Комментарий о цитате к Бамидбар 5:17

Introduction The mishnah continues to describe the Sotah process. This mishnah is an expansion of that described in Numbers 5:17.

[The priest] takes an earthenware bowl and pours half a log of water into it from the laver. Rabbi Judah says: a quarter [of a log]. Just as [Rabbi Judah] reduces the amount of writing, so he reduces the quantity of water. We should note that the mishnah is now beginning to follow the order of the verses which describe the Sotah ritual in Numbers 5. Verse 15 describes the minhah sacrifice (yesterday’s mishnah) and verse 17 describes the water in the earthenware bowl, into which the name of God will be rubbed out. The verse only says that the priest takes some water, but it does not say where he takes it from. The mishnah adds that it is taken from the laver (the sink, for those of you who speak normal English). There is a debate about how much water is to be put into the bowl, but in either case the amount of water is just sufficient to absolve the ink from God’s name. Rabbi Judah gives a smaller measurement for the water since he prescribes the least amount of writing (see tomorrow’s mishnah).

מן הכיור – as it is written (Numbers 5:17): “[The priest shall take] sacral water [in an earthenware vessel],” but there is nothing sacred other than that which was sanctified in a utensil.