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Sotah 20b

סוטה כ׳ ע״ב

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

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Topic

The סוטה scroll and ink, the order of her מנחה and drinking, why she is rushed out, and how long merit delays her punishment

Overview

The amud opens with two versions of רבי מאיר's rule about which ink must be erasable. One version covers the פרשת סוטה even in a ספר תורה; the other covers only the סוטה scroll of the מקדש. רבי ירמיה explains that they differ on whether the סוטה passage may be erased from a ספר תורה for her. The גמרא suggests this matches a ברייתא about reusing one סוטה's scroll for another, but רב פפא and רב נחמן בר יצחק each show the two disputes need not line up. The גמרא then defends רבי אחי בר יאשיה from the rule of a גט: for a סוטה, only the erasing must be done for her. Next, the גמרא shows the משנה follows רבי עקיבא, who has the מנחה offered before she drinks and agrees with the רבנן that merit delays punishment. It explains that she is rushed out not because she may die, since a corpse may enter מחנה לויה, but because sudden fright may make her a נדה. Finally, it shows that the משנה's years of delay fit none of the three תנאים in a ברייתא, who give three, nine and twelve months. The hint for twelve months continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

חוּץ מִפָּרָשַׁת סוֹטָה בִּלְבַד.

Except for the passage of the sotah alone.

רַבִּי יַעֲקֹב אוֹמֵר מִשְּׁמוֹ:

Rabbi Yaakov says in his name:

חוּץ מִפָּרָשַׁת סוֹטָה שֶׁל מִקְדָּשׁ.

Except for the passage of the sotah of the Temple.

מַאי בֵּינַיְיהוּ?

What is between them?

The steps (27)

  1. StatementOnly the סוטה Passage Is Excluded
  2. Statementרבי יעקב's Version: Only the מקדש Scroll
  3. QuestionWhat Is the Difference Between Them?
  4. ResponseThe Difference: Erasing from a ספר תורה
  5. StatementThis Dispute Matches Another Dispute
  6. Rejectionרב פפא: The תנא קמא Could Allow a ספר תורה
  7. Rejectionרב נחמן בר יצחק: רבי אחי Could Forbid a ספר תורה
  8. ChallengeDoesn't רבי אחי agree a document written for one woman can't be used for another?
  9. ResolutionA divorce document has a special verse requiring it to be written for her
  10. ChallengeThe סוטה section also says 'for her'
  11. ResolutionThe 'doing' for her is the erasing
  12. QuestionWhose view is the משנה about her face changing while she drinks?
  13. ResponseIt follows רבי שמעון, who has the מנחה brought first
  14. ChallengeBut the end of the משנה fits the רבנן, not רבי שמעון
  15. ResolutionThe משנה follows רבי עקיבא
  16. QuestionWhy do they say 'Take her out'?
  17. ResponseBecause she might die there
  18. ChallengeEven a corpse may enter מחנה לויה
  19. ResolutionShe might become a נדה
  20. QuestionDoes fear bring on bleeding?
  21. ResponseYes, as we see from אסתר
  22. ChallengeBut a משנה says trembling stops blood
  23. ResolutionLong worry tightens, sudden fright loosens
  24. QuestionWhose opinion is our משנה?
  25. StatementFirst opinion: merit delays punishment for three months
  26. StatementSecond opinion: nine months, from the word 'seed'
  27. StatementThird opinion: twelve months, with a hint from דניאל