) Midrash commentary: Rabban Gamliel says, because the Israelites spoke derogatorily about the Lord and said, \"Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?\" (Psalm 78:19), and the Lord saw that they spoke against His glory, and His glory, which is fire, consumed them. As it says, \"And the fire of the Lord burned among them.\" From here you learn that anyone who speaks ill of their fellow in secret has no remedy, as it is stated, \"You slander your own kin; you smear your brother's reputation. These things you have done and I have been silent; you thought that I was one just like yourself. But now I rebuke you and lay the charge before you\" (Psalm 50:20-21). Fire descended from heaven twelve times: six were for praise, and these are the first one on the eighth day, the second one for Gideon, the third one for Manoah, the fourth one in the days of David, as it says, \"He called upon the Lord, and He answered him with fire from heaven\" (1 Chronicles 21:26), the fifth one in the days of Solomon, as it says, \"And fire came down from heaven\" (2 Chronicles 7:3), the sixth one on Mount Carmel, and six for disgrace, and these are the first one for Nadab and Abihu, the second one for those who spoke derogatorily, the third one for Korah, the fourth one in the days of Job, as it says, \"And fire of God fell from heaven\" (Job 1:16), the fifth and sixth ones in the days of Elijah when messengers of Ahaziah came to him.",
"Verse from the Torah: \"ΧΧͺΧΧΧ ΧΧ§Χ¦Χ ΧΧΧΧ Χ\" (And she ate at the edge of the camp) Midrash commentary: Rabbi Shimon ben Menasya says, these are referring to the converts who would stand at the edge of the camp. Rabbi Shimon says, \"And she ate at the edge of the camp\" refers to the great ones among them and the average ones among them.\n"
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