אִישׁ אִישׁ כִּי תִּשְׂטֶה אִשְׁתּוֹ. יְלַמְּדֵנוּ רַבֵּנוּ, מִי שֶׁמְּקַנֵּא לְאִשְׁתּוֹ, כֵּיצַד הָיָה מְקַנֵּא לָהּ. כָּךְ שָׁנוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ, הַמְקַנֵּא לְאִשְׁתּוֹ, הָיָה מוֹלִיכָהּ לְבֵית דִּין הַגָּדוֹל שֶׁבִּירוּשָׁלַיִם, וּמְאַיְּמִין עָלֶיהָ כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁמְּאַיְּמִין עַל עֵדֵי נְפָשׁוֹת. וְאַחֲרֵי כֵן מַעֲלִין אוֹתָהּ לַשַּׁעַר הַמִּזְרָחִי לְשַׁעַר נִקָּנוֹר, שֶׁשָּׁם מְטַהֲרִין אֶת הַיּוֹלְדוֹת וְאֶת הַמְצֹרָעִין וּמַשְׁקִין אֶת הַסּוֹטוֹת. כֹּהֵן הָיָה מְמַלֵּא פִּיאַלִי שֶׁל חֶרֶשׂ וְנוֹתֵן לְתוֹכָהּ חֲצִי לֹג מַיִם מִן הַכִּיּוֹר. נִכְנַס לַהֵיכָל וּפָנָה לִימִינוֹ. מָקוֹם הָיָה שָׁם אַמָּה עַל אַמָּה וְטַבְלָה שֶׁל שַׁיִשׁ שָׁם וְטַבַּעַת קְבוּעָה וּמַגְבִּיהָהּ וְנוֹטֵל עָפָר מִתַּחְתֶּיהָ וְנוֹתֵן אֶל הַמַּיִם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וּמִן הֶעָפָר אֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה בְּקַרְקַע הַמִּשְׁכָּן. וְהָיָה כּוֹתֵב אֶת הַמְּגִלָּה, אִם לֹא שָׁכַב אִישׁ אוֹתָךְ וְאִם לֹא שָׂטִית טֻמְאָה תַּחַת אִישֵׁךְ, הִנָּקִי מִמֵּי הַמָּרִים הַמְאָרְרִים הָאֵלֶּה. מִכָּאן שָׁנוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ, שֶׁפּוֹתְחִין בְּדִינֵי נְפָשׁוֹת תְּחִלָּה לִזְכוּת. וְשׁוּב כּוֹתֵב, וְאַתְּ כִּי שָׂטִית תַּחַת אִישֵׁךְ וְכִי נִטְמֵאת וְגוֹ'. מַה כְּתִיב אַחֲרָיו, יִתֵּן ה' אוֹתָךְ לְאָלָה וְלִשְׁבֻעָה בְּתוֹךְ עַמֵּךְ בְּתֵת ה' אֶת יְרֵכֵךְ נֹפֶלֶת וְאֶת בִּטְנְךָ צָבָה. וְכֵן שְׁלֹמֹה אוֹמֵר, אֵת אֲשֶׁר יֶחֱטָא אִישׁ לְרֵעֵהוּ וְנָשָׂא בוֹ אָלָה לְהַאֲלֹתוֹ וּבָא לִפְנֵי מִזְבַּחֲךָ בַּבַּיִת הַזֶּה, וְאַתָּה תִּשְׁמַע הַשָּׁמַיִם וְעָשִׂיתָ וְשָׁפַטְתָּ אֶת עֲבָדֶיךָ לְהַרְשִׁיעַ רָשָׁע לָתֵת דַּרְכּוֹ בְּרֹאשׁוֹ, וּלְהַצְדִּיק צַדִּיק לָתֵת לוֹ כְּצִדְקָתוֹ (מל״א ח, לא-לב), וְאִם לֹא נִטְמְאָה הָאִשָּׁה וְגוֹ'. וְאִם הָיְתָה טְמֵאָה, לֹא הָיְתָה מַסְפֶּקֶת לִשְׁתּוֹת עַד שֶׁפָּנֶיהָ מוֹרִיקוֹת וְעֵינֶיהָ בּוֹלְטוֹת וְהִיא מִתְמַלֵּאת גִּידִים, וְהַכֹּהֵן אוֹמֵר, הוֹצִיאוּהָ הוֹצִיאוּהָ שֶׁלֹּא תְּטַמֵּא אֶת הָעֲזָרָה. וּכְשֵׁם שֶׁהַמַּיִם בּוֹדְקִין אֶת הָאִשָּׁה, כָּךְ בּוֹדְקִין אֶת הָאִישׁ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וּבָאוּ הַמַּיִם. וּכְשֵׁם שֶׁהִיא אֲסוּרָה לַבַּעַל, כָּךְ הִיא אֲסוּרָה לַבּוֹעֵל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְנִטְמְאָה. אֲבָל אִם שָׁתְתָה וְנִמְצֵאת טְהוֹרָה, אִם הָיְתָה עֲקָרָה, נִפְקֶדֶת. וְאִם הָיְתָה לְמוּדָה לִהְיוֹת יוֹלֶדֶת בְּצַעַר, יוֹלֶדֶת בָּרֶוַח. כְּעוּרִים, יוֹלֶדֶת יָפִים. קְצָרִים, יוֹלֶדֶת אֲרֻכִּים. שְׁחֹרִים, יוֹלֶדֶת לְבָנִים. נְקֵבוֹת, יוֹלֶדֶת זְכָרִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְאִם לֹא נִטְמְאָה הָאִשָּׁה וְגוֹ'. אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמֹשֶׁה, מֹשֶׁה, כְּתֹב פָּרָשַׁת סוֹטָה, כְּדֵי שֶׁתְּהֵא יוֹדְעָה אֵי זֶה שֵׁם הַכֹּהֵן מוֹחֶה בִּשְׁבִילָהּ, וְהֵיאַךְ הִיא מִתְפַּרְסֶמֶת. מִנַּיִן, מִמַּה שֶּׁקָּרְאוּ בָּעִנְיַן אִישׁ אִישׁ כִּי תִּשְׂטֶה אִשְׁתּוֹ. אִם יֵשׁ לָהּ זְכוּת, תּוֹלִין לָהּ. יֵשׁ זְכוּת תּוֹלֶה