Sotah 27 – Just as she, so is he

We mentioned that the paramour of the suspected wife does not go unpunished. What is the source of this statement? – In the phrase "The waters will go," the word "will go" is mentioned twice, once for her and another time for him. So whatever happens to her in the Temple also happens to him - in whichever place he is.

The other word that is repeated is "became prohibited." Why is that? The first time it tells us that after the husband warns his wife and she nevertheless hides away with a specific man, the husband cannot live with her any longer; he must either give her a divorce (Get) or take her to the Temple to be cleared of suspicions. The second repetition applies to the paramour – should he desire to marry the woman after the divorce, he cannot because she is also prohibited to him.

Rabbi Akiva derives the same law from an extra "and" (letter vav in Hebrew), that is, "and the waters will go." Many more laws were expounded by Rabbi Akiva and others on that day. What is the story of "that day"? It is the day mentioned in tractate Brachot when the Sages removed Rabban Gamliel from his control over the Sanhedrin and changed the policy of allowing only strictly selected students into the study hall. Now anybody who wanted could come in. As a result, many talented students could offer groundbreaking insights.

Art: Young lovers interrupted by Henry John Yeend King