“The priest shall administer an oath to her, and he shall say to the woman: If a man has not lain with you, and if you did not stray in defilement while married to your husband, be absolved of this water of bitterness that causes curse” (Numbers 5:19). “The priest shall administer an oath to her” – one does not administer an oath to two sotot simultaneously. One does not burn two heifers together.
One does not behead two calves together. One does not execute two people together. One does not quarantine two68Lepers together. One does not confirm two69Lepers together.
“And he shall say to the woman” – in her language, and to a thief and a robber in their language.70When administering an oath to them. “If a man has not lain with you” – it teaches that he begins in her favor. He says to her: Wine causes a great deal, levity causes a great deal, immaturity causes a great deal; many have preceded you and were swept away. Do not cause the great Name that was written in sanctity to be erased in the water.
He says before her matters of aggada and incidents that took place in the ancient Writings, like: “What the wise tell” (Job 15:18). He says before her matters that neither she nor her entire patrilineal family deserves to hear, for example, the incident of Reuben and Bilha, and the incident of Judah and Tamar, who confessed their actions and were not ashamed. What was their end? They inherited the World to Come.
“And if you did not stray in defilement while married to your husband” – why is it stated? It is because we found that the verse included a betrothed woman and a woman with a levirate bond, regarding warning. Do they, perhaps, drink? The verse states: “While married to your husband.”
One who is married to her husband drinks, but these do not drink. “Defilement,” it is to the exclusion of via the limbs.71This excludes intimacy without intercourse. “Be absolved of this water of bitterness that causes curse” – Rabbi Yishmael said: Initially he informs her of the power of the bitter water. He says to her: ‘My daughter, I will say to you: This bitter water, to what is it similar?
To a dry poison that is placed on healthy skin and does not cause harm. When it encounters a wound, it begins to permeate. You, too, if you are pure, drink and you will not be harmed, as you will be absolved. That is what is written: “Be absolved of the water…” “But you, if you strayed while married to your husband, and if you were defiled, and a man has lain carnally with you, other than your husband” (Numbers 5:20).
“But you, if you strayed” – I have derived only natural relations; unnatural relations, from where is it derived? The verse states: “And if you were defiled.” “And a man has lain carnally with you” – to include the eunuch. “Other than your husband” – this is to include the wife of a eunuch. The priest would stipulate regarding all of them.