“The priest shall administer to the woman the oath of the curse, and the priest shall say to the woman: May the Lord render you as a curse and as an oath among your people, in the Lord causing your thigh to fall and your belly to distend” (Numbers 5:21). “The priest shall administer…the oath…” – from here it is derived that if the scroll was written before she accepted the oath upon herself, it is not valid, as first “[The priest] shall administer…the oath” is written, and then: “[The priest] shall write…[in a scroll]” (Numbers 5:23).
“The oath of the curse” – from here you derive regarding all the oaths in the Torah that they should be a curse and an oath. Since “oath” is stated in the Torah unaccompanied, and it specified in one of those instances that it is nothing other than a curse and an oath, I specify regarding all oaths in the Torah that they should be a curse and an oath. “The priest shall say to the woman: May the Lord render you” – since “oath” is stated in the Torah unaccompanied, and it specified in one of those instances that it is only with the name “the Lord,” I specify regarding all oaths in the Torah that they should be only with the name “the Lord.”
“As a curse [ala] and as an oath” – why is it stated? It is because it says elsewhere: “If he heard the sound of an ala” (Leviticus 5:1). I have derived only an ala; from where is it derived to render an oath like an ala? You deliberate: Ala is stated here and ala is stated elsewhere; just as in the case of ala that is stated here, it rendered an oath like a curse [ala], so too, in the case of ala that is stated elsewhere, it rendered an oath like an ala.
“As a curse and as an oath” – as all the women will curse in this manner: May what befell her befall you. “And as an oath”; as they will all take oaths in this manner: May what befell her befall me if I do not do such and such. “Among your people” – but the people will be at peace. “Among your people” – but not among another people, as there is a difference between a person who is debased in a place with which one is familiar and a person who is debased in a place with which one is unfamiliar.
“In the Lord causing your thigh [to fall and your belly to distend]” – this is the women’s examination. “This water that causes curse will enter your innards, to cause the belly to distend and the thigh to collapse; and the woman shall say: Amen, amen” (Numbers 5:22). “[This] water that causes curse…[to cause the belly to distend and the thigh to collapse]” – Rabbi Yosei HaGelili says: This is the belly and thigh of the paramour.
The verse tells that just as the punishment will be visited upon her, so the punishment will be visited upon him. The matters can be inferred a fortiori. If [for] the lesser attribute of punishment one who generates a sin for another is like him, all the more so [he would be like him] for the greater attribute of good. “And the woman shall say: Amen, amen” – since oaths are stated in the Torah unaccompanied157Answering "amen" is not mentioned with regard to other oaths that are administered. and it specified in one of those instances that it is only with amen, I specify regarding all oaths in the Torah that they should be only with amen.
As, if you do not answer amen after the one administering the oath, you render his oath vain. “Amen, amen” – from here it is derived that they extend the oath for her: Amen from this man, amen from another man. From here, you derive regarding all the oaths in the Torah that they extend it to include old matters upon them, this can be inferred a fortiori: If for the sota, who was not accused previously, her oath includes earlier events, [then for] robberies that had been claimed beforehand, is it not logical that one extends it to include old matters upon them.
“Amen” – that I was not defiled, and if I was defiled, may the curse come upon her.158“Upon her” is a euphemism for “upon me.” Rabbi Elazar in the name of Rabbi Yosei ben Zimra: Amen for acceptance; amen for an oath; amen, your statement is confirmed. Amen for acceptance from a sota: “And the woman shall say: Amen, amen.” Amen for an oath: “In order to fulfill the oath that I took [to your forefathers…and I said: Amen, Lord]” (Jeremiah 11:5).
Your statement is confirmed: “Benayahu son of Yehoyada answered the king and said: Amen” (I Kings 1:36) – may the Lord confirm your words.