Woman Suspected of Infidelity Chapter 1

קִנּוּי הָאָמוּר בַּתּוֹרָה (במדבר ה יד) "וְקִנֵּא אֶת אִשְׁתּוֹ" הוּא שֶׁיֹּאמַר לָהּ בִּפְנֵי עֵדִים אַל תִּסָּתְרִי עִם אִישׁ פְּלוֹנִי. אֲפִלּוּ הָיָה אָבִיהָ אוֹ אָחִיהָ אוֹ עַכּוּ"ם אוֹ עֶבֶד אוֹ שָׁחוּף הוּא הָאִישׁ שֶׁאֵינוֹ מִתְקַשֶּׁה וְאֵינוֹ מוֹלִיד:

The warning that is mentioned in the Torah - "And he warned his wife" - is that he tells her in the presence of witnesses, "Do not seclude yourself with Mr. so-and-so," even if that man is her father, her brother, a gentile, a slave, or an impotent person who cannot achieve an erection or produce children."

הַסְּתִירָה הָאֲמוּרָה בַּתּוֹרָה (במדבר ה יג) "וְנִסְתְּרָה" הוּא שֶׁתִּסָּתֵר עִם אוֹתוֹ הָאִישׁ שֶׁאָמַר לָהּ אַל תִּסָּתְרִי עִמּוֹ בִּפְנֵי שְׁנֵי עֵדִים. אִם שָׁהֲתָה עִמּוֹ כְּדֵי טֻמְאָה שֶׁהוּא כְּדֵי לִצְלוֹת בֵּיצָה וּלְגָמְעָהּ הֲרֵי זוֹ אֲסוּרָה עַל בַּעְלָהּ עַד שֶׁתִּשְׁתֶּה מֵי הַמָּרִים וְיִבָּדֵק הַדָּבָר. וּבִזְמַן שֶׁאֵין שָׁם מֵי סוֹטָה תֵּאָסֵר עָלָיו לְעוֹלָם וְתֵצֵא בְּלֹא כְּתֻבָּה:

The seclusion mentioned in the Torah - "And she secludes herself" - is that she secludes herself with the same man about whom her husband had told her, "Do not seclude yourself with him," in the presence of two witnesses. If she remained with him long enough to defile herself, which is the time it takes to roast an egg and swallow it, then she is forbidden to her husband until she drinks the bitter waters and the matter is examined. And when there are no Sotah waters, she becomes forbidden to her husband forever and she leaves the marriage without a kesubah.

קִנֵּא לָהּ עַל שְׁנַיִם כְּאֶחָד וְאָמַר לָהּ אַל תִּסָּתְרִי עִם פְּלוֹנִי וּפְלוֹנִי. וְנִסְתְּרָה עִם שְׁנֵיהֶן כְּאֶחָד וְשָׁהֲתָה כְּדֵי טֻמְאָה. אֲפִלּוּ הֵם שְׁנֵי אַחֶיהָ אוֹ אָבִיהָ וְאָחִיהָ הֲרֵי זוֹ אֲסוּרָה עַד שֶׁתִּשְׁתֶּה:

If he warns her about two people simultaneously and he tells her, "Do not seclude yourself with so-and-so and so-and-so," and she secludes herself with both of them simultaneously, and she remains with them long enough to defile herself, then even if the two men are her brothers or her father and brother, she is forbidden to her husband until she will drink the Sotah waters.

אָמַר לָהּ בִּפְנֵי שְׁנַיִם אַל תְּדַבְּרִי עִם פְּלוֹנִי אֵין זֶה קִנּוּי. וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁנִּסְתְּרָה עִמּוֹ בְּעֵדִים וְשָׁהֲתָה כְּדֵי טֻמְאָה לֹא נֶאֶסְרָה עָלָיו וְאֵינָהּ שׁוֹתָה בְּקִנּוּי זֶה:

If he tells her in the presence of two witnesses, "Do not speak with so-and-so," that is an invalid warning. And even if she secludes herself with that man in the presence of witnesses and remains with him long enough to defile herself, she does not become forbidden to him and need not drink the Sotah waters based on this warning.

