Sotah 17b

סוטה י״ז ע״ב

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Topic

How the סוטה scroll must be written: material, ink, time of day, order, timing after the oath, and proper scroll form

Overview

This amud finishes the משנה's rules for writing the מגילת סוטה and then adds the גמרא's own rules. The משנה says the scroll must be written on proper parchment, not on דיפתרא, because the פסוק says 'בספר'. It must also be written in erasable ink (דיו), not with קומוס or קנקנתום, because the פסוק says 'ומחה', so the writing has to wash off into the water. In the גמרא, רבא rules that a scroll written at night is פסולה. He learns this through a גזירה שוה on the word 'תורה', which links סוטה to משפט, and judgment is done only by day. A scroll written למפרע (out of order) is also פסולה, because 'these curses' must be written as they appear in the תורה. It is פסולה if it was written before the woman accepted the שבועה, since the פסוק mentions the oath before the writing. Finally, a scroll written like an informal letter (איגרת) is פסולה, because the תורה requires it to be written 'בספר'.

Opening lines

The steps (8)

1. StatementThe scroll must be proper parchment, not partly processed hide
2. StatementThe scroll must be written in ink that can be erased
3. Statementרבא: a scroll written at night is unfit
4. QuestionWhat is the reason?
5. ResponseA word-link between סוטה and judgment proves it must be by day
6. StatementA scroll written out of order is unfit
7. StatementThe scroll must be written after the oath
8. StatementThe scroll must be written like a proper scroll, not a letter