Sotah 22b

סוטה כ״ב ע״ב

Learn Sotah 22b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

The age for giving rulings, the seven kinds of fake פרושין, whether merit delays the bitter water, and a סוטה's מנחה that became טמא

Overview

This amud starts by finishing a discussion about a student who gives halachic rulings too early. The גמרא says the too-early period lasts until forty years. It then challenges this from רבה, and answers that a younger scholar may rule if he is equal to the leading scholar of his city. Next the גמרא explains the משנה's phrase 'מכות פרושין' with a ברייתא that lists seven kinds of fake or overdone פרושין, and explains each type. אביי and רבא say the last two types (from love and from fear) should be removed from the list, because רב teaches that doing מצוות שלא לשמה leads to לשמה. רב נחמן בר יצחק warns that the Heavenly court will punish those who only look righteous. ינאי המלך tells his wife to beware of hypocrites who act like זמרי but want the reward of פנחס. A new משנה follows: רבי שמעון says merit does not delay the bitter water, while רבי says it does, but the guilty woman slowly wastes away. The amud ends with the law of a סוטה's מנחה that became טמא, and opens a list of women whose מנחות are burned. The list continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (19)

1. QuestionHow long must a student wait before ruling?
2. ResponseThe answer: forty years
3. ChallengeBut רבה gave rulings
4. ResolutionAllowed when he is equal to the city's leading scholar
5. StatementBack to the משנה: 'blows of the פרושין'
6. StatementThe ברייתא: seven kinds of פרושין
7. StatementThe שכם type and the foot-bruising type
8. StatementThe head-bleeding type
9. StatementThe pestle type
10. ChallengeWhy is 'what is my obligation' a bad thing?
11. ResolutionHe is asking for more obligations
12. StatementThe last two types: serving out of love and serving out of fear
13. Challengeאביי and רבא say to remove the last two types
14. StatementHeaven will punish those who pretend to be righteous
15. Statementינאי המלך warns his wife about hypocrites
16. Statementרבי שמעון: merit does not delay the bitter water
17. Statementרבי: merit delays it, but she slowly wastes away
18. StatementA סוטה's מנחה that became טמא
19. StatementIntroducing the list of women whose מנחות are burned