וְהִשְׁקָה֙ אֶת־הָ֣אִשָּׁ֔ה אֶת־מֵ֥י הַמָּרִ֖ים הַמְאָֽרֲרִ֑ים וּבָ֥אוּ בָ֛הּ הַמַּ֥יִם הַֽמְאָרֲרִ֖ים לְמָרִֽים׃
여인으로 그 저주가 되게 하는 쓴 물을 마시게 할지니 그 저주가 되게 하는 물이 그 속에 들어가서 쓰리라
Bamidbar Rabbah
“He shall give the woman to drink the water of bitterness that causes curse, and the water that causes curse will enter her for bitterness” (Numbers 5:24).
“He shall give the woman to drink…” – it is taught: He would give her to drink and then sacrifice her offering, as it is stated: “He shall give the woman to drink…” and then: “The priest shall take [the meal offering]…” (Numbers 5:25).
“And the water that causes curse will enter her for bitterness” – it is taught: Just as the water examines her, the water examines him, as it is stated: “Will enter” (Numbers 5:22), “will enter” (Numbers 5:27); this is the statement of Rabbi Akiva. Likewise, Rabbi Akiva would expound: Six verses are written: “Enter [ba’u],” “will enter [uva’u]”; “enter,” “will enter”(Numbers 5:22, 24, 27);78He expounds the fact that uva’u is written three times. Three matters are derived from ba’u and three are derived from the added vav. one for his command, one for her command; one for his performance, one for her performance; one for his examination, one for her examination.
“The water that causes curse…for bitterness” – why does the verse state “for bitterness”? It is, rather, that it would engender in her types of strange punishments. If she were white it would render her black; red, it would render her green. Her mouth would widen, her neck would swell, her flesh would decompose, she would be a zava, she would sneeze, and her limbs would come apart.
“He shall give the woman to drink…” – it is taught: He would give her to drink and then sacrifice her offering, as it is stated: “He shall give the woman to drink…” and then: “The priest shall take [the meal offering]…” (Numbers 5:25).
“And the water that causes curse will enter her for bitterness” – it is taught: Just as the water examines her, the water examines him, as it is stated: “Will enter” (Numbers 5:22), “will enter” (Numbers 5:27); this is the statement of Rabbi Akiva. Likewise, Rabbi Akiva would expound: Six verses are written: “Enter [ba’u],” “will enter [uva’u]”; “enter,” “will enter”(Numbers 5:22, 24, 27);78He expounds the fact that uva’u is written three times. Three matters are derived from ba’u and three are derived from the added vav. one for his command, one for her command; one for his performance, one for her performance; one for his examination, one for her examination.
“The water that causes curse…for bitterness” – why does the verse state “for bitterness”? It is, rather, that it would engender in her types of strange punishments. If she were white it would render her black; red, it would render her green. Her mouth would widen, her neck would swell, her flesh would decompose, she would be a zava, she would sneeze, and her limbs would come apart.
Bamidbar Rabbah
“The priest shall take a handful from the meal offering, its memorial portion, and burn it upon the altar, and then he shall give the woman the water to drink” (Numbers 5:26).
“The priest shall take a handful from the meal offering…” – from the attached meal offering; it should not be placed in two vessels when he takes a handful.
“And burn it upon the altar” – from what is burned, that we will expound later.79See section 39, which explains that only a handful is placed on the altar. How does he burn it? He salts it and places it upon the fire, as it is written: “All your meal offerings [you shall salt with salt]” (Leviticus 2:13).
“And then he shall give the woman the water to drink” – why is the verse stated? Was it not already stated: “He shall give the woman to drink” (Numbers 5:24)? It is, rather, to include one whose imprint is visible.80If the ink is not completely erased from the scroll, he must immerse it again, and only then give the woman to drink.
“He shall give her the water to drink, and it will be, if she was defiled and committed trespass against her husband, the water that causes curse will enter her for bitterness, and her belly will distend, and her thigh will fall, and the woman will become a curse among her people” (Numbers 5:27).
“He shall give her the water to drink” – why is it stated? It is to say to you that if the scroll was erased and she said: I will not drink, Rabbi Eliezer would say that one strikes her with the width of a sword, forces her mouth open, and gives her to drink against her will.
