היה נוטל – her husband [would take] her meal-offering, for the command of the priesthood regarding meal-offering is from taking a fistful of the meal-offering and onward (see also Talmud Menahot 9a) and bringing near [the meal-offering] is also the beginning of taking a fistful of the meal-offering but a foreigner (i.e., non-Kohen) does not make an offering on the altar but the sanctification of the utensils and the pouring of oil (on the flour – see Leviticus 2:1) and the mixing, as meal-offerings require oil are appropriate for non-Kohanim.

וכהן מניח ידו תחתיה – as it states regarding peace offerings (Leviticus 7:30): “his own hands shall present [the LORD’s offerings by fire],” and it is stated regarding the meal-offering of the woman suspected of unfaithfulness by her husband (Numbers 5:25): “Then the priest shall take from the woman’s hand [the meal-offering of jealousy,” just as with peace-offerings, the Kohen places his hand underneath the hand of the owners and waves it, so also in the meal-offering of the woman suspected of unfaithfulness by her husband, the Kohen places his hand underneath the hand of the woman and waves it.

והגיש – to the southwestern corner.

והשאר נאכל לכהנים – for all the grabbed [portions of the meal-offerings] are their remnants and are eaten.

היה משקה ואחר כך מקריב את מנחתה – Three Biblical verses are written: The first [verse]: "והשקה"–and he is to make the woman drink [the waters of bitterness]” (Numbers 5:24) is first; and after that:"ישקה" –Last, he shall make [the woman] drink the water” (Numbers 5:26) and last "והשקה" –Once he made her drink [the water]” (Numbers 5:27). The first mention of "והשקה"–and he is to make [the woman] drink [the waters of bitterness” is for itself – that he causes her to drink after the scroll is blotted out before the offering of the meal-offering. And afterwards, "ישקה" –”and he [shall make the woman] drink the water” – even though that it implies that she was specifically forced, the Biblical verse that is mentioned first is expounded for itself. But the Biblical verses that are mentioned after this are given for being expounded. Therefore, and afterwards "ישקה"–”and he [shall make the woman] drink [the waters of bitterness],” even though it is written after the offering of the meal-offering it refers to preceding the offering. But, it refers to the blotting out [of the parchment] that is written above, as it states, that if it was not blotted out, it is well, but if the form of the letters are recognized, he should not cause her to drink [the waters of bitterness]. And the concluding "והשקה"–Once he made her drink [the water] comes to teach us that if the scroll was blotted out and she states, “I will not drink,” they chide–scold her and force her to drink [the waters of bitterness].

רבי שמעון אומר מקריב את מנחתה ואחר כך ישקה – that [the words[ "ואחר ישקה"–”Last, he shall make [the woman] drink [the water]” – specifically him, and specifically he wrote it after the offering [of meal-offering], and the first mention of "והשקה" –”and he is to make the woman drink [the waters of bitterness],” that if he forced her to drink post-facto, and afterwards made the offering of her meal-offering, it is fit. And the last [mention]: "והשקה" –”Once he made her drink [the water], that if the scroll was blotted out and she stated, “I will not drink,” we chide–scold her and cause her to drink it against her will. But the Halakha is not according to Rabbi Shimon.

מגילתה נגנזת – at the side of the Temple (in the hall containing the golden altar).

ומנחתה מתפזרת על הדשן – and is burned on the place where the ashes of the sacrifices were deposited that was in the Temple courtyard where they burn there the unfit things for the Holy of Holies, for since it was sanctified with the sacred vessels–dedicated for the Temple service, it requires burning in the courtyard.

ואין מגילתה כשרה לשקות [בה] סוטה אחרת – for we require writing for her sake, as it is written (there – Numbers 5:30): “and the priest shall carry out [all this ritual with her].” All of the carrying out of the ritual is for her sake.

המים נשפכים – for since she said hat “I am ritually impure,” she is examined and stands, and the waters of bitterness were not given [to her] other than to verify through them the doubt.

מערערים אותה – for perhaps she is ritually pure, and on account of her being frightened she says it.

אינה מספקת לשתות – in the Gemara (Tractate Sotah 20b), that our Mishnah is according to Rabbi Akiva who holds like Rabbi Shimon who said that one offers her meal-offering and afterwards cause her to drink it. [for as long as] her meal-offering is not offered, the waters do not examine her, as it is written (Numbers 5:15): “a meal offering of remembrance which recalls wrongdoing.”

מתמלאת גידין – since her flesh blows up, she appears like her sinews have become swollen.

שלא תטמא את העזרה – it is stated not from defilement from contact with the dead, but rather that she should not spread the condition of uncleanness from her period of menstruation and defile Nicanor [Gate] and the Women’s Court when she would go out through there for a menstruant woman and a woman with a flux are forbidden to enter the Temple mount. But a dead person himself is permitted to enter into the Temple Mount and [into] Nicanor [Gate] which were not sanctified with the holiness of the Temple Courtyard.

יש לה זכות וכו' – In the Gemara (Tractate Sotah 21a) it explains that the merit of [studying] the Torah is what suspends its effect for her as she brought her children to school and waited for her husband that he will leave outside of the city to engage in the study of Torah.

כאלו מלמדה תפלות – the juxtaposition of sexual connection of men that from the Torah she understands shrewdness and makes her words in chastity as it is written (Proverbs 8:12): “I, Wisdom, lives with prudence; [I attain knowledge and foresight]” (see Talmud Sotah 21b).

רוצה אשה בקב – to feed a small amount of food so that sexual intercourse will be available to her.

מתשעה קבין ופרישות – to separate from sexual intercourse; therefore, there is no good that is Torah study.

