12th CYCLE DEDICATION
SOTAH 26-28 - A week of study material has been dedicated by Mrs. Rita Grunberger of Queens, N.Y., in loving memory of her husband, Reb Yitzchok Yakov (Irving) ben Eliyahu Grunberger. Irving Grunberger helped many people quietly in an unassuming manner and is dearly missed by all who knew him. His Yahrzeit is 10 Sivan.

1)

(a)When Rebbi Akiva in our Mishnah says k'Shem sheha'Mayim Bodkin Osah, Kach ha'Mayim Bodkim Oso', why can he not be referring to the husband?

(b)Then why does he say 'Oso' and not 'Bo'el', like he does in the Seifa ('k'Shem she'Asurah l'Ba'al, Kach Asurah l'Bo'el')?

1)

(a)When Rebbi Akiva in our Mishnah says 'k'Shem sheha'Mayim Bodkin Osah, Kach ha'Mayim Bodkim Oso', he cannot be referring to the husband - because if the husband is guilty of immoral behavior, the water will not affect his wife.

(b)And the reason that he says 'Oso', rather than 'Bo'el', like he does in the Seifa ('k'Shem she'Asurah l'Ba'al, Kach Asurah l'Bo'el') is - because it balances with 'Bodkin Osah' (with which he began - whereas in the Seifa, it balances with 'k'Shem she'Asurah l'Ba'al' with which the statement began there).

2)

(a)We ask whether Rebbi Akiva learns his Derashah from the double expression of "u'Va'u" "u'Va'u", or from the 'Vav' in "u'Vau". The answer lies in the second case of "v'Nitma'ah" "Venitma'ah". How do we learn from there that Rebbi Akiva Darshens from the 'Vav'?

(b)In that case, Rebbi Akiva contends with six Pesukim (three times the word "u'Va'u" and the three 'Vavin', and Rebbi with three). The purpose of the three initial Pesukim is for the 'Yedi'ah', for the 'Tzava'ah' and for the 'Asi'ah'. What does he learn from the Pasuk ...

1. ... "u'Va'u ha'Mayim ha'Me'arerim ha'Eleh b'Me'ayich La'tz'bos Beten Ve'lanpil Yarech"?

2. ... "Ve'hishkah Es ha'Ishah Es Mei ha'Me'arerim, u'Va'u Vah ha'Mayim"?

3. ... "Ve'Hishkah Es ha'Mayim, Ve'haysah Im Nitme'ah ... u'Va'u ... "?

(c)What does Rebbi learn from the Pasuk ...

1. ... "Ve'tzavsah Bitnah Ve'naflah Yereichah"?

2. ... "La'tz'bos Beten Ve'lanpil Yarech"?

(d)From where does Rebbi then learn ...

1. ... the Yedi'ah (to inform her that the water will first effect her stomach, and then her thighs [which Rebbi Akiva learns from the previous Pasuk])?

2. ... that the Pasuk also comes for the Tza'avah? Maybe it comes only to teach us the punishment of the Bo'el?

2)

(a)We ask whether Rebbi Akiva learns his Derashah from the double expression "u'Va'u" "u'Va'u", or from the 'Vav' in "u'Va'u". The answer lies in the second case of "V'Nitma'ah" "v'Nitma'ah" - where Rebbi (who comes to argue with Rebbi Akiva) specifically compares Bo'el to Ba'al from the double wording, in which case Rebbi Akiva must learn it from the extra 'Vav'.

(b)In that case, Rebbi Akiva contends with six Pesukim (three times the word "U'Va'u" and the three 'Vavin', and Rebbi with three. The purpose of the three initial Pesukim is for the 'Yedi'ah', for the 'Tzava'ah' and for the 'Asi'ah'. He learns from the Pasuk ...

1. ... "U'Va'u ha'Mayim ha'Me'arerim ha'Eleh b'Me'ayich La'tz'bos Beten Ve'lanpil Yarech" - the Yedi'ah, to inform her that the water will first effect her stomach, and then her thighs. This is to avoid the likelihood of people attributing the effect of the water to natural causes, due to the fact that the order did not follow that of the curse (which in turn, represented the order in which she sinned).

2. ... "Ve'hishkah Es ha'Ishah Es Mei ha'Me'arerim, U'Va'u Vah ha'Mayim" - the Tzava'ah, Hash-m's commanding the water to examine her and to perform its task in the event of her guilt.

3. ... "Ve'Hishkah Es ha'Mayim, Ve'haysah Im Nitme'ah ... U'Va'u ... " - the Asi'ah, to instruct the Kohen what to do and what will subsequently happen.

(c)Rebbi learns from the Pasuk ...