“It will be, if she was defiled” – whether the relations were natural or unnatural.
“And committed trespass against her husband” – the verse relates that the trespass against the husband is the cause. Because we find defilement regarding the rest of the forbidden relations, is it perhaps that if she were defiled by one of them that the water would examine her? The verse states: “And committed trespass against her husband” – the trespass against the husband causes her to be examined.
“The water…will enter her” – it teaches that it seeps into all her limbs.
“Her belly will distend…” – one verse says: “In the Lord causing your thigh to fall [and your belly to distend]” (Numbers 5:21); thigh preceded belly. And one verse says: “And her belly will distend, and her thigh will fall”; belly preceded thigh. The Rabbis say: When he cursed, he cursed the thigh and then the belly, just as she began the transgression initially. When the water examines, it examines along its path. They raised an objection: Regarding the curse, too, it is written: “To cause the belly to distend and the thigh to collapse” (Numbers 5:22). That is not a contradiction. That is that the priest informs her that the belly is first and then the thigh, so as not to disparage the water of bitterness.
“The woman will become a curse among her people” – she will be notorious among everyone.
“The priest shall take a handful from the meal offering…” – from the attached meal offering; it should not be placed in two vessels when he takes a handful.
“And burn it upon the altar” – from what is burned, that we will expound later.79See section 39, which explains that only a handful is placed on the altar. How does he burn it? He salts it and places it upon the fire, as it is written: “All your meal offerings [you shall salt with salt]” (Leviticus 2:13).
“And then he shall give the woman the water to drink” – why is the verse stated? Was it not already stated: “He shall give the woman to drink” (Numbers 5:24)? It is, rather, to include one whose imprint is visible.80If the ink is not completely erased from the scroll, he must immerse it again, and only then give the woman to drink.
“He shall give her the water to drink, and it will be, if she was defiled and committed trespass against her husband, the water that causes curse will enter her for bitterness, and her belly will distend, and her thigh will fall, and the woman will become a curse among her people” (Numbers 5:27).
“He shall give her the water to drink” – why is it stated? It is to say to you that if the scroll was erased and she said: I will not drink, Rabbi Eliezer would say that one strikes her with the width of a sword, forces her mouth open, and gives her to drink against her will.
“It will be, if she was defiled” – whether the relations were natural or unnatural.
“And committed trespass against her husband” – the verse relates that the trespass against the husband is the cause. Because we find defilement regarding the rest of the forbidden relations, is it perhaps that if she were defiled by one of them that the water would examine her? The verse states: “And committed trespass against her husband” – the trespass against the husband causes her to be examined.
“The water…will enter her” – it teaches that it seeps into all her limbs.
“Her belly will distend…” – one verse says: “In the Lord causing your thigh to fall [and your belly to distend]” (Numbers 5:21); thigh preceded belly. And one verse says: “And her belly will distend, and her thigh will fall”; belly preceded thigh. The Rabbis say: When he cursed, he cursed the thigh and then the belly, just as she began the transgression initially. When the water examines, it examines along its path. They raised an objection: Regarding the curse, too, it is written: “To cause the belly to distend and the thigh to collapse” (Numbers 5:22). That is not a contradiction. That is that the priest informs her that the belly is first and then the thigh, so as not to disparage the water of bitterness.
“The woman will become a curse among her people” – she will be notorious among everyone.
Bamidbar Rabbah
“The priest shall have the woman stand before the Lord, and he shall expose the woman’s head, and he shall place on her palms the meal offering of remembrance – it is a meal offering of jealousy; and in the hand of the priest shall be the water of bitterness that causes curse” (Numbers 5:18).
“The priest shall have the woman stand” – initially the verse characterized her as his wife, as it is stated: “If the wife of any man will stray” (Numbers 5:12); “the man shall bring his wife” (Numbers 5:15). Why? God is concerned for the honor of Israel. God says: Even though he warned her, she remains in his domain. Perhaps she will recant. If she does not recant, she leaves his domain. “The priest shall have the woman stand”;142At this point, when she insists on drinking the water, she is forbidden to him and no longer referred to as his wife. “he shall expose the woman’s head”; “he shall give the woman to drink” (Numbers 5:24), et al. If she drank and was found to be pure “she will be absolved” (Numbers 5:28) – she is absolved and returns to her husband. “When a woman will stray while married to her husband” (Numbers 5:29) – God is concerned for the honor of Israel. Why? “Who have been borne since birth” (Isaiah 46:3)143God is concerned for Israel’s honor because He has borne them since birth. – if at the time of their corruption God is concerned for Israel’s honor and strives for their wellbeing, when they will perform His will all the more so.
