Sotah 24b

סוטה כ״ד ע״ב

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Topic

Why does the תורה need a special verse to exclude an ארוסה (betrothed woman) and a שומרת יבם from the סוטה waters, when a ברייתא already seems to exclude them?

Overview

The amud opens with the last item of a list from the earlier ברייתא: the court gives the warning on behalf of a husband who is a שעמום. The גמרא then asks what רבי יאשיה learns from ״תחת אישה״, which רבי יונתן uses to exclude a שומרת יבם. The answer is that רבי יאשיה uses it for a comparison (היקש) between man and woman. Next the גמרא asks why verses are needed at all, since a ברייתא brought by רבי אחא בר חנינא teaches from ״מבלעדי אישך״ that a woman is a סוטה only if her husband was with her before the other man. רמי בר חמא answers that the verse covers a case where the ארוס was with her in her father's house. Applying this to a שומרת יבם runs into רב's ruling that a יבם who was with her makes her his full wife. The גמרא answers that רבי יונתן holds like שמואל, who says the יבם acquires her only for the matters in the תורה's section. Finally, the גמרא shows that רב can explain his view even according to רבי יונתן: the need for a פסוק to exclude her proves she is otherwise a full wife.

Opening lines

The steps (10)

1. StatementEnd of the list: the husband who is mentally ill
2. QuestionWhat does רבי יאשיה do with ״תחת אישה״?
3. ResponseHe uses it to compare man and woman
4. ChallengeWhy need a verse at all? ״מבלעדי אישך״ already excludes an ארוסה
5. Resolutionרמי בר חמא: when the ארוס was with her in her father's house
6. QuestionApplying the same answer to a שומרת יבם
7. ChallengeThen she is no longer a שומרת יבם but his full wife
8. Resolutionרבי יונתן holds like שמואל
9. ChallengeAre רב and שמואל just repeating the תנאים?
10. Rejectionרב's view works even for Rabbi Yonatan