The Two Identical Sisters and the Bitter Waters of the Sotah

Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Nasso 10:1

Curated by Arthur·Translated by Maggid (Beta)·

(Numbers 5:13:) "And a man lay with her carnally" — this excludes a minor, for he is not a man. "[With her] carnally" — it is her own lying that renders her unfit, and no other lying renders her unfit. There is a story of two sisters who resembled one another. One was married in one city, and the other was married in another city. The husband of one of them sought to accuse his wife of infidelity, and to make her drink the bitter water in Jerusalem. They went to that city where her sister was married. Her sister said to her: "What did you see fit to come here for?" She said to her: "My husband seeks to make me drink." Her sister said to her: "I will go in your place and drink." She said to her: "Go." She put on her sister's garments and went in her place, and drank the bitter water, and was found pure. She returned to her sister's house. Her sister came out to meet her, rejoicing, and embraced her and kissed her. When the two of them kissed one another, she smelled the bitter water, and immediately she died — to fulfill what is said (Ecclesiastes 8:8): "No man has power over the spirit to restrain the spirit, neither has he power over the day of death."

Themes

Divine JudgmentSolomonWisdomWomenPriesthood

Biblical References

Continue Reading

Midrash AggadahWhy On ben Pelet Was Saved from Korah's Rebellion"And Korah took", but what did he take? Our sages say he took a bad bargain for himself, for "took" is a word of strife. Even his very names spelled ruin. KorahLegends of the JewsSolomon Judges the Two Mothers and the One ChildIt all starts with a heart-wrenching dispute, a real head-scratcher. Two women stood before Solomon, both claiming to be the mother of the same child. Can you iLegends of the JewsSolomon's Bold Claim About Virtuous WomenSolomon, as we know, was never one to shy away from a bold statement. But one in particular ruffled feathers. He declared, "One man among a thousand have I founLegends of the JewsSolomon's UnderstandingSolomon's wisdom appears here through riddles that look playful until they start opening the structure of the world. The first one goes like this: "Seven there Legends of the JewsRiddles Posed to Solomon by the Wise Men of the NationsThese aren't just any riddles; they're the kind that were posed to King Solomon himself, a man renowned for his unparalleled wisdom. The book Legends of the JewAntiquities of the Jews (Josephus)The Queen of Sheba Tests Solomon's WisdomShe did not trust the reports. The Queen of Sheba, whom Josephus calls the queen of Egypt and Ethiopia, heard endless stories about Solomon's wisdom, but she re