“Before the Lord…” – it is written: “If man sins against man, God will try him, but if a man sins against the Lord, who will try him?” (I Samuel 2:25). Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba interpreted the verse regarding the paramour. This one is feeding and sustaining, and you come and take what is ready. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi interpreted the verse regarding the woman. This one is feeding and sustaining, but you direct your eyes to another.144These are unforgivable sins.
“And he shall expose the woman’s head” – does one demean another on the basis of uncertainty? Rabbi Simlai said: Everywhere you find harlotry, you find chaos in the world.
“The priest shall have the woman stand” – if she was lame she does not drink.
It is taught: They would take her up to the High Court in Jerusalem and would intimidate her in the manner that they would intimidate witnesses in capital cases. They would say to her: My daughter, wine causes a great deal, levity causes a great deal, immaturity causes a great deal, evil neighbors cause a great deal. Act for the sake of the great Name that was written in sanctity, so that it will not be erased in the water. He says before her matters that neither she nor her entire patrilineal family deserves to hear.145See section 17 Just as they intimidate her to recant, so they intimidate her not to recant.146If she is innocent. They would say to her: My daughter, if you are pure and you are certain that you are pure, stand behind your certainty, as this water is comparable to nothing other than dry poison. If it is placed on healthy skin it causes no harm. If, though, it encounters a wound, it begins seeping in and descending. If she said: I was defiled, she writes a receipt for her marriage contract147She does so even though she did not receive payment. She lost her right to that payment due to her dalliance with the paramour. and leaves.148Her husband writes her a bill of divorce. If she said: I am pure, they take her up to the eastern gate, the Gate of Nikanor, as there they give the sotot to drink, purify the birthing mothers, and purify the leper. The priest seizes her garments; if they ripped, they ripped; if their seam split, their seam split.
It is taught: “And he shall expose the woman’s head” – the priest goes behind the woman and exposes her, in order to fulfill the mitzva of exposure; this is the statement of Rabbi Yishmael. Another matter: It teaches regarding Jewish women that they should cover their heads. Even though there is no proof of the matter, there is an allusion to the matter: “Tamar took ashes on her head and rent the embroidered tunic that was upon her” (II Samuel 13:19).149Sifrei, Naso 11.
It is taught: “And he shall expose the woman’s head” – I have derived only her head; her body, from where is it derived? The verse states: “The woman.” If so, why does the verse state: “And he shall expose [the woman’s] head”? It teaches that the priest unravels her hair.150Sota 8a.
If she was covered in white, he covers her in black. If she had on her gold jewelry, necklaces, nose rings, and rings, one removes them from her to render her unattractive. Just as she displayed no concern for the honor of the Omnipresent, so, one displays no concern for her honor. Then he brings a rope crafted from trees and ties it above her breasts. Why a rope crafted from trees [hamitzri]? Rabbi Yitzḥak said: It is because she performed an act characteristic of Egypt [Mitzrayim]. Anyone who wishes to watch her may watch except for her slaves and maidservants, because she is emboldened by them. All the women may watch her, as it is stated: “All the women will be chastised, and they will not act in accordance with your lewdness” (Ezekiel 23:48).
“And he shall place on her palms” – from here that if she was missing her hands she would not drink.
It is taught: He would bring her meal offering in a wicker basket and place it on her hand in order to exhaust her, so that she will recant.
“And in the hand of the priest shall be the water of bitterness that causes curse” – he shows her the water in order to instill fear in her.