וְכֵן אִם אָמַר לָהּ אַל תִּסָּתְרִי עִמּוֹ וְרָאוּהָ מְדַבֶּרֶת עִמּוֹ אֵין זוֹ סְתִירָה. וְלֹא נֶאֶסְרָה וְלֹא שׁוֹתָה. וְכֵן אִם לֹא קָדַם קִנּוּי וּבָאוּ שְׁנַיִם וְהֵעִידוּ שֶׁנִּסְתְּרָה עִם זֶה וְשָׁהֲתָה כְּדֵי טֻמְאָה לֹא נֶאֶסְרָה עַל בַּעְלָהּ וְאֵינָהּ שׁוֹתָה:

And similarly, if he told her, "Do not seclude yourself with him," and witnesses see her speaking with him, this is an invalid seclusion, and she does not become forbidden to her husband, and she need not drink the Sotah waters. And similarly, if the warning did not precede the arrival two witnesses who testify that she secluded herself with someone and remained with him a duration long enough to defile herself, then she is not forbidden to her husband and she need not drink the Sotah waters.

אָמַר לָהּ לֹא תִּסָּתְרִי עִם אִישׁ פְּלוֹנִי וְהָיָה קָטָן פָּחוֹת מִבֶּן תֵּשַׁע שָׁנִים וְיוֹם אֶחָד. אוֹ שֶׁאָמַר לָהּ אַל תִּסָּתְרִי עִם בְּהֵמָה זוֹ אֵין זֶה קִנּוּי שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר ה יג) "וְשָׁכַב אִישׁ אֹתָהּ" פְּרָט לְקָטָן וְלִבְהֵמָה שֶׁאֵין אוֹסְרִין אוֹתָהּ עָלָיו:

If he told her: "Do not enter into privacy with so and so," and named a boy below the age of nine," or he told her: "Do not enter into privacy with this animal," this is not a [binding] warning. [These laws are derived as follows:] The Torah [ibid.] states: "And a man had relations with her." This excludes a minor and an animal. She is not forbidden to her husband because of them.

בַּעַל שֶׁמָּחַל עַל קִנּוּיוֹ קֹדֶם שֶׁתִּסָּתֵר קִנּוּיוֹ מָחוּל וּכְאִלּוּ לֹא קִנֵּא לָהּ מֵעוֹלָם. אֲבָל אִם מָחַל אַחַר שֶׁתִּסָּתֵר אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לִמְחל. גֵּרְשָׁהּ הֲרֵי זֶה כְּמִי שֶׁמָּחַל וְאִם הֶחֱזִירָהּ צָרִיךְ לְקַנְּאוֹת קִנּוּי אַחֵר:

When a husband forgoes a warning before his wife enters into privacy with [the man in question], the warning is nullified, and it is as if he had never issued a warning to her [regarding him]. If, however, he forgoes the warning after she enters into privacy with him, the warning cannot be nullified. If he divorces his wife, it is as if he has nullified the warning. If he remarries her, he must issue a second warning [for her to be bound by it].

קִנֵּא לָהּ בִּפְנֵי שְׁנַיִם וְרָאָה אוֹתָהּ שֶׁנִּסְתְּרָה עִם זֶה שֶׁקִּנֵּא לָהּ עָלָיו וְשָׁהֲתָה כְּדֵי טֻמְאָה הֲרֵי זוֹ אֲסוּרָה עָלָיו וְיוֹצִיא וְיִתֵּן כְּתֻבָּה. שֶׁאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְהַשְׁקוֹתָהּ עַל פִּי עַצְמוֹ. וְכֵן אִם שָׁמַע הָעָם מְרַנְּנִין אַחֲרֶיהָ אַחַר הַקִּנּוּי וְהַסְּתִירָה עַד שֶׁשָּׁמַע מֵהַנָּשִׁים הַטּוֹוֹת לְאוֹר הַלְּבָנָה נוֹשְׂאוֹת וְנוֹתְנוֹת בָּהּ שֶׁזִּנְּתָה עִם הָאִישׁ שֶׁקִּנֵּא לָהּ עָלָיו הֲרֵי זֶה אָסוּר לְקַיְּמָהּ וְיוֹצִיא וְיִתֵּן כְּתֻבָּה:

If [the husband] issued a warning to [his wife] in the presence of two [witnesses] and then saw her enter into privacy with the man concerning whom she was warned, and she remained long enough to engage in relations, she becomes forbidden to him. He must divorce her and pay her [the money due her by virtue of her] ketubah. Similarly, if he hears people gossiping about her after she has been warned, that she entered into privacy with the man in question, to the extent that the women who weave at night by the moonlight chatter about her, saying that she committed adultery with the man concerning whom she has been warned, her husband is forbidden to remain married to her and must instead divorce her and pay her [the money due her by virtue of] her ketubah.

בָּא עֵד אֶחָד וְהֵעִיד לוֹ שֶׁנִּסְתְּרָה עִמּוֹ אַחַר קִנּוּי וְשָׁהֲתָה כְּדֵי טֻמְאָה. אִם הוּא נֶאֱמָן לוֹ וְדַעְתּוֹ סוֹמֶכֶת עָלָיו יוֹצִיא וְיִתֵּן כְּתֻבָּה. וְאִם לָאו הֲרֵי אִשְׁתּוֹ מֻתֶּרֶת לוֹ:

[The following rules apply when] one witness comes and testifies that, after a warning was issued, she entered into privacy with the man concerning whom she was warned and remained long enough to engage in relations. If [the husband] considers [the witness] to be faithful, and he relies on him, he must divorce her and pay her [the money due her by virtue of] her ketubah. If [he does] not [rely on that person], his wife remains permitted to him.

וְאֵלּוּ שֶׁבֵּית דִּין מְקַנִּין לָהֶן. מִי שֶׁנִּתְחָרֵשׁ בַּעְלָהּ אוֹ שֶׁנִּשְׁתַּטָּה אוֹ שֶׁהָיָה בִּמְדִינָה אַחֶרֶת אוֹ שֶׁהָיָה חָבוּשׁ בְּבֵית הָאֲסוּרִין. לֹא לְהַשְׁקוֹתָהּ אֶלָּא לְפָסְלָהּ מִכְּתֻבָּתָהּ:

The court should issue a warning to the following women [who are suspected of immodest behavior]: a woman whose husband has become a deaf-mute or has lost control of his mental faculties, one whose husband is overseas or one whose husband is imprisoned. The intent is not to have [such a woman] drink [the bitter water], but rather to disqualify her from receiving [the money due her by virtue of] her ketubah.

כֵּיצַד. שָׁמְעוּ בֵּית דִּין שֶׁהָעָם מְרַנְּנִין אַחֲרֶיהָ. קוֹרְאִין אוֹתָהּ וְאוֹמְרִין לָהּ אַל תִּסָּתְרִי עִם אִישׁ פְּלוֹנִי. בָּאוּ עֵדִים אַחַר כָּךְ שֶׁנִּסְתְּרָה עִמּוֹ וְשָׁהֲתָה כְּדֵי טֻמְאָה בֵּית דִּין אוֹסְרִין אוֹתָהּ עַל בַּעְלָהּ לְעוֹלָם וְקוֹרְעִין כְּתֻבָּתָהּ. וּכְשֶׁיָּבוֹא בַּעְלָהּ אוֹ יַבְרִיא אוֹ יָצָא מִבֵּית הָאֲסוּרִין נוֹתֵן לָהּ גֵּט. וְאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְהַשְׁקוֹתָהּ מִפְּנֵי שֶׁלֹּא קִנֵּא לָהּ הוּא:

What is implied? If the court hears that people are gossiping about [a particular woman], they call her and tell her: "Do not enter into privacy with so and so." If witnesses come afterwards and testify that she entered into privacy with the man concerning whom she was warned, and remained long enough to engage in relations, the court prohibits her [from engaging in relations] with her husband forever and tears up her marriage contract. When her husband returns, regains his health or is released from prison, he must give her a get. He cannot require her to drink [the bitter water], because he did not administer the warning himself.

