Sotah 8b

סוטה ח׳ ע״ב

Learn Sotah 8b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Sotah 8b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

The treatment of the סוטה: why she is uncovered, the details of her disgrace, who watches her, and the principle of measure for measure (במדה שאדם מודד).

Overview

The גמרא explains why the רבנן uncover a סוטה but keep a woman who is being stoned clothed. Uncovering the סוטה warns other women, but stoning is already the greatest warning. רב נחמן adds that even a condemned person must be given a kind death (ברור לו מיתה יפה), learned from 'ואהבת לרעך כמוך.' The רבנן and רבי יהודה both accept this rule. They only disagree about whether shame or pain is worse. The גמרא then works through the lines of the משנה: ugly clothes if black suits her, why her jewelry is removed, why the Egyptian rope is not required, and who may or must watch her. A new משנה teaches מידה כנגד מידה: the סוטה is punished in the same way she sinned. רב יוסף shows that this principle continues today, since heaven brings deaths that match the four deaths of בית דין. A ברייתא then brings פסוקים showing that even small sins are paid back and add up. It begins listing how the סוטה's treatment matches her actions, and that list continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (27)

1. ResolutionResolving the contradiction in the רבנן's rulings
2. ChallengeWhy not do both?
3. ResolutionChoose a kind death
4. QuestionIs רב נחמן's rule a dispute between תנאים?
5. RejectionEveryone agrees; they disagree about shame versus pain
6. StatementIf black clothes suit her, ugly clothes are used
7. ChallengeWhy does the משנה need to say her jewelry is removed?
8. ResolutionJewelry might seem to add to her shame
9. QuestionIs the Egyptian rope required?
10. ResponseThe rope is only to hold up her clothes
11. ChallengeContradiction in the משנה: may men watch her?
12. Resolutionאביי limits the first line of the משנה
13. Rejectionרבא rejects אביי's limitation
14. Resolutionרבא's answer: anyone may watch, but women must watch
15. StatementNew משנה: a person is punished the way he sinned
16. Statementרב יוסף: measure-for-measure punishment never stopped
17. ProofThe source: the four deaths did not stop
18. ChallengeBut the four deaths did stop
19. ResolutionThe law of the four deaths did not stop
20. StatementHow each of the four deaths still happens
21. StatementA פסוק for measure for measure
22. QuestionWhat about smaller measures?
23. ResponseEvery measure counts, even a small one
24. QuestionHow do we know small amounts add up to a big total?
25. ResponseThe פסוק: one by one to find the total
26. StatementThe סוטה is also measured by her own measure
27. StatementEach thing she did is matched by what the כהן does