“The priest shall have the woman stand” – initially the verse characterized her as his wife, as it is stated: “If the wife of any man will stray” (Numbers 5:12); “the man shall bring his wife” (Numbers 5:15). Why? God is concerned for the honor of Israel. God says: Even though he warned her, she remains in his domain. Perhaps she will recant. If she does not recant, she leaves his domain. “The priest shall have the woman stand”;142At this point, when she insists on drinking the water, she is forbidden to him and no longer referred to as his wife. “he shall expose the woman’s head”; “he shall give the woman to drink” (Numbers 5:24), et al. If she drank and was found to be pure “she will be absolved” (Numbers 5:28) – she is absolved and returns to her husband. “When a woman will stray while married to her husband” (Numbers 5:29) – God is concerned for the honor of Israel. Why? “Who have been borne since birth” (Isaiah 46:3)143God is concerned for Israel’s honor because He has borne them since birth. – if at the time of their corruption God is concerned for Israel’s honor and strives for their wellbeing, when they will perform His will all the more so.
“Before the Lord…” – it is written: “If man sins against man, God will try him, but if a man sins against the Lord, who will try him?” (I Samuel 2:25). Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba interpreted the verse regarding the paramour. This one is feeding and sustaining, and you come and take what is ready. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi interpreted the verse regarding the woman. This one is feeding and sustaining, but you direct your eyes to another.144These are unforgivable sins.
“And he shall expose the woman’s head” – does one demean another on the basis of uncertainty? Rabbi Simlai said: Everywhere you find harlotry, you find chaos in the world.
“The priest shall have the woman stand” – if she was lame she does not drink.
It is taught: They would take her up to the High Court in Jerusalem and would intimidate her in the manner that they would intimidate witnesses in capital cases. They would say to her: My daughter, wine causes a great deal, levity causes a great deal, immaturity causes a great deal, evil neighbors cause a great deal. Act for the sake of the great Name that was written in sanctity, so that it will not be erased in the water. He says before her matters that neither she nor her entire patrilineal family deserves to hear.145See section 17 Just as they intimidate her to recant, so they intimidate her not to recant.146If she is innocent. They would say to her: My daughter, if you are pure and you are certain that you are pure, stand behind your certainty, as this water is comparable to nothing other than dry poison. If it is placed on healthy skin it causes no harm. If, though, it encounters a wound, it begins seeping in and descending. If she said: I was defiled, she writes a receipt for her marriage contract147She does so even though she did not receive payment. She lost her right to that payment due to her dalliance with the paramour. and leaves.148Her husband writes her a bill of divorce. If she said: I am pure, they take her up to the eastern gate, the Gate of Nikanor, as there they give the sotot to drink, purify the birthing mothers, and purify the leper. The priest seizes her garments; if they ripped, they ripped; if their seam split, their seam split.
It is taught: “And he shall expose the woman’s head” – the priest goes behind the woman and exposes her, in order to fulfill the mitzva of exposure; this is the statement of Rabbi Yishmael. Another matter: It teaches regarding Jewish women that they should cover their heads. Even though there is no proof of the matter, there is an allusion to the matter: “Tamar took ashes on her head and rent the embroidered tunic that was upon her” (II Samuel 13:19).149Sifrei, Naso 11.
It is taught: “And he shall expose the woman’s head” – I have derived only her head; her body, from where is it derived? The verse states: “The woman.” If so, why does the verse state: “And he shall expose [the woman’s] head”? It teaches that the priest unravels her hair.150Sota 8a.
If she was covered in white, he covers her in black. If she had on her gold jewelry, necklaces, nose rings, and rings, one removes them from her to render her unattractive. Just as she displayed no concern for the honor of the Omnipresent, so, one displays no concern for her honor. Then he brings a rope crafted from trees and ties it above her breasts. Why a rope crafted from trees [hamitzri]? Rabbi Yitzḥak said: It is because she performed an act characteristic of Egypt [Mitzrayim]. Anyone who wishes to watch her may watch except for her slaves and maidservants, because she is emboldened by them. All the women may watch her, as it is stated: “All the women will be chastised, and they will not act in accordance with your lewdness” (Ezekiel 23:48).
“And he shall place on her palms” – from here that if she was missing her hands she would not drink.
It is taught: He would bring her meal offering in a wicker basket and place it on her hand in order to exhaust her, so that she will recant.
“And in the hand of the priest shall be the water of bitterness that causes curse” – he shows her the water in order to instill fear in her.