Here, we're unpacking the story of the sotah, the woman suspected of adultery, and the unique ritual designed to determine her guilt or innocence. It's a wild ride, so buckle up.
Our journey begins with a verse from Numbers (5:19): "The priest shall administer an oath to her, and he shall say to the woman: If a man has not lain with you, and if you did not stray in defilement while married to your husband, be absolved of this water of bitterness that causes curse." Pretty intense stuff. But what does it all mean?
The Rabbis of the Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary), in Bamidbar Rabbah 9, don't take this at face value. They see layers of meaning, connections to other parts of the Torah, and a whole lot of symbolic weight.
First, they connect the oath given to the sotah to the very foundation of the covenant between God and Israel. "The priest shall administer an oath to her" – this, they say, is akin to the oath to fulfill the Torah, just as we read in Exodus (24:8): "This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made [with you regarding all these matters]." The implication? Oaths matter. Covenants matter. There's no covenant without an oath.
But here's where it gets really interesting. The Rabbis then interpret the sotah's oath as a symbolic stand-in for Israel's faithfulness to God. Moses is essentially saying, according to the Midrash, that if you, Israel, have remained true to the covenant, "if [a man] has not lain…" meaning, if you haven't strayed after idol worship, then you will be absolved. Conversely, if you have strayed – sacrificed to the Golden Calf, burned incense to it, prostrated yourselves before it – then you are guilty.
It's a powerful analogy, isn't it? The suspected infidelity of a woman becomes a metaphor for the potential infidelity of an entire nation.
And what about the "water of bitterness that causes a curse?" Well, the Midrash links this to God's promise in Exodus (15:26): "If You will heed the voice of the Lord your God [and will perform what is right in His eyes…all of the diseases that I placed on Egypt I will not place upon you]." Obedience brings blessing; disobedience, consequence.
Now, let's consider the curse itself. (Numbers 5:21) states: "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." The Bamidbar Rabbah connects this oath to the curses in Leviticus (26:14 onwards). It's all intertwined: oath, covenant, curse, consequence.
The passage goes on to explore the significance of the woman's response: "Amen, amen" (Numbers 5:22). The Midrash sees this as Israel answering "amen" after the curse of idol worship, as commanded in Deuteronomy (27:15). The double "amen" corresponds to both a specific and a general curse.
But perhaps the most startling interpretation comes when the Midrash connects the water to the Golden Calf incident. "This water that causes curse will enter" – this, they claim, is the water into which Moses cast the gold dust of the calf. According to the text, Moses administered an oath to them by everything they had received at Sinai, stating that the water would examine them. The three times "will enter" is written corresponds to the three sentences to which the worshippers of the calf were sentenced: The sword, examination by water, and a plague.
And here's a real kicker: the Midrash even suggests that Aaron, despite his role as High Priest, was punished in some way for his involvement with the Golden Calf. The verse "To cause the belly to distend and the thigh to collapse" is interpreted as referring to the death of his sons, Nadab and Abihu. Bamidbar Rabbah references (Deuteronomy 9:20): "And [the Lord] was incensed with Aaron [to destroy him]."
This might seem harsh, but it underscores the gravity of the sin. No one, not even the most revered figures, is exempt from accountability.
The passage concludes by drawing parallels between the sotah ritual and various aspects of the Golden Calf episode, using verses from (Exodus 22:8). The "judges [elohim]" are interpreted as referring to Moses himself, who is called elohim in (Exodus 7:1). And the phrase "shall pay double to the other [lere’ehu]" is understood as referring to Aaron's two sons who died.
So, what can we take away from all this?
The Rabbis of the Midrash, through their intricate interpretations, reveal a profound truth: Our actions have consequences. Oaths are sacred. Covenants matter. And even seemingly isolated rituals can hold within them the echoes of our collective history, reminding us of our responsibilities to God and to one another. It forces us to ask: What oaths have we taken? How faithful are we to our covenants? And what "waters of bitterness" might we be facing as a result of our choices? It's a lot to chew on, isn't it?
