What does it all mean? , drawing on the rich tapestry of Jewish tradition to unravel this mystery.
The Torah tells us, "The priest shall write these curses in a scroll, and erase it in the water of bitterness" (Numbers 5:23). But who is this priest, and what's the deal with the scroll? Bamidbar Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic commentaries on the Book of Numbers, offers some fascinating insights. It suggests that the "priest" here refers to Moses himself. And this "scroll"? Well, that's where things get really interesting.
The text hints it’s related to the tablets upon which the Ten Commandments were written, specifically the commandment "Who reckons the iniquity of the fathers [against the children]" (Exodus 20:5). But a question arises: did Moses actually write the curses? Wouldn't that be God's job? Bamidbar Rabbah clarifies: because Israel strayed and worshipped the Golden Calf, God essentially delegated the task to Moses. "He gave to Moses" (Exodus 31:18), the Torah says, and that's why the curses are attributed to him.
Why is the tablet called a "scroll"? Here's where the miraculous comes in. The commentary suggests the tablet, incredibly, could be furled and unfurled like a scroll! A mind-bending image, isn't it?
Then comes the "erasing" of the curses in the water of bitterness. This is connected to the shattering of the first set of tablets after the sin of the Golden Calf. As Bamidbar Rabbah explains, because of Israel's iniquity, Moses shattered the tablets, and the script miraculously flew off. It was this erasure, this loss of divine inscription, that Israel symbolically drank in the bitter water. A potent image of consequence and regret.
The ritual continues: "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). This act of "giving to drink" echoes Moses' actions with the Golden Calf, where "He gave the children of Israel to drink" (Exodus 32:20). It's a parallel, suggesting a similar kind of examination or testing. They were examined "like sotot"
Then there's the meal offering of jealousy. Bamidbar Rabbah interprets this as symbolizing the tablets themselves, which God was initially sending but then, due to Israel's actions, seemingly took back. Waving the meal offering before the Lord is seen as Moses restoring the script to the tablets. And bringing it near the altar? That represents the tablets being shattered at the foot of Mount Sinai, where Moses built an altar to receive the Torah (Exodus 24:4).
But what about the curses themselves? "The priest shall take a handful from the meal offering… as Moses advocated on behalf of Israel from what was written on the tablets: 'Who performs kindness for the thousands [of generations], for those who love Me' (Exodus 20:6)." Moses uses the very words of the Torah to plead for mercy, reminding God of the patriarchs' love and urging Him to remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel (Exodus 32:13). Only after this intercession does the ritual proceed.
The text then describes the grim outcome: "He shall give her the water to drink, and it will be, if she was defiled… the water that causes curse will enter her." Bamidbar Rabbah connects this to the aftermath of the Golden Calf, saying that all the sinners died an unnatural death when they drank.
The text even touches on a debate Rabbi Eliezer had with a noblewoman about why the Israelites died three deaths for the sin of the calf. The story is intriguing, but perhaps more interesting is the follow-up with his students after turning the woman away. Rabbi Berekhya, in the name of Rabbi Elazar, explains the different fates: those with witnesses and forewarning were executed by the court; those with witnesses but no forewarning were examined like the sotah; and those with neither died in the plague.
Finally, the passage concludes with a glimmer of hope. "And if the woman was not defiled, and she is pure, she will be absolved and will conceive offspring" (Numbers 5:28). The commentary sees this as referring to the upright people and specifically the tribe of Levi, who, because of their purity, merited sacred service. And those upright Israelites? They are the ones whose offspring ultimately entered the Promised Land, fulfilling God's promise to Abraham (Exodus 33:1). "I will sow her in the land for Me” (Hosea 2:25).
So, what do we take away from all this? The story of the sotah, as interpreted by Bamidbar Rabbah, is far more than just a strange ritual. It's a story about sin, consequence, divine forgiveness, and the enduring power of intercession. It's a reminder that even in the face of profound transgression, hope and redemption are always possible. And perhaps, most importantly, it highlights the crucial role of Moses, not just as a lawgiver, but as a compassionate advocate for his people. Isn't it amazing how much depth can be found in even the most challenging passages of Torah?