שָׁתָת מֵי הַמָּרִים וְנִקְּתָה מֵהֶן וְחָזַר וְקִנֵּא לָהּ עִם הָאִישׁ שֶׁהִשְׁקָה עַל יָדוֹ וְנִסְתְּרָה עִמּוֹ אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְהַשְׁקוֹתָהּ עַל יָדוֹ פַּעַם שְׁנִיָּה אֶלָּא תֵּאָסֵר עָלָיו לְעוֹלָם וְתֵצֵא בְּלֹא כְּתֻבָּה. אֲבָל אִם קִנֵּא לָהּ עִם אַחֵר וְנִסְתְּרָה עִם הָאַחֵר בְּעֵדִים מַשְׁקִין אוֹתָהּ פַּעַם שְׁנִיָּה וַאֲפִלּוּ כַּמָּה פְּעָמִים. וְהוּא שֶׁיַּשְׁקֶה אוֹתָהּ בְּכָל פַּעַם בִּגְלַל אִישׁ אַחֵר:

[The following rules apply if a woman was required to] drink the bitter water [because of her husband's suspicion of a particular man] and did not die as a result of it, and afterwards, her husband gave her a warning with regard to that same man. If she enters into privacy with him, he cannot make her drink because of him a second time. Instead, she becomes forbidden to her husband forever and must be divorced without receiving [the money due her by virtue of] her ketubah. If, however, her husband issued a warning to her regarding another man, and she entered into privacy with him in the presence of witnesses, she can be forced to drink the waters again. Indeed, this can happen several times, provided each time her husband has her drink because of another man.

הִשְׁקָה אוֹתָהּ וְגֵרְשָׁהּ וְנִשֵּׂאת לְאַחֵר וְקִנֵּא לָהּ עִם הָאִישׁ שֶׁהִשְׁקָה אוֹתָהּ הַבַּעַל הָרִאשׁוֹן בִּגְלָלוֹ וְנִסְתְּרָה עִמּוֹ בְּעֵדִים. הֲרֵי הַבַּעַל הַשֵּׁנִי מַשְׁקֶה אוֹתָהּ עַל יָדוֹ מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא בַּעַל שֵׁנִי. וַאֲפִלּוּ מֵאָה וְנִשֵּׂאת לְזֶה אַחַר זֶה מַשְׁקִין אוֹתָהּ עַל יְדֵי אִישׁ אֶחָד. וְאֵין אוֹמְרִין וַדַּאי שֶׁהֻחְזְקָה לָזֶה וּטְמֵאָה עַד שֶׁיִּהְיֶה שָׁם עֵד:

If a woman's husband had her drink [the bitter water] because of a specific man and then divorced her and she remarried, her second husband can issue a warning to her with regard to the same man. If she enters into privacy with him, her husband can make her drink [the bitter water], because he is her second husband. Even if a hundred men married this woman one after the other, they can all have her drink [the bitter water] because of this same man.

הָאִשָּׁה שֶׁקִּנֵּא לָהּ בַּעְלָהּ וְנִסְתְּרָה אַחַר הַקִּנּוּי עִמּוֹ בְּעֵדִים וַהֲרֵי הִיא עוֹמֶדֶת לִשְׁתּוֹת וּבָא עֵד אֶחָד וְהֵעִיד עָלֶיהָ שֶׁנִּבְעֲלָה בְּפָנָיו עִם זֶה שֶׁקִּנֵּא לָהּ עִמּוֹ הֲרֵי זֶה אֲסוּרָה עַל בַּעְלָהּ לְעוֹלָם. וְאֵינָהּ שׁוֹתָה וְיוֹצֵאת בְּלֹא כְּתֻבָּה. וַאֲפִלּוּ הָיָה עֵד טֻמְאָה זֶה אֶחָד מֵעֵדֵי הַסְּתִירָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר ה יג) "וְעֵד אֵין בָּהּ" וַהֲרֵי כָּאן עֵד:

[The following laws apply if] a woman was warned by her husband and then entered into privacy [with the man in question] after the warning, thus causing her to be required to drink [the bitter water]. If [even] one witness comes and states that she engaged in sexual relations with the man regarding whom she was warned in his presence, the woman is forbidden to her husband forever. She may not drink [the bitter water], and must be divorced without receiving [the money due her by virtue of] her ketubah. This applies even if the witness who testifies concerning her adultery is also one of the witnesses who testifies that she entered into privacy with [the man regarding whom she was warned]. [This ruling is derived from Numbers 5:13]: "There is no witness against her."

אֲפִלּוּ אִשָּׁה וְעֶבֶד וְשִׁפְחָה וּפָסוּל לְעֵדוּת בַּעֲבֵרָה מִדִּבְרֵי סוֹפְרִים וַאֲפִלּוּ קָרוֹב נֶאֱמָן לְעֵדוּת סוֹטָה לְהָעִיד עָלֶיהָ שֶׁזִּנְּתָה וְתֵאָסֵר עַל בַּעְלָהּ לְעוֹלָם. וְאֵינָהּ שׁוֹתָה וְתֵצֵא בְּלֹא כְּתֻבָּה. הוֹאִיל וְקָדַם הַקִּנּוּי וְהַסְּתִירָה בְּעֵדִים כְּשֵׁרִים וְהַתּוֹרָה הֶאֱמִינָה עֵד אֶחָד בְּטֻמְאָה הֲרֵי כֻּלָּן כְּשֵׁרִין לְעֵדוּת טֻמְאָה. אַף חָמֵשׁ נָשִׁים שֶׁשּׂוֹנְאוֹת זוֹ אֶת זוֹ מְעִידוֹת זוֹ עַל זוֹ לוֹמַר שֶׁנִּטְמֵאת. וְנֶאֱמֶנֶת עָלֶיהָ לְאָסְרָהּ עַל בַּעְלָהּ וְשֶׁלֹּא לְהַשְׁקוֹתָהּ. אֲבָל לֹא לְהַפְסִידָהּ מִכְּתֻבָּתָהּ. אֶלָּא נוֹטֶלֶת כְּתֻבָּתָהּ וְיוֹצְאָה:

Even a woman, a servant, a maid-servant or someone disqualified from testifying because of [the transgression of] a Rabbinic prohibition, and even a relative, may testify with regard to a woman suspected of infidelity, saying that she committed adultery. This causes her to be forbidden to her husband forever, to be prevented from drinking [the bitter water] and to be divorced without receiving [the money due her by virtue of] her ketubah. [The rationale is] that since the Torah accepts the testimony of one witness with regard to [the woman's] adultery [we see that the formal laws of testimony do not apply]. Therefore, anyone's testimony is accepted with regard to this matter. Even the five women who we assume hate each other can offer testimony regarding each other, saying that they committed adultery [in these circumstances]. Their testimony is accepted with regard to causing her to be forbidden to her husband and not [to compel her] to drink [the bitter water]. It is not a sufficient basis to cause her to forfeit [the money due her by virtue of] her ketubah. Instead, she collects [the money due her by virtue of] her ketubah and leaves [his household].

בָּא עֵד אֶחָד כָּשֵׁר וְאָמַר נִטְמֵאת הֲרֵי זוֹ אֵינָהּ שׁוֹתָה כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּאַרְנוּ. בָּא עֵד אֶחָד וְהִכְחִישׁוֹ וְאָמַר לֹא נִטְמֵאת אֵין שׁוֹמְעִין לוֹ. שֶׁעֵד אֶחָד בְּטֻמְאַת סוֹטָה כִּשְׁנַיִם. וְאֵין דְּבָרָיו שֶׁל אַחֲרוֹן דּוֹחִין דִּבְרֵי הָרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁהוּא כִּשְׁנַיִם:

If one acceptable witness comes and says that the woman committed adultery, she is not required to drink [the bitter water], as we stated. If another witness comes and contradicts his testimony, saying: "She did not commit adultery," the statements [of the second witness] are disregarded. [The rationale is] with regard to a sotah, [the testimony of] one witness is considered equivalent to [that of] two [witnesses in ordinary matters]. Thus, the testimony of the second witness cannot nullify the testimony of the first witness, which is considered to be equivalent to [that of] two witnesses.