שָׁנָה, תּוֹלֶה שְׁתַּיִם, תּוֹלֶה שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים. וְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר, אֵין זְכוּת תּוֹלֶה בַּמַּיִם הַמָּרִים. שֶׁאִם אַתָּה אוֹמֵר כֵּן, נִמְצֵאתָ מַדְחֶה אֶת כָּל הַנָּשִׁים הַשּׁוֹתוֹת וּמוֹצִיא לַעַז עַל הַטְּהוֹרוֹת שֶׁשָּׁתוּ, לוֹמַר טְמֵאוֹת הָיוּ, אֶלָּא שֶׁהַזְּכוּת תּוֹלֶה לָהֶן. רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר, לְעוֹלָם הַזְּכוּת תּוֹלֶה בַּמַּיִם הַמְאָרְרִים. אֲבָל אִם הָיְתָה טְמֵאָה, שׁוּב אֵינָהּ יוֹלֶדֶת וְאֵינָהּ מַשְׁבַּחַת, וּמִתְנַוְּנָה וְהוֹלֶכֶת, וְלַסּוֹף מֵתָה בְּאוֹתָהּ מִיתָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: שֵׁשׁ הֵנָּה שָׂנֵא ה' וְשֶׁבַע תּוֹעֲבַת נַפְשׁוֹ. רַבִּי יוֹסִי הַגְּלִילִי אוֹמֵר, שִׁבְעָה דְּבָרִים, בַּסּוֹטָה הֵן אֲמוּרוֹת. עֵינַיִם רָמוֹת, שֶׁהָאִשָּׁה הַסּוֹטָה תּוֹלֶה עֵינֶיהָ לְאִישׁ אַחֵר. וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר, יַעַן כִּי גָּבְהוּ בְּנוֹת צִיּוֹן וַתֵּלַכְנָה נְטֻיּוֹת גָּרוֹן וּמְשַׂקְּרוֹת עֵינַיִם (ישעיה ג, טז). לְשׁוֹן שֶׁקֶר, שֶׁהִיא מְנָאֶפֶת עִם אִישׁ אַחֵר וּמִתְעַבֶּרֶת מִמֶּנּוּ, וּמְשַׁקֶּרֶת לְבַעֲלָהּ וְאוֹמֶרֶת, מִמְּךָ אֲנִי מְעֻבֶּרֶת. וְיָדַיִם שׁוֹפְכוֹת דָּם נָקִי, שֶׁהַנּוֹאֵף נִכְנַס עַל מְנָת שֶׁאִם יִתָּפֵשׂ, יַהֲרֹג אוֹ יֵהָרֵג. לֵב חוֹרֵשׁ מַחְשְׁבוֹת אָוֶן, שֶׁהַנּוֹאֵף וְהַנּוֹאֶפֶת אֵין מַחְשְׁבוֹתֵיהֶם בְּכָל שָׁעָה אֶלָּא אָוֶן. אֵימָתַי הֵם חוֹטְאִין וְאוֹמְרִים זֶה לָזֶה, בְּאֵיזֶה יוֹם בְּאֵיזֶה שָׁעָה בְּאֵיזֶה מָקוֹם. רַגְלַיִם מְמַהֲרוֹת לָרוּץ לְרָעָה, בְּוַדַּאי שֶׁמְּמַהֲרִין לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת הַחֵטְא. יָפִיחַ כְּזָבִים עֵד שָׁקֶר, שֶׁאִם יִתָּפְשׂוּ, הֵם מְכַזְּבִים וּמְשַׁקְּרִין וְנִשְׁבָּעִין וְאוֹמְרִים: מְשִׂיחִין הָיִינוּ זֶה עִם זֶה בִּדְבָרִים אֲחֵרִים. וּמְשַׁלֵּחַ מְדָנִים בֵּין אַחִים, שֶׁכָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל אַחִים וְרֵעִים הֵם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: לְמַעַן אַחַי וְרֵעַי (תהלים קכב, ח). וְהַנּוֹאֵף אֵשֶׁת חֲבֵרוֹ, הַבַּעַל שׁוֹמֵעַ וְשׂוֹנְאוֹ, וְאַף הַנּוֹאֵף אֵינוֹ יָכֹל לִרְאוֹתוֹ. הֱוֵי, מְשַׁלֵּחַ מְדָנִים בֵּין אַחִים. הֲרֵי שִׁבְעָה דְּבָרִים קָשִׁים שֶׁהַסּוֹטָה עוֹשָׂה. (Numb. 5:12),1Neither the Buber nor the traditional Tanhuma have a parashah, the beginning of which coincides with the beginning of Naso (Numb. 4:21-7:89) from the annual cycle. Such a parashah is also missing in other sources for the so-called “triennial cycle.” See B.Z. Wacholder, “prolegomenon,” in The Bible as Read and Preached in the Old Synagogue, by Jacob Mann (“Library of Biblical Studies”; New York: Ktav, 1971), p. LX. “If anyone has his wife go astray.” Let our master instruct us: When someone wanted to accuse his wife (of infidelity), how did he accuse her? Thus have our masters taught (in Sot. 1:4-5; 2:2-3.):2The Mishnah quotation has several variants from the standard text. See also TSot. 1:3-4. One accusing his wife brought her to the great court which was in Jerusalem, and