חסיד שוטה – It explains in the Gemara (Talmud Sotah 21b) such as the example that a woman drowned in the river and he said: “It is not the way of the world to look at this woman and to save her.”

רשע ערום – such as the example where a person speaks in a misleading manner to the judge prior to his fellow litigant coming and when the gates of merit were opened in the heart of the judge to my words, it is difficult to remove them and behold, his wickedness and shrewdness of that [litigant] who transgressed on (Exodus 23:1): “You must not carry false rumors.”

ואשה פרושה – such as the example of a woman sorcerer who would close the womb of women that are giving birth through sorcery and the woman giving birth would have difficulty doing so. She would say: “I will go and pray; perhaps my prayer will be accepted and she dissolves her witchcraft and she gives birth.

ומכות פרושים –that he hits himself to show that he is humble and modest, like the example that he walks at the rear at the side of greatness and does not raise his foot from the ground and as a result knocks his fingers on stones and he is that which called in the Gemara (Talmud Sotah 22b) a knocker–borrower (an opprobrious epithet for a sort of sanctimonious Pharisees), or someone who makes himself as one who closes his eyes so as to not look at women. And because of this, he strikes his head and the wall and blood leaves him. And he who is called a bleeder, meaning to say that he bleeds himself as a result of his [excess] piety.

הרי אלו מכלי עולם – that they want to demonstrate to humanity that they are pious but their inner being is not like their outer shell.

מדחה אתה את הטוב – weakens and darkens. The missing resemblance is called “feeble”–”faint” in the language of the Mishnah.

מתנוונה והולכת – to continually become more faint.

נטמאת מנחתה עד שלא קדשה בכלי. הרי היא ככל המנחות – that it was defiled before it was sanctified in a utensil.

ותפדה – and it is removed for non-holy produce, and from the monies [from the sale of it], he should purchase another.

ותשרף – when the body was sanctified with holiness and it doesn’t go out anymore for non-holy produce.

וכל הנשואות לכהנים מנחותיהן נשרפות – and even if a fistful was brought according to the law and not defiled, its remnants are burned on the place where the ashes of sacrifices were deposited and are not consumed because her husband, the Kohen has a portion in it, for it comes from what is his , and the Torah stated (Leviticus 6:16): “So, too, every meal offering of a priest shall be a whole offering: it shall not be eaten.” But the bride is not a whole offering because she has a part in it, and it comes for her atonement. How is this so? The handful of the meal offering which the priest takes to be put on the altar is offered on its own and the left overs are offered on their own.

כהנת שנשאת לישראל – the daughter of a Kohen.

מנחתה נאכלת – it is written (Leviticus 6:16): “So, too, every meal offering of a priest shall be a whole offering [it shall not be eaten].” A Kohen, but not the daughter of a Kohen, and similarly a daughter of a Priest who is a widow and–or a divorcee who brought a free-will donation of meal-offering is consumed.

כהנת מתחללת – from the priest’s due and from the priesthood if she was engaged in a sexual affair to those who are unfit, she never can return to her state of fitness ever.

כהן אינו מתחלל – if he married a divorcee, the priest’s wife’s illegitimately married to him or a harlot, but rather all the while that he is with her, he is unfit for Divine service. When he divorces her, he returns to his state of spiritual fitness, as it is written (Leviticus 21:15): “that he may not profane his offspring among his kin;” his progeny are profaned but he is not is not profaned.

כהנת מטמאה למתים – as it is written (Leviticus 21:1): “[Speak to the priests,] the sons of Aaron,” and not the daughters of Aaron.

ואין כהנת אוכלת בקדשי קדשים – for the sin offering and guilt offering and meal-offering, with all of them it is written (Leviticus 6:11): “Only the males among Aaron’s descendants shall eat of it.”

האיש פורע ופורם – when he is afflicted with leprosy, he lets his hair grow and tears his garments, as it is written (Leviticus 13:44): “The man is leprous; he is unclean.” A man lets his hair grow and he tears his garments. A woman does not let her hair grow and she does not tear her garments.

האיש מדיר בנו בנזיר – (this section of the Mishnah is also found in Tractate Nazir, Chapter 4, Mishnah 6) – His minor son and his Naziriteship falls upon him, and even when he grows up, and this Halakha is in [Tractate] Nazir and it has no support from the Torah.

האיש מגלח על נזירו אביו – (this section of the Mishnah is also found in Tractate Nazir, Chapter 5, Mishnah 7) – if his father made a vow in his Naziriteship and separated out his sacrifice (i.e., hair offering), and died, and his son was a Nazir, or that he took the vow of Naziriteship after the death of his father, the son shaves his head on the day of his fulfillment [of the vow] and he brings the sacrifices that his father separated out. And also this Halakha has no support.

האיש מקדש את בתו – (this section of the Mishnah is also found in Tractate Kiddushin, Chapter 2, Mishnah 1) – he accepts the betrothal of his minor daughter against her will, as it is written (Deuteronomy 22:16): “I gave this man my daughter to wife.”

האיש נסקל ערום – (this section of the Mishnah is also found in Tractate Sanhedrin, Chapter 6, Mishnayot 3-4) – as it is written (Leviticus 24:14): “and let [the whole community] stone him,” but it is impossible to state him and not her, for behold it is written (Deuteronomy 17:5): “you shall take the man or the woman [who did that wicked thing] out [to the public place],” but rather, him but not his clothing, but her (i.e., this woman) with her clothes.

האיש נתלה – as it is written (Deuteronomy 21:22): “and you impale him on a stake,” him and not her.

האיש נמכר בגניבתו – as it is written (Exodus 22:2): “he shall be sold for his theft,” and not her theft.