1. ... "Ve'tzavsah Bitnah Ve'naflah Yereichah" - that the water will cause the Sotah to suffer the consequences of her actions.

2. ... "La'tz'bos Beten Ve'lanpil Yarech" - that whatever happens to the Sotah will also happen to the Bo'el.

(d)Rebbi learns ...

1. ... the Yedi'ah (to inform her that the water will first effect her stomach, and then her thighs [which Rebbi Akiva learns from this Pasuk]) - from the basic words of the Pasuk, and from the Lashon "Beten" and "Yarech" (rather than "Bitnah" amd "Yereichah", he includes the Beten and Yerech of the Bo'el.

2. ... that the Pasuk also comes for the Tza'avah regardimg the woman (and not just to teach us the punishment of the Bo'el) - from the Lashon "Beten and Yarech (rather than "Bitno" and Yerecho").

3)

(a)We already learned in our Mishnah that Rebbi Akiva Darshens the three times "v'Nitma'ah" to teach us that she is forbidden to the husband, to the Bo'el and to eat Terumah. Based on the Isur Terumah, what does Rebbi Yishmael learn from a 'Kal va'Chomer' from a Gerushah?

(b)What problem do we have with the two Pesukim "v'Kinei Es Ishto v'Hi Nitma'ah" and "O Avar Alav ... v'Hi Lo Nitma'ah"?

(c)How do we solve this problem?

(d)What major ruling now emerges from this explanation?

3)

(a)We already learned in our Mishnah that Rebbi Akiva Darshens the three times "V'Nitma'ah" to teach us that she is forbidden to the husband, to the Bo'el and to eat Terumah. Based on the Isur Terumah - Rebbi Yishmael learns from a 'Kal va'Chomer' from a Gerushah, who is forbidden to marry a Kohen, even though she is permitted to eat Terumah, that a Sotah, who is forbidden to eat Terumah, should certainly be forbidden to subsequently marry a Kohen in the event of her husband's death.

(b)The problem with the two Pesukim "v'Kinei es Ishto v'Hi Nitma'ah" and "O Avar Alav ... v'Hi Lo Nitma'ah" is - that 'Mah Nafshach', if she is Tamei (guilty) why should she need to drink; and if she is Tahor, why does her husband give her to drink in the first place?

(c)We solve this problem - by establishing the Pasuk by a Safek, and the Pasuk is actually warning his wife who is perhaps Tamei ... and perhaps not.

(d)The major ruling that now emerges from this explanation is - that a Safek Sotah is forbidden to her husband as if she was a Vadai.

28b----------------------------------------28b

4)

(a)What 'Kal va'Chomer do we derive from Safek Sotah with regard to Safek Tum'as Sheretz?

(b)From where do we learn that 'Safek Tum'ah Tamei' is confined to Safek Tum'ah in a Reshus ha'Yachid?

(c)Which other qualification do we learn from Safek Sotah?

4)

(a)The 'Kal va'Chomer from a Safek Sotah with regard to a Safek Tum'as Sheretz is - that if we are strict with regard to a Safek Sotah, in spite of the fact that she would be Patur if she was a Shogeg, then we should certainly be stringent by Safek Tum'as Sheretz, which renders Tamei even b'Shogeg.

(b)We learn that 'Safek Tum'ah Tamei' is confined to Safek Tum'ah in a Reshus ha'Yachid - from Sotah, who only has the Din of Sotah after secluding herself with the Bo'el in a private location.

(c)The other qualification that we learn from Safek Sotah is - that Safek Tum'ah b'Reshus ha'Yachid is only Tamei when the Safek is able to ask whether it is Tamei or not (i.e. if it involves either a person, or an object that is accompanied by a person).

5)

(a)Rebbi Yishmael extrapolates from a 'Kal va'Chomer that if the Sotah is Asur to eat Terumah, then she is certainly Asur to marry a Kohen. What initial problem do we have with Rebbi Yishmael's statement?

(b)Why can we not answer that Rebbi Akiva forbids a Sotah to marry a Kohen because she is a Safek Zonah?

5)

(a)Rebbi Yishmael extrapolates from a 'Kal va'Chomer' that if the Sotah is Asur to eat Terumah, then she is certainly Asur to marry a Kohen. The initial problem with this is - how can Rebbi Yishmael come to argue with Rebbi Akiva, seeing as the latter did not state any opinion in this matter?

(b)We cannot answer that Rebbi Akiva forbids a Sotah to marry a Kohen because she is a Safek Zonah - because if that were so, she would be forbidden to eat Terumah for the same reason, and Rebbi Akiva would not require "V'Nitma'ah" to teach us that.