“The priest shall administer an oath to her, and he shall say to the woman: If a man has not lain with you, and if you did not stray in defilement while married to your husband, be absolved of this water of bitterness that causes curse” (Numbers 5:19). “The priest shall administer an oath to her” – this is the oath that they will fulfill the Torah, just as it says: “This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made [with you regarding all these matters]” (Exodus 24:8). There is no covenant without an oath. This is what Moses said to them: If you fulfilled the oath of the covenant, “if [a man] has not lain…,” that you did not stray after idol worship, that you did not prostrate yourself to it. “And if you did not stray” – if you did not sacrifice; “defilement” – that you did not frolic before it; “be absolved of this water of bitterness” – just as it says: “He said: If You will heed the voice of the Lord your God [and will perform what is right in His eyes…all of the diseases that I placed on Egypt I will not place upon you]” (Exodus 15:26). “But you, if you strayed while married to your husband, and if you were defiled, and a man has lain carnally with you, other than your husband” (Numbers 5:20). “You, if you strayed” – this is one who sacrificed to the calf. “But you, if you strayed” – this is one who burned incense.174To the calf. “If you were defiled” – this is one who poured libations. “And if you were defiled” – this is one who prostrated himself. “And a man has lain [carnally with you]” – this is one who accepted it upon them as a god, and said to it: “You are my god” (Isaiah 44:17). All these were with witnesses and without forewarning.175See section 48, which describes who was punished by the water. “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 to the woman the oath [of the curse [uvalato]]” – just as it says: “To pass you into the covenant of the Lord your God and His curse [uve’alato]” (Deuteronomy 29:11). A covenant is nothing other than an oath, just as it says: “Because both of them took an oath there. They made a covenant in Beersheba” (Genesis 21:31–32). From where is it derived that they took an oath with a curse [ala] at Sinai? It is as it is written: “These are the words of the covenant [that the Lord commanded Moses to make with the children of Israel in the land of Moav], besides the covenant that He made with them at Ḥorev” (Deuteronomy 28:69). It juxtaposes the covenant at Ḥorev with the covenant in the land of Moav. Just as there it was with an ala, so too, here it is with an ala. Which is the covenant at Ḥorev? “But if you will not heed Me…” (Leviticus 26:14). “And the priest shall say to the woman” – this is Moses. “May the Lord render you as a curse and as an oath…” – these are the curses in the book of Leviticus. “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 will enter” – this is the water of the brook into which Moses cast the gold dust of the calf, and Moses administered an oath to them by everything that they had received at Sinai that the water would examine them. “Will enter” is written here three times corresponding to the three sentences to which the worshippers of the calf were sentenced: The sword, examination by water, and a plague. “To cause the belly to distend and the thigh to collapse” – it teaches that even Aaron, the paramour,176He is likened to the paramour because he facilitated the sin of the Golden Calf. was punished with them, as it is stated: “And [the Lord] was incensed with Aaron [to destroy him]” (Deuteronomy 9:20). “To destroy him” is nothing other than the death of children, just as it says: “I destroyed his fruit from above…” (Amos 2:9). All his sons were fit to die, but Moses prayed on his behalf and the two died corresponding to the two curses stated here: “To cause belly [beten] to distend and thigh [yarekh] to collapse.” From where is it derived that the verse is speaking of the death of children? It is as it is written: “The womb [habaten] is a reward” (Psalms 127:3); “the fruit of your womb [bitnekha]” (Deuteronomy 7:13); and it said: “Who emerged from Jacob’s loins [yerekh]” (Exodus 1:5). And the two remained. Likewise it says: “For every matter of transgression” (Exodus 22:8) – it is speaking of Aaron, who caused Israel to transgress the commandment: “You shall not have [other gods]” (Exodus 20:3). “For an ox” (Exodus 22:8) – just as it says: “They exchanged their Glory for the molded image of an ox” (Psalms 106:20). “For a donkey” (Exodus 22:8) – these are the Egyptians,177The reference is to the Egyptians who left Egypt with Moses. who are called donkeys, just as it says: “Whose [flesh] is the flesh of donkeys” (Ezekiel 23:20); they incited Israel to craft the calf. “For a sheep” (Exodus 22:8) – this is Israel, who strayed after it and are called sheep, just as it says: “Israel is scattered sheep” (Jeremiah 50:17). “For a garment [salma]” (Exodus 22:8) – that they crowned it as king over them, just as it says: “You have a garment [simla]; be our ruler” (Isaiah 3:6). “For any lost item” (Exodus 22:8) – as they lost what they said at Sinai: “Everything that the Lord has spoken we will perform” (Exodus 19:8). “Regarding which he says: This is it” (Exodus 22:8) – as they said regarding the calf: “This is your god, Israel” (Exodus 32:4). “The statements of both of them shall come before the judges [elohim]” (Exodus 22:8) – this is Moses, who is called elohim: “See, I have placed you as a god [elohim] for Pharaoh” (Exodus 7:1). “Whomever elohim condemns [yarshiun]” (Exodus 22:8) – this is Moses; yarshian is written.178Yarshiun is plural; however, as it is written without the vav, it is expounded in the singular, yarshian, as a reference to Moses. “Shall pay double to the other [lere’ehu]” (Exodus 22:8) – these are his [Aaron’s] two sons that he paid to the Holy One blessed be He, who is a Companion [re’a] of Israel,179See Psalms 122:8. as they died. “And the woman shall say: Amen, [amen]” – this is Israel, who answered amen after the curse of idol worship, just as it says: “Cursed is the man who will craft an idol…[and the entire people shall answer and say: Amen]” (Deuteronomy 27:15). Why “amen” twice? It corresponds to “cursed” in particular and “cursed” in general, just as it says: “Cursed is one who will not uphold [the matters of this Torah to perform them, and the entire people shall say: Amen] (Deuteronomy 27:26).
