What is the significance of the double expression "ve'Im Lo Nitme'ah ha'Ishah u'Tehorah Hi"?
Rashi: It means 'If the woman is not guilty on this occasion, and she is innocent from having sinned on any other occasion'.
What are the implications of (the otherwise superfluous) words "u'Tehorah Hi"?
Rashi: Refer to 5:28:1:1.
Sotah 6b: To preclude from the B'rachah of "Veniksah .... " where the Mei Sotah is ineffecive because either there are witnesses of her guilt overseas or she has a Z'chus (due to a good deed that she performed) or because her guilt is so well-known that the women who spin yarn by the light of the moon are discussing it.
Yerushalmi Kidushin, 4:4: To teach us that if there is no valid reason to suspect one's wife of immoral conduct, he must treat her as innocent - and not lock the door whenever he leaves the house. 1
Sifri: It implies that she is Tahor for her husband, Tahor for the 'adulterer' (in the event that her husband dies or divorces her and Tahor for Terumah - all the things that were forbidden to her through the Kinuy and S'tirah. 2
However, this is merely an Asmachta. See Torah Temimah citing the Yerushalmi and note 147.
Oznayim la'Torah: And we do not suspect that the water did not affect her for some alternative reason (such as the fact that there are witnesses overseas who know of her guilt - of whom we are unaware), an we do not say 'Lo ba'Shamayim Hi' and that without witnesses to prove her innocense, she remains forbiddem. See also Torah Temimah, note 148.
What are the connotations of "Veniksah"?
Rashi: It means that she is free from [punishment via] the cursing waters. 1
Seforno: It means that she is absolved from the sin of Shevu'as Shav she caused. 2
Targum Yonasan: It means that when she leaves the Beis-Hamikdash her face will be radiant and she will find favor in the eyes of her husband. 3
What are the ramifications of "ve'Nizr'ah Zara"?
Rashi: If she is used to giving birth in pain, she will now give birth with ease; 1 if previously, she gave birth to dark-skinned babies, she will now give birth to babies with fair skin. 2
Rashbam and Targum Onkelos: She will become pregnant.
Targum Yonasan: She will give birth to a boy.
Sotah 26a: If she used to give birth a. in pain, she will give birth painlessly; b. to daughters, she will bear sons; c. to small babies, she will bear tall ones; d. dark-skinned babies, she will now give birth to babies with fair skin.
Bearing in mind that the Sotah contravened her husband's warnings, on what grounds is she now being rewarded?