“The priest shall write these curses in a scroll, and erase it in the water of bitterness” (Numbers 5:23). “The priest shall write these curses in a scroll” – this is Moses. “In a scroll” – this is the tablet on which it was written, “Who reckons the iniquity of the fathers [against the children]” (Exodus 20:5). But, did he write them? Was it not the Holy One blessed be He who wrote them? It is, rather, because Israel strayed, the Holy One blessed be He gave them only to Moses, just as it says: “He gave to Moses” (Exodus 31:18). That is why they are called by his name, as though he had written them. Why does it call the tablet a scroll? It is because it was a scroll.180Miraculously, like a scroll, the tablet could be furled and unfurled. “And erase it in the water of bitterness” – it is because, due to Israel’s iniquity, he shattered the tablets, and the script flew off of them, and with that erasure of the script, Israel drank their punishment in the water. “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” – just as it says: “He gave the children of Israel to drink” (Exodus 32:20) – he examined them like sotot. “The priest shall take the meal offering of jealousy from the woman’s hand, and he shall wave the meal offering before the Lord and bring it near to the altar” (Numbers 5:25). “The priest shall take the meal offering of jealousy from the woman's hand” – these are the tablets that the Holy One blessed be He was sending to them; he took them [the tablets] from them, as He did not wish to give it to them. “And he shall wave the meal offering before the Lord” – he181Moses restored the script of the tablets to its place. “And bring it near to the altar” – these are the tablets that he shattered at the foot of the mountain, just as it says: “He cast the tablets from his hands and he shattered them at the foot of the mountain” (Exodus 32:19), in the place of the altar that Moses built at the foot of the mountain to receive the Torah, just as it says: “He built an altar at the foot of the mountain” (Exodus 24:4). “The priest shall take a handful from the meal offering, its memorial portion, and burn it upon the altar, and then he shall give the woman the water to drink” (Numbers 5:26). “The priest shall take a handful from the meal offering…” – as Moses advocated on behalf of Israel from what was written on the tablets: “Who performs kindness for the thousands [of generations], for those who love Me” (Exodus 20:6). Moses said: The patriarchs loved You, perform kindness for them and save their descendants. That is what is written: “Remember Abraham, [Isaac, and Israel]” (Exodus 32:13). “Then he shall give [the woman]…to drink” – after he implored on their behalf and caused the countenance of fury to pass, just as it says: “Moses turned and descended from the mountain” (Exodus 32:15),182The previous verse states: “The Lord reconsidered the evil that He had spoken of doing to His people” (Exodus 32:14). then he examined them like sotot. “He shall give her the water to drink, and it will be, if she was defiled and committed trespass against her husband, the water that causes curse will enter her for bitterness, and her belly will distend, and her thigh will fall, and the woman will become a curse among her people” (Numbers 5:27). “He shall give her the water to drink, and it will be, if she was defiled and committed trespass against her husband, [the water that causes curse] will enter [her]” – when they drank from them, all the sinners died an unnatural death. A noblewoman asked Rabbi Eliezer: ‘Why for one sin of the calf did they die three deaths?’ He told her: ‘The only wisdom for a woman is with her spindle, as it is written: “Every woman who was wise hearted spun with her hands”’ (Exodus 35:25). Horkanus said to him: ‘In order not to answer her, you caused us a loss of three hundred kor of tithes each year.’ He said to him: ‘Let matters of Torah be burned and not transmitted to women.’ When she departed, his students said to him: ‘Rabbi, that one you rebuffed with a reed;183You did not address her question. what do you respond to us?’ Rabbi Berekhya bar Abba bar Kahana said in the name of Rabbi Elazar: Anyone for whom there were witnesses and forewarning would be executed by the court; witnesses but no forewarning, would be examined like the sota; no witnesses and no forewarning, would die in the plague. Rav and Levi bar Sisi, both of them said: One who sacrificed, burned incense, or poured libations would be executed by the court. One who clapped, danced, or frolicked would be examined like a sota. One who rejoiced in his heart would die in the plague. “The woman will become a curse among her people” – but her people are well, as they were stricken and the rest were spared. “And if the woman was not defiled, and she is pure, she will be absolved and will conceive offspring” (Numbers 5:28). “And if the woman was not defiled” – these were the upright people who drank. “And she is pure” – this is the tribe of Levi. “She will be absolved” – these are the Levites, who merited the sacred service for this, as all their actions were in purity. “And she will conceive offspring [venizre’a zera]” – these are the upright Israelites, whose offspring entered the land, just as it says: “I will sow her [uzratiha] in the land for Me” (Hosea 2:25). The Holy One blessed be He did for them what he said to Abraham: “And this entire land that I said I will give to your descendants, [they shall inherit it forever]” (Exodus 32:13), as it is written after the act of the calf: “The Lord said to Moses: Go, ascend from here […to the land regarding which I swore to Abraham…saying: I will give it to your descendants]” (Exodus 33:1).
