## Sotah Daf 19b

###### Sotah 19b:1
[Sotah 19b:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sotah/r/19b:1)

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: ״וְהִשְׁקָה״ מָה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר? וַהֲלֹא כְּבָר נֶאֱמַר ״וְהִשְׁקָהּ״! שֶׁאִם נִמְחֲקָה מְגִילָּה וְאוֹמֶרֶת ״אֵינִי שׁוֹתָה״ — מְעַרְעֲרִין אוֹתָהּ וּמַשְׁקִין אוֹתָהּ בְּעַל כׇּרְחָהּ, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**The Sages taught: What** is the meaning when **the verse states** after the sacrifice of the meal-offering: **“And he shall make her drink** the water” (Numbers 5:27)? **But isn’t it already stated: “And he shall make** the woman **drink** the water of bitterness that causes the curse” (Numbers 5:24)? The *baraita* answers: The repetition teaches **that if the scroll was** already **erased and** then the woman **says: I will not drink, she is forced [*me’arerin*] to drink against her will.** This is **the statement of Rabbi Akiva.**


###### Sotah 19b:2
[Sotah 19b:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sotah/r/19b:2)

רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר: ״וְאַחַר יַשְׁקֶה״ מָה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר? וַהֲלֹא כְּבָר נֶאֱמַר ״וְהִשְׁקָהּ״! אֶלָּא, לְאַחַר כׇּל מַעֲשִׂים כּוּלָּן הָאֲמוּרִין לְמַעְלָה. מַגִּיד שְׁלֹשָׁה דְּבָרִים מְעַכְּבִין בָּהּ: עַד שֶׁלֹּא קָרַב הַקּוֹמֶץ, וְעַד שֶׁלֹּא נִמְחֲקָה מְגִילָּה, וְעַד שֶׁלֹּא תְּקַבֵּל עָלֶיהָ שְׁבוּעָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabbi Shimon says: What** is the meaning when **the verse states:** “And the priest shall take a handful of the meal-offering, as the memorial part of it, and burn it upon the altar, **and afterward he shall make** the woman **drink** the water” (Numbers 5:26)? **But isn’t it already stated** previously: **“And he shall make** the woman **drink”** (Numbers 5:24)? **Rather,** this verse indicates that the *sota* is given the bitter water to drink only **after all the actions that are stated above** are performed, i.e., erasing the scroll, sacrificing the meal-offering, and administering the oath. Therefore, this verse **teaches** that **three matters preclude her** from drinking: She does not drink **until the handful is sacrificed, and until the scroll is erased, and until she accepts the oath upon herself.**


###### Sotah 19b:3
[Sotah 19b:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sotah/r/19b:3)

עַד שֶׁלֹּא קָרַב הַקּוֹמֶץ. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן לְטַעְמֵיהּ, דְּאָמַר: מַקְרִיב אֶת מִנְחָתָהּ וְאַחַר כָּךְ מַשְׁקָהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara elaborates: She does not drink **until the handful is sacrificed. Rabbi Shimon** conforms **to his** line of **reasoning** stated earlier, **as he says** that the priest **sacrifices her meal-offering and afterward forces her to drink.**


###### Sotah 19b:4
[Sotah 19b:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sotah/r/19b:4)

עַד שֶׁלֹּא נִמְחֲקָה מְגִילָּה. אֶלָּא מַאי מַשְׁקֶה לַהּ? אָמַר רַב אָשֵׁי: לֹא נִצְרְכָה לְשֶׁרִישּׁוּמוֹ נִיכָּר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara questions the second condition: She does not drink **until the scroll is erased.** Why does the *baraita* need to state this? **But what** could **he give her to drink** if the scroll was not yet erased into the water? **Rav Ashi says: No,** this *halakha* **is necessary for** an instance **where** the scroll was erased, but **the impression** of the ink **is** still **discernible** on the parchment. The woman does not drink until the scroll is totally erased.


###### Sotah 19b:5
[Sotah 19b:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sotah/r/19b:5)

עַד שֶׁלֹּא תְּקַבֵּל עָלֶיהָ שְׁבוּעָה. מִישְׁתָּא הוּא דְּלָא שָׁתְיָא, הָא מִיכְתָּב כָּתְבִי לַהּ, וְהָאָמַר רָבָא: מְגִילַּת סוֹטָה שֶׁכְּתָבָהּ קוֹדֶם שֶׁתְּקַבֵּל עָלֶיהָ שְׁבוּעָה — לֹא עָשָׂה וְלֹא כְלוּם! כְּדִי נַסְבַהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara discusses the third condition: She does not drink **until she accepts the oath upon herself.** One might infer from this statement that **it is** only **that** she **does not drink** before she accepts the oath; **however,** the scroll **is written for her** before she accepts the oath. **But didn’t Rava say:** With regard to **a scroll of a *sota* that was written before she accepted the oath upon herself,** whoever wrote it **did nothing,** and the scroll is rendered invalid. The Gemara responds: **This was cited for no reason,** as in fact the scroll is not even written before she accepts the oath upon herself, and nothing should be inferred.


