It feels good to be back learning and blogging the Talmud. Speaking for Ethan and Moshe, we are looking forward to reading all of your comments!
The Mishna jumps right into the issue at hand by setting the parameters of a husband accusing his wife of infidelity. We see that the Mishna is already working to limit a husband's ability to accuse his wife of being a Sota by stipulating witnesses both at the time of warning her and at the time of her 'disappearing' with another man.
At the root of the Sota ritual is jealously - indeed that is the word the Torah uses to describe the emotion the husband feels to kick off this arcane ritual. What's interesting is the two aggadot that come at the beginning of the gemara. The first asserts that God only matches up people who deserve each other (a tzadik with a modest woman and a rasha with a promiscuous women - as Rashi explains) and the second famously asserts that making matches is as difficult for God as splitting the Yam Suf.
What is the purpose of these aggadot before the gemara even begins to discuss the specifics of the Sota? It seems to me that the Talmud is acknowledging that marriage is hard - even God has a hard time matching people up correctly. Jealously and lack of trust - both at the core of this very emotional ordeal - are both feelings that can harm any relationship. Perhaps here the Talmud is trying to take a step back from the Sota ritual and say, "First we have to acknowledge that matching two people together is not easy - think about that before calling anyone a Sota."
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
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2 comments:
Nice point to get us started Micah, and I couldn't agree more. The focus on a relationship, on a couple, situates the ritual in a context almost entirely lacking in the Biblical setting. In addition, I will be interested to see if the gemara will go on limiting the uses of the sotah ritual (a la rebellious son) or perhaps reimagine it all together. Certainly the dicussion at the end of the amud about bedayavad and lechatichala is an interesting direction.
A great start indeed.
First, the statement by Rabbah bar Bar Chanah is a possible drash for a 2nd wedding ceremony (perhaps my mom's in a few weeks!).
Second, we must not forget the choice of language here. Given the use of HaMekaneh -perhaps this word as opposed to HaMatreh (Hatra'ah, as is used in Masekhet Makot) will also be used to limit the use of the Sotah ritual.
I wonder if when all is said and done the question of 1 or 2 witnesses will play out in the same manner as other places where we require 2 witnesses etc...
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