“Or a man who will be overcome with the spirit of jealousy, and warn his wife and stand the woman before the Lord. The priest shall perform for her this entire ritual” (Numbers 5:30). “Or a man who will be overcome…”; “a man,” “or a man”107The verse could have stated only, “a man,” but it says “or a man.” – this is to include a priest108Because the wife of a priest is forbidden to him even if she was raped, one might have thought that she is excluded from the entire sota ritual. and a eunuch109Because the wife of a eunuch is incapable of conceiving, one might have thought that she is excluded from the entire sota ritual. who issue a warning.
“And stand the woman before the Lord” – this is to include a priest’s wife or a eunuch’s wife, that they drink. “[The priest] shall perform for her this entire ritual” – everything that is stated in the portion, to teach you that omitting even one matter invalidates it all. “The man will be absolved of iniquity, and that woman will bear her iniquity” (Numbers 5:31). “The man will be absolved of iniquity” – this tells that he is bearing iniquity until the woman drinks, but after she drinks, “the man will be absolved of iniquity.”
“And that woman will bear her iniquity” – Shimon ben Azai says: The verse is speaking of the pure woman. Since she brought herself to these matters, she too will not emerge without consequences.