###### Sotah 19b:6
[Sotah 19b:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sotah/r/19b:6)

בְּמַאי קָמִיפַּלְגִי? תְּלָתָא קְרָאֵי כְּתִיבִי: ״וְהִשְׁקָה״ קַמָּא, ״וְאַחַר יַשְׁקֶה״, ״וְהִשְׁקָהּ״ בָּתְרָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **With regard to what do** the Rabbis and Rabbi Shimon **disagree** in the mishna? The Gemara answers: **Three verses are written** which pertain to drinking the bitter water: **The first** occurrence of the term is in the verse: **“And he shall make** the woman **drink”** (Numbers 5:24); the second: **“And afterward he shall make** the woman **drink** the water” (Numbers 5:26); and **the last** occurrence of the term is in the verse: **“And he shall make her drink”** (Numbers 5:27).


###### Sotah 19b:7
[Sotah 19b:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sotah/r/19b:7)

רַבָּנַן סָבְרִי: ״וְהִשְׁקָה״ קַמָּא — לְגוּפוֹ, שֶׁמַּשְׁקֶה וְאַחַר כָּךְ מַקְרִיב אֶת מִנְחָתָהּ. ״וְאַחַר יַשְׁקֶה״ — מִיבְּעֵי לֵיהּ לְשֶׁרִישּׁוּמוֹ נִיכָּר. ״וְהִשְׁקָהּ״ בָּתְרָא — שֶׁאִם נִמְחֲקָה מְגִילָּה וְאוֹמֶרֶת ״אֵינִי שׁוֹתָה״, מְעַרְעֲרִין אוֹתָהּ וּמַשְׁקֶה אוֹתָהּ בְּעַל כׇּרְחָהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**The Rabbis hold** that **the first** occurrence of the term: **“And he shall make** the woman **drink,”** is written **to** teach the *halakha* **itself,** i.e., **that** the priest first **forces her to drink and afterward sacrifices her meal-offering.** The second instance: **“And afterward he shall make** the woman **drink,” is necessary** to teach **that** as long as **the impression** of the writing **is** still **discernible,** the *sota* is not given the bitter water to drink. The third verse, **the last** occurrence of the term: **“And he shall make her drink,”** teaches **that if the scroll was erased and** then the woman **says: I will not drink, she is forced to drink against her will.**


###### Sotah 19b:8
[Sotah 19b:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sotah/r/19b:8)

וְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן סָבַר: ״וְאַחַר יַשְׁקֶה״ — לְגוּפוֹ, שֶׁמַּקְרִיב אֶת מִנְחָתָהּ וְאַחַר כָּךְ מַשְׁקָהּ. ״וְהִשְׁקָה״ קַמָּא — שֶׁאִם הִשְׁקָהּ וְאַחַר כָּךְ הִקְרִיב אֶת מִנְחָתָהּ כְּשֵׁרָה. ״וְהִשְׁקָהּ״ בָּתְרָא — שֶׁאִם נִמְחֲקָה מְגִילָּה וְאָמְרָה ״אֵינִי שׁוֹתָה״, מְעַרְעֲרִין אוֹתָהּ וּמַשְׁקִין אוֹתָהּ בְּעַל כׇּרְחָהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And Rabbi Shimon holds** that the second verse: **“And afterward he shall make** the woman **drink** the water” (Numbers 5:26), is written **to** teach the *halakha* **itself,** i.e., **that** the priest first **sacrifices her meal-offering and afterward forces her to drink. The first** occurrence of the term: **“And he shall make** the woman **drink,”** teaches **that if he forced her to drink and** only **afterward sacrificed her meal-offering,** the offering **is** nevertheless **valid. The last** occurrence of the term: **“And he shall make her drink,”** teaches **that if** the **scroll was erased and** then **she said: I will not drink, she is forced to drink against her will.**


###### Sotah 19b:9
[Sotah 19b:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sotah/r/19b:9)

וְרַבָּנַן — בְּדִיעֲבַד לָא פָּתַח קְרָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara explains the Rabbis’ opinion: **And the Rabbis** would respond to Rabbi Shimon that the **verse does not begin** the discussion **with** a *halakha* that is applicable only **after the fact,** and therefore the initial mention of the drinking is referring to the proper time for the ritual.


