Pisqa’ 236¹⁷²

1. “To be his wife, but now he hates her; moreover, he has leveled scandalous charges against her, saying: I have found no signs of maidenhood in your daughter! But here is proof of my daughter’s maidenhood!” (Dt. 22:16-17)— that is, here are witnesses to impugn this guy’s witnesses!

footnotes: ¹⁷² H:245;JN2:154.

R. Judah says: He is never obliged [under this rule to indemnify the father] unless he has in fact mounted her [before leveling his charge].

“Then the father of the young lady shall say to the elders” (Dt. 22:16)— this teaches that the plaintiff is the first to present his case.

2. “If a man is found to have bedded a woman who has been mounted by her husband” (Dt. 22:22)— R. Ishmael says: The verse comes to teach you about a [childless, widowed] sister-in-law [awaiting her levir’s decision to marry her or to release her from marriage to him]: One consorting with her [after her husband’s death] is not liable under the rule [against mounting a married woman] until she is actually mounted.¹⁷³ 236. 1-2 consists of material that is poorly attested in the early versions of Sifre.

footnotes: ¹⁷³ The bulk of Pisqa’