בָּאוּ שְׁנֵיהֶן כְּאֶחָד זֶה אוֹמֵר נִטְמֵאת וְזֶה אוֹמֵר לֹא נִטְמֵאת. אוֹ שֶׁאָמַר אֶחָד נִטְמֵאת וּבָאוּ שְׁנַיִם אֲחֵרִים וְאָמְרוּ לֹא נִטְמֵאת הֲרֵי זוֹ שׁוֹתָה:

If, however, both come at the same time and one says: "She committed adultery," and the other says, "She did not commit adultery," or one says: "She committed adultery," and two others say, "She did not commit adultery," she must drink [the bitter water].

בָּא עֵד אֶחָד כָּשֵׁר וְנָשִׁים רַבּוֹת אוֹ פְּסוּלִין רַבִּים כְּאֶחָד. הָעֵד אוֹמֵר נִטְמֵאת וְהַנָּשִׁים אוֹ הַפְּסוּלִין אוֹמְרִים לֹא נִטְמֵאת הֲרֵי זוֹ שׁוֹתָה. שֶׁעֵד אֶחָד וּפְסוּלִין רַבִּים כְּמֶחֱצָה עַל מֶחֱצָה הֵם:

When one acceptable witness and many women or unacceptable witnesses come at the same time, and the acceptable witness says that the woman committed adultery, while the women or the unacceptable witnesses say that she did not, she is required to drink [the bitter water]. [The rationale is that the testimony of] one acceptable witness and [that of] many unacceptable witnesses are considered to be of equal weight.

הָיוּ כֻּלָּן פְּסוּלִין הַלֵּךְ אַחַר הָרֹב. כֵּיצַד. שְׁתֵּי נָשִׁים אוֹמְרוֹת נִטְמֵאת וְשָׁלֹשׁ אוֹמְרוֹת לֹא נִטְמֵאת הֲרֵי זוֹ שׁוֹתָה. שָׁלֹשׁ אוֹמְרוֹת לֹא נִטְמֵאת וְאַרְבַּע אוֹמְרוֹת נִטְמֵאת הֲרֵי זוֹ אֵינָהּ שׁוֹתָה. הָיוּ מֶחֱצָה עַל מֶחֱצָה הֲרֵי זוֹ שׁוֹתָה:

If all the witnesses are unacceptable, the ruling depends on the majority. What is implied? If two women say she committed adultery, and three say she did not, she must drink [the bitter water]. If three say she did not commit adultery and four say that she did, she is not required to drink. If an equal number of women espouse each position, she must drink [the waters].

כָּל סוֹטָה שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ שֶׁאֵינָהּ שׁוֹתָה מִפְּנֵי עֵדֵי טֻמְאָה הֲרֵי זוֹ אֲסוּרָה עַל בַּעְלָהּ לְעוֹלָם וְתֵצֵא בְּלֹא כְּתֻבָּה שֶׁהֲרֵי נֶאֶסְרָה בְּקִנּוּי וּסְתִירָה. וְהַשְּׁתִיָּה שֶׁתַּתִּירָהּ נִמְנְעָה שֶׁהֲרֵי יֵשׁ בָּהּ עֵד כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּאַרְנוּ:

In all instances that we said that a sotah should not drink [the waters] because of testimony that she committed adultery, she is forbidden to her husband forever and must be divorced without receiving [the money due her by virtue of] her ketubah, for she was forbidden because [she received a] warning and entered into privacy [with the said man]. And she is prevented from drinking the waters, [which could] cause her [to be] permitted, because of the presence of the witness, as we explained.