Gemara Clarity

Sotah 6b

סוטה ו׳ ע״ב

Learn Sotah 6b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Sotah 6b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Do the bitter waters test a סוטה who has witnesses? The burned מנחה, רב פפא's גזירה, and a ברייתא supporting רב ששת

Overview

The amud opens with a challenge to רב ששת, who ruled that the bitter waters do not test a סוטה when there are witnesses to her sin. A משנה says that if witnesses come against her, her מנחה is burned. That means it was truly holy, so it seems she was fit for the test after all. רב יהודה מדיסקרתא answers that the witnesses saw a new sin in the עזרה, after the מנחה was made holy. רב משרשיא and רב אשי then argue over how she could sin there. רב פפא gives a different answer: by Torah law the מנחה is חולין, but the רבנן ordered it burned so people won't think things can leave a כלי שרת and become ordinary. רב מרי challenges this from a ברייתא that says the מנחה becomes חולין when the witnesses are found to be זוממין. The גמרא answers that the story of עדים זוממין becomes public, so no one will be misled. Next, a ברייתא supports רב ששת by learning from וטהורה היא that three kinds of women who survive the water do not get its blessing. The amud ends as the גמרא begins a question on רבי שמעון, which continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

הָאוֹמֶרֶת ״טְמֵאָה אֲנִי״,

One who says: 'I am defiled,'

וְשֶׁבָּאוּ לָהּ עֵדִים שֶׁהִיא טְמֵאָה.

and one about whom witnesses came that she is defiled.

דַּאֲתוֹ עֵדִים אֵימַת?

Where witnesses came, when did they come?

אִילֵּימָא מִקַּמֵּי דְּתִקְדּוֹשׁ —

If we say before it was sanctified,

The steps (18)

  1. ChallengeQuoting the משנה about women whose מנחה is burned
  2. QuestionWhen did the witnesses come? Not before the מנחה became holy
  3. ResponseIt must be after, which makes sense if the waters still test her
  4. ChallengeIf the waters do not test her, the מנחה should go back to חולין
  5. ResolutionShe sinned in the courtyard after the offering was made holy
  6. ChallengeBut young priests escort her the whole time
  7. ResolutionShe sinned with the young priests themselves
  8. ResolutionShe went off alone to relieve herself
  9. ResolutionBurned only because of a rabbinic decree
  10. Challengeרב מרי opens his challenge with a ברייתא about an impure מנחה
  11. StatementThe ברייתא continues: what happens if the husband or wife dies
  12. ChallengeThe punch line: if the witnesses are found to be זוממין, the מנחה becomes ordinary
  13. ResolutionFalse witnesses are publicly known, so there is no confusion
  14. ProofA ברייתא agrees with רב ששת for a different reason
  15. ProofThe word טהורה excludes a woman with witnesses overseas
  16. StatementThe extra ו excludes a woman whose merit delayed her punishment
  17. ProofThe word 'she' excludes a woman whose sin is public gossip
  18. ChallengeA challenge to רבי שמעון begins