“He shall give the woman to drink the water of bitterness that causes curse, and the water that causes curse will enter her for bitterness” (Numbers 5:24). “He shall give the woman to drink…” – it is taught: He would give her to drink and then sacrifice her offering, as it is stated: “He shall give the woman to drink…” and then: “The priest shall take [the meal offering]…” (Numbers 5:25). “And the water that causes curse will enter her for bitterness” – it is taught: Just as the water examines her, the water examines him, as it is stated: “Will enter” (Numbers 5:22), “will enter” (Numbers 5:27); this is the statement of Rabbi Akiva.
Likewise, Rabbi Akiva would expound: Six verses are written: “Enter [ba’u],” “will enter [uva’u]”; “enter,” “will enter”(Numbers 5:22, 24, 27);78He expounds the fact that uva’u is written three times. Three matters are derived from ba’u and three are derived from the added vav. one for his command, one for her command; one for his performance, one for her performance; one for his examination, one for her examination.
“The water that causes curse…for bitterness” – why does the verse state “for bitterness”? It is, rather, that it would engender in her types of strange punishments. If she were white it would render her black; red, it would render her green. Her mouth would widen, her neck would swell, her flesh would decompose, she would be a zava, she would sneeze, and her limbs would come apart.