###### Sotah 19b:10
[Sotah 19b:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sotah/r/19b:10)

וְסָבַר רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא מַשְׁקִין אוֹתָהּ בְּעַל כׇּרְחָהּ? וְהָתַנְיָא, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: כַּלְבּוֹס שֶׁל בַּרְזֶל מְטִילִין לְתוֹךְ פִּיהָ, שֶׁאִם נִמְחֲקָה מְגִילָּה וְאָמְרָה ״אֵינִי שׁוֹתָה״ — מְעַרְעֲרִין אוֹתָהּ וּמַשְׁקִין אוֹתָהּ בְּעַל כׇּרְחָהּ. אָמַר רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא: כְּלוּם אָנוּ צְרִיכִין אֶלָּא לְבוֹדְקָהּ, וַהֲלֹא בְּדוּקָה וְעוֹמֶדֶת! אֶלָּא: עַד שֶׁלֹּא קָרַב הַקּוֹמֶץ — יְכוֹלָה לַחֲזוֹר בָּהּ, מִשֶּׁקָּרַב הַקּוֹמֶץ — אֵינָהּ יְכוֹלָה לַחֲזוֹר בָּהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **But does Rabbi Akiva** in fact **hold** that the woman is **forced to drink against her will? But isn’t it taught** in a *baraita* (*Tosefta* 2:3) that **Rabbi Yehuda says: A hook [*kelabus*]** made **of iron is** forcibly **placed into her mouth,** so **that if the scroll was erased and she said: I will not drink, she is forced to drink against her will. Rabbi Akiva said:** It is not necessary to force her to drink. **Don’t we need** to force her to drink the water **only** in order **to evaluate her** fidelity? **And isn’t she established as** having been **evaluated** when she refuses to drink, as she is essentially admitting her guilt? **Rather,** Rabbi Akiva’s statement should be understood as follows: **Until the handful is sacrificed she can retract** her decision to drink the bitter water; however, **once the handful is sacrificed she cannot retract** her decision to drink.


###### Sotah 19b:11
[Sotah 19b:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sotah/r/19b:11)

וְלִיטַעְמָיךְ, תִּיקְשֵׁי לָךְ הִיא גּוּפַהּ: מִשֶּׁקָּרַב הַקּוֹמֶץ אֵינָהּ יְכוֹלָה לַחֲזוֹר בָּהּ? וַהֲלֹא בְּדוּקָה וְעוֹמֶדֶת!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **But according to your reasoning** in explanation of Rabbi Akiva’s statement, **this** explanation **itself should pose a difficulty for you.** Why **can’t she retract** her decision **once the handful is sacrificed? And isn’t she established as** having been **evaluated** when she refuses to drink?


###### Sotah 19b:12
[Sotah 19b:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sotah/r/19b:12)

לָא קַשְׁיָא: הָא — דְּקָהָדְרָא בַּהּ מֵחֲמַת רְתִיתָא, וְהָא — דְּקָהָדְרָא בָּהּ מֵחֲמַת בְּרִיּוּתָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara answers: This is **not difficult; this** case, where she is forced to drink, is referring to a situation **where she retracts** her decision to drink **due to fear,** as her refusal is not viewed as an admission of guilt, and it is possible that if she drinks she will be found undefiled. **And that** case, where she does not drink, is referring to a situation **where she retracts** her decision **in a state of** good **health.** Since she does not appear to be afraid, her refusal is viewed as an admission of guilt.


###### Sotah 19b:13
[Sotah 19b:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sotah/r/19b:13)

וְהָכִי קָאָמַר: כׇּל מֵחֲמַת בְּרִיּוּתָא — כְּלָל כְּלָל לָא שָׁתְיָא. מֵחֲמַת רְתִיתָא עַד שֶׁלֹּא קָרַב הַקּוֹמֶץ, דְּאַכַּתִּי לָא אִמְּחוּק מְגִילָּה, אִי נָמֵי אִמְּחוּק מְגִילָּה, דְּשֶׁלֹּא כְּדִין עֲבוּד כֹּהֲנִים דְּמַחֲקִי — מָצְיָ[א] הָדְרָא בָּהּ. מִשֶּׁקָּרַב הַקּוֹמֶץ, דִּבְדִין עֲבוּד כֹּהֲנִים דְּמָחֲקִי — לָא מָצֵי הָדְרָא בָּהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And this is what** Rabbi Akiva **is saying:** In **any** case where she retracts her decision to drink **in a state of** good **health, she does not drink at all.** With regard to a *sota* who retracts her decision **due to fear,** if she retracts her decision **before the handful is sacrificed, when the scroll has not yet been erased; or** even if the **scroll was** already **erased,** since **the priests acted incorrectly when they erased** it beforehand; **she can retract** her decision. **Once the handful is sacrificed, in which** case the **priests acted correctly when they erased** the scroll, **she cannot retract** her decision, and she is forced to drink against her will.