Sotah 28a

סוטה כ״ח ע״א

Learn Sotah 28a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Who the waters check besides the סוטה, how רבי עקיבא and רבי learn it from the פסוקים, and the lessons of the repeated "נטמאה", ending with a קל וחומר from סוטה to ספק טומאה.

Overview

The amud opens by finishing the question of who "אוֹתוֹ" (him) is in the משנה. It cannot be the בעל, since the waters do not work at all if the husband has sinned. So it must be the בועל, and the different wording in the סיפא is just style. Next the גמרא asks how רבי עקיבא's proof "ובאו ובאו" reads, and proves from רבי's opposing view that רבי עקיבא learns from the extra letter ו. So for רבי עקיבא there are six lessons, three for the woman and three for the man, while רבי has only three. רבי gets the rule that the waters check the man from "לצבות בטן ולנפל ירך". רבי עקיבא uses that same phrase to teach that the כהן tells her the belly is struck before the thigh. Finally, a ברייתא counts three mentions of "נטמאה": for the husband, the paramour, and תרומה. רבי ישמעאל forbids her to a כהן by a קל וחומר. The ברייתא then learns that a ספק סוטה is forbidden and starts a קל וחומר from סוטה to ספק טומאת שרץ, which finishes on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (22)

1. ChallengeRejecting the idea that 'him' means the husband
2. ProofA ברייתא: the waters work only when the husband is clean
3. ChallengeIf it means the paramour, why not say so like the סיפא does?
4. ResolutionYes, it is the paramour; the wording just matches its neighbor
5. QuestionHow exactly does the משנה read the proof 'and shall enter'?
6. ProofA proof attempt from רבי עקיבא's parallel teaching about 'is defiled'
7. RejectionThe parallel teaching has the same doubt
8. ProofProof from רבי's dispute: רבי עקיבא learns from the ו's
9. ConclusionFor רבי עקיבא, six פסוקים are counted
10. ConclusionThe six lessons: three for her and three for him
11. Statementרבי counts only three, all about the woman
12. QuestionWhere does רבי learn that the waters check the man?
13. ResponseA ברייתא: 'the belly and the thigh' means the man's
14. Responseרבי עקיבא: the כהן tells her the belly comes first
15. Rejectionרבי: the wording 'belly' and 'thigh' points to the man
16. ChallengeMaybe the whole verse is only about the man
17. ResolutionThe general wording teaches two lessons
18. StatementBack to the משנה: רבי יהושע quotes זכריה
19. Statementרבי עקיבא: three mentions of 'defiled' teach three prohibitions
20. Statementרבי ישמעאל: a קל וחומר forbids her to a כהן
21. StatementA woman in doubt is still forbidden
22. StatementBuilding a קל וחומר from סוטה to שרץ