Translation:Talmud/Seder Nashim/Tractate Sotah/2a

Mishnah

IF ONE WARNS1 HIS WIFE [NOT TO ASSOCIATE WITH A CERTAIN MAN]. R. ELIEZER SAYS: HE WARNS HER ON THE TESTIMONY OF TWO WITNESSES,2 AND MAKES HER DRINK [THE WATER OF BITTERNESS] ON THE TESTIMONY OF ONE WITNESS3 OR HIS PERSONAL TESTIMONY. R. JOSHUA SAYS: HE WARNS HER ON THE TESTIMONY OF TWO AND MAKES HER DRINK ON THE TESTIMONY OF TWO. HOW DOES HE WARN HER? IF HE SAYS TO HER IN THE PRESENCE OF TWO, DO NOT CONVERSE WITH THAT MAN, AND SHE CONVERSED WITH HIM, SHE IS STILL PERMITTED TO HER HUSBAND4 AND PERMITTED TO PARTAKE OF THE HEAVE-OFFERING.5 SHOULD SHE HAVE ENTERED A PRIVATE PLACE WITH HIM AND STAYED WITH HIM A TIME SUFFICIENT FOR MISCONDUCT TO HAVE OCCURRED, SHE IS FORBIDDEN TO HER HUSBAND6 AND FORBIDDEN TO PARTAKE OF THE HEAVE-OFFERING. IF [HER HUSBAND] DIED,7 SHE PERFORMS THE CEREMONY OF HALIZAH8 BUT CANNOT CONTRACT A LEVIRATE MARRIAGE.

Gemarah

Now that the Tanna has finished [Tractate] Nazir, what is his reason for continuing with [Tractate] Sotah?9 — It is according to the view of Rabbi; for it has been taught: Rabbi says, Why does the section of the Nazirite adjoin that of the suspected woman?10 To tell you that whoever witnesses a suspected woman In her disgrace should withhold himself from wine.11 But [the Tanna in the Mishnah] should treat of [Tractate] Sotah first and afterwards that of Nazir!12 — Since he treated of [Tractate] Kethuboth [marriage-settlements] and dealt with the theme, ‘He who imposes in vow upon his wife’,13 he next treated of [Tractate] Nedarim [Vows]; and since he treated of [Tractate] Nedarim, he proceeded to treat of [Tractate] Nazir which is analogous to Nedarim,14 and then continues with Sotah for the reason given by Rabbi. IF ONE WARNS HIS WIFE. As an accomplished fact15 it is allowable, but as something still to be done it is not. Consequently our Tanna holds that it is forbidden to give a warning.16 R. Samuel b. R. Isaac said: When Resh Lakish began to expound [the subject of] Sotah, he spoke thus: They only pair a woman with a man according to his deeds;17 as it is said: For the sceptre of wickedness shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous.18 Rabbah b. Bar Hanah said in the name of R. Johanan: It is as difficult to pair them as was the division of the Red Sea; as it is said: God setteth the solitary in families: He bringeth out the prisoners into prosperity!19 But it is not so; for Rab Judah has said in the name of Rab: Forty days before the creation of a child, a Bath Kol20 issues forth and proclaims, The daughter of A is for B;21 the house of C is for D; the field of E is for F! — There is no contradiction, the latter dictum referring to a first marriage and the former to a second marriage. R. ELIEZER SAYS, HE WARNS HER ON THE TESTIMONY OF TWO WITNESSES etc. So far only do [R. Eliezer and R. Joshua] differ, viz. in the matter of warning and seclusion, but in the matter of misconduct [they agree] that one witness is believed.22 We similarly learn in the Mishnah: If one witness says: I saw that she committed misconduct, she does not drink the water.23 Whence is it derived according to Torah-law that one witness is believed? As our Rabbis taught: And there be no witness against her24 — the text refers to two witnesses.25 But perhaps it is not so and even one [suffices]! There is a teaching to declare, One witness shall not rise up against a man.26