Sotah 31a

סוטה ל״א ע״א

Learn Sotah 31a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Unborn babies at the sea, איוב serving God from love, love versus fear, and the start of the chapter מי שקינא on witnesses to a סוטה's seclusion and defilement.

Overview

This amud finishes a teaching about שירת הים: even babies in the womb sang, and רבי תנחום explains that they could see because the belly became like clear glass. Then the גמרא turns to the משנה's teaching that איוב served God out of love. It asks why the spelling of the word לא doesn't settle the matter, and shows from a פסוק in ישעיהו that ל־א can mean either 'not' or 'to Him'. So רבי מאיר proves it another way: both איוב and אברהם are called 'God-fearing', and אברהם's fear came from love. The גמרא explains that serving from love is greater: its merit lasts two thousand generations instead of one thousand, based on two פסוקים. A story with רבא and two students shows that serving from fear and serving from love are both complete righteousness. The chapter כשם שהמים ends, and the new chapter's משנה begins. It discusses when a warned wife who secluded herself must be divorced, and whose testimony about her defilement is believed. A פסוק teaches that even one witness is enough, and a new קל וחומר about the seclusion testimony begins that continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (26)

1. ProofA verse shows even unborn babies praised God
2. ChallengeBut unborn babies cannot see
3. ResolutionThe belly became like clear glass
4. StatementThe משנה: איוב served God out of love
5. ChallengeWhy not just check the spelling?
6. RejectionSpelling with ל־א does not always mean 'not'
7. RejectionBlocking the reply that God really was not afflicted
8. ConclusionThe spelling can mean either thing
9. Proofרבי מאיר compares איוב to אברהם
10. QuestionHow do we know אברהם acted out of love?
11. QuestionWhat difference does love make?
12. ResponseLove-based merit lasts two thousand generations
13. ProofThe proof from two פסוקים: thousands of generations versus one thousand
14. ChallengeThe פסוק in דברים also mentions love
15. ResolutionEach number goes with the phrase right next to it
16. StatementTwo students tell רבא their dreams
17. Conclusionרבא explains: both are righteous, one from love and one from fear
18. ConclusionHadran — Closing כשם שהמים
19. Statementרבי אליעזר: Any report of seclusion forces divorce
20. Statementרבי יהושע: Only when the town gossip spreads
21. StatementOne witness to defilement stops her from drinking
22. StatementEven a slave or maidservant is believed, and she loses her כתובה
23. StatementCertain female relatives are believed only to stop her from drinking
24. ChallengeLogic would have required two witnesses for defilement
25. ResolutionThe verse teaches that even one witness is enough
26. ChallengeSetting up a new קל וחומר about the seclusion testimony