they would alarm her in the way that they would alarm witnesses in capital cases.3See Sanh. 4:5. Then afterwards they would bring her up to the eastern gate, to the Gate of Nicanor, where they would purify birthing mothers and lepers and give drink to suspected adulteresses. A priest would bring an earthenware bowl4Gk.: phiale; Lat.: fiala. and put a half log of water into it from the basin. He would enter the Temple and turn to his right. Now a place was there one cubit square with a marble flagstone5Gk.: tabla (“tablet”); Lat.: tabula. and a ring fixed in it. He would raise it, take dust from underneath, and put it upon the water, as stated (in Numb. 5:17), “and some of the dust which is in the floor of the Tabernacle, [the priest shall put it into the water].” Then he would write the scroll (in the wording of Numb. 5:19), “If no one has slept with you […].” From here our masters have taught, “When one opens capital cases, one begins with [the case for] acquittal.” Then he writes further (in vs. 20), “And if you have gone astray […].” What is written after it (in vs. 21)? “May the Lord make you a curse […].” And so Solomon has said (in I Kings 8:31–32 // II Chron. 6:22–23), “Whenever one sins against his neighbor, and he gives him an oath for him to swear, then when he comes for the oath before Your altar in this house; You will hearken in heaven, take action, and judge Your servant, in order to condemn the wicked so as to set his conduct upon his own head and justify the righteous so as to render to him according to his righteousness.” (Numb. 5:28:) “But if the woman has not defiled herself [and is pure, she shall be guiltless and shall conceive seed].” If she was defiled, (according to Sot. 3:4; 5:1) she would not have finished drinking before her face turns green, her eyes protrude, and she is full of [swollen] veins. Then the priest says, “Take her out, take her out,” so that she does not defile the Temple court. Just as the water tests the woman, so does the water test the man, since it is stated [twice] (in Numb. 5:22 & 24), “And it (i.e., the water that causes the curse] shall go.” Just as she is forbidden to her husband, so is she forbidden to the lover, since it is stated [twice] (in Numb. 5:13 & 14), “she has defiled herself.”6The Gemara (Sot. 28a) explains these double usages more fully. Cf. also ibid., 26b. If, however, she drinks [the potion] and is found pure; then if she was barren, she is [now] visited (i.e., given conception).7Sot. 26a. If she used [to] give birth in pain, she [now] gives birth with tranquility; if she used [to] bear ugly [children], she [now] bears beautiful ones; [instead of] dark [children], she bears fair ones; [instead of] short [children], she bears tall ones; [instead of] females, she bears males. Thus it is stated (in Numb. 5:28), “But if the woman has not defiled herself [and is pure, she shall be guiltless and shall conceive seed].” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, “Write a section on the adulteress so that she may know which name the priest blots out for her8On the scroll of Numb. 5:23, where the priest put down the curses in writing and then rubbed them off into the bitter water. See also Sot. 2:4. and how it will be made public.”9Gk.: parresiazesthai. How is this shown? From what they have read on the matter (in Numb. 5:12), “If anyone has his wife go astray.” If she has merit, it suspends [the effect of the bitter water] a year or two or three.10The whole section comes from the Mishnah, but again there are several variants from the standard text. R. Simeon says, “Merit does not [suspend the effect of] the [bitter] water; for if you say so, you will be found postponing [the effect] for all women who drink it and spreading slander about undefiled women who have drunk it. [This slander] says, ‘They were [really] defiled, but the merit has suspended [the effect of the water] for them.’” R. Meir says,11The traditional Mishnah text reads “Rabbi says.” “Really, the merit suspends the [effect of] the bitter water. If she was defiled, however, she will never again bear [children] and prosper but degenerate more and more, and in the end she will die of the same death, as stated (in Prov. 6:16), ‘Six things the Lord hates, and seven are an abomination for His soul.’” R. Jose the Galilean says,12Numb. R. 9:11. “[These] seven things were said about the adulteress. (Prov. 6:17:) ‘Haughty eyes,’ in that the adulterous woman raises her eyes to another man; and so it says (in Is. 3:16), ‘Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with extended neck and roving (mesakarot) eyes.’ That is an expression of untruth (sheker), in that she commits adultery with another man and becomes pregnant from him, and then lies and says to her husband, ‘I am pregnant from you.’ (Prov. 6:17, cont.:) ‘Hands that shed innocent blood,’ in that the adulterer goes in on condition that, if he is caught, he will kill or be killed. (Prov. 6:18:) ‘A heart devising wicked thoughts,’ in that the adulterer and the adulteress have thoroughly wicked thoughts all the time, when they sin in telling each other in which place and at what time. (Prov. 6:18, cont.:) ‘Feet quick (memaharot) to run to evil,’ in that they certainly are hastening (memaharim) to commit the sin. (Prov. 6:19:) ‘A false witness that spreads a lie,’ in that, if they are caught, they speak falsely and lie, when they swear and say, ‘We were talking about other things.’ (Prov. 6:19, cont.:) ‘And one that instigates a quarrel among brothers,’ in that all Israel are brothers, as it stated (in Ps. 122:8), ‘For the sake of my brothers and friends’; and in the case of one who commits adultery with his friend's wife, when her husband hears of it, he hates him. Moreover, this adulterer cannot look at [the husband]. Ergo, ‘and one that instigates a quarrel among brothers.’” Ergo, [there are] seven injurious things which the adulteress does.