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Sotah 20a

סוטה כ׳ ע״א

Learn Sotah 20a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

The סוטה's refusal, the bitter water, the משנה on erasing the scroll and זכות, and רבי מאיר's קנקנתום ink

Overview

The גמרא notes that two ברייתות quote רבי עקיבא differently about the last point at which a סוטה can refuse to drink. It answers that two תנאים disagree about his view. It then asks about a woman who calmly refused and later agreed to drink, and that question stays תיקו. אבוה דשמואל rules that something bitter must be put into the water, based on 'מי המרים'. A new משנה explains what happens if she refuses or confesses before or after the scroll is erased. It also describes how a guilty woman is struck, and how זכות can delay her punishment. This leads to the מחלוקת between בן עזאי and רבי אליעזר about teaching a daughter תורה, and to רבי יהושע's sayings. The גמרא then tells רבי מאיר's story about putting קנקנתום in his ink and רבי ישמעאל's warning that the סוטה's writing must be erasable. Two reports of the story clash: the order of his teachers is reconciled, but who forbade the ink stays a קשיא. Finally, a ברייתא begins quoting רבי מאיר's general permission to use קנקנתום, and it continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

קַשְׁיָא דְּרַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אַדְּרַבִּי עֲקִיבָא:

There is a contradiction between Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Akiva:

הָתָם אָמַר מְחִיקָה מְעַכְּבָא,

There he said the erasing is what prevents her from backing out,

וְהָכָא אָמַר קוֹמֶץ מְעַכֵּב!

and here he says the handful is what prevents her!

תְּרֵי תַּנָּאֵי וְאַלִּיבָּא דְּרַבִּי עֲקִיבָא.

It is two tanna'im, and they disagree about Rabbi Akiva's view.

The steps (22)

  1. ChallengeTwo statements of רבי עקיבא seem to contradict each other
  2. ResolutionTwo תנאים disagree about what רבי עקיבא held
  3. QuestionShe refused to drink, then agreed: what is the law?
  4. ConclusionThe question is left unresolved
  5. StatementSomething bitter must be put into the water
  6. ProofThe source: 'the bitter water' is bitter already
  7. StatementRefusing or confessing before or after the scroll is erased
  8. StatementWhat happens to a guilty woman when she drinks
  9. StatementMerit can delay her punishment
  10. Statementבן עזאי: a father must teach his daughter Torah
  11. Statementרבי אליעזר disagrees about teaching daughters Torah
  12. Statementרבי יהושע: a woman prefers a little with closeness
  13. StatementPeople who destroy the world
  14. Statementרבי ישמעאל warns the scribe רבי מאיר to be careful with every letter
  15. Challengeרבי ישמעאל objects that the ink must be erasable
  16. QuestionHow does רבי מאיר's answer fit רבי ישמעאל's warning?
  17. Responseרבי מאיר meant his ink protects even against a fly erasing a letter
  18. ChallengeA ברייתא tells the ink story the other way around
  19. ChallengeSplitting the clash into two separate contradictions
  20. Resolutionרבי מאיר went to רבי עקיבא, then to רבי ישמעאל, then back to רבי עקיבא
  21. ConclusionThe question of who forbade the ink stays unsolved
  22. Statementרבי מאיר allows קנקנתום in ink for all writings