Sotah Daf 04 - Shiur Setirah, Ga'avah
Summary
- The text presents the definition and linkage between the categories of *edut rishonah* and *edut acharonah*, establishes that the shiur of setirah equals the shiur of tumah defined as the time for initial bi’ah, records eight opinions for that measure, and reconciles contradictions between two baraitot by distinguishing measures and combining stages. It probes detailed uncertainties within several measures, states that each Tanna measured from personal experience, and offers three explanations for Ben Azzai’s stance. It then uses a loaf-of-bread measure to segue into halachot and gravity of netilat yadayim, including practices of lifting and lowering hands, the need for a second pouring and drying, and severe consequences for neglect. It concludes with mussar on the evils of ga’avah, equating it to the gravest transgressions, expounding verses such as כי בעד אשה זונה עד ככר לחם, ואשת איש נפש יקרה תצוד, and יד ליד לא ינקה.
- The text states that *edut rishonah* refers to the testimony of setirah and *edut acharonah* refers to the testimony of tumah. Sefer Minchat Sotah explains that calling them “first” and “last” signals a linkage: the shiur of setirah corresponds to the shiur of tumah, since setirah temporarily forbids her while kinui does not forbid at all.
- Rabbi Yishmael defines the shiur as “k’dei tumah,” meaning “k’dei bi’ah,” specifically “k’dei ha’ara’ah,” measured as the time of *hakafat dekel*. Rabbi Eliezer sets it as the time for *mezigat hakos*, and Rabbi Yehoshua sets it as the time to drink the cup. Ben Azzai sets it as the time to roast an egg, and Rabbi Akiva as the time to swallow a roasted egg at once. Rabbi Yehuda ben Beteira sets it as the time to swallow three eggs one after another, Rabbi Elazar ben Yirmeya as the time for a weaver to tie a broken strand, Hanan ben Pinchas as the time for her to remove a splinter from her teeth, and Plimo as the time to reach into a basket and take out a loaf, with a zecher from משלי: כי בעד אשה זונה עד ככר לחם.
- Tosafot explains the order groups views about food and drink together, placing Rabbi Yishmael’s *hakafat dekel* elsewhere to avoid interrupting that thematic cluster, and places Ben Azzai before Rabbi Akiva since roasting precedes swallowing. The Orakh Chaim states that the Tannaim spoke not of an average pace but of the quickest possible bi’ah, akin to a fearful adulterer, and cites Nedarim 20b about Rabbi Eliezer’s haste “kemi shekaf’o shed” as a model for measuring rapidity.
- The text states that “k’dei tumah” might be read as including seduction time, so “k’dei bi’ah” limits it to the act; “k’dei bi’ah” might imply gmar bi’ah, so “k’dei ha’ara’ah” limits it to initial contact; “k’dei ha’ara’ah” might include seduction, so “k’dei tumah” excludes that. Rashi points out in Yevamot that ha’ara’ah is legally equivalent to gmar bi’ah for isurei arayot. The measure of ha’ara’ah is set as *hakafat dekel*.
- Abaye distinguishes *hakafa* as by foot and *chazara* as wind-return of the palm, and Rav Ashi leaves unresolved whether *chazara* is a single rebound or until the sway ceases. The text equates Rabbi Eliezer’s *chazarat dekel* with *mezigat hakos*, explains Rabbi Yehoshua as “k’dei lemezog velishtot” to avoid identity with Rabbi Eliezer, equates Ben Azzai’s “roast an egg” with “drink the diluted cup,” and reads Rabbi Akiva as “roast and then swallow” to avoid identity with Ben Azzai. Rabbi Yehuda ben Beteira’s “three eggs” is stated according to Rabbi Akiva to express the combined time via a single action (swallowing), yielding nine Tannaim but eight distinct shittot.
- Rav Ashi questions whether the weaver’s tie is when threads are far or near, and whether the tooth-splinter is tightly or loosely wedged, and leaves both as teiku. He further questions the loaf-from-basket case regarding how tightly it adheres, new versus old basket, hot versus cold loaf, wheat versus barley, and thin versus thick dough, and leaves all as teiku. The text underscores that such practical variables make these time-measures hard to standardize.
- Rabbi Yitzchak bar Yosef says in the name of Rabbi Yochanan that each Tanna measured by personal experience. The text challenges this from Ben Azzai’s celibacy and answers that he may have married and separated, or received a mesorah from his rebbe, or learned by סוד ה' ליראיו, and the Maharsha questions deriving halacha from heavenly revelation due to “lo bashamayim hi.”
- Rav Avira (in the name of Rabbi Ami or Rabbi Assi) says: כל האוכל לחם בלא נטילת ידים כאילו בא על אשה זונה, with a zecher from כי בעד אשה זונה עד ככר לחם; Tosafot Shantz, the Meiri, and the Maharal explain the comparison as hefker achila, filling improper ta’avah, and lacking “vehitkadishtem” before achila paralleling bi’at zenut without kiddushin. Rava objects to the verse’s syntax and concludes: כל הבא על אשה זונה לסוף מבקש ככר לחם, supported by ורועה זונות יאבד הון, with a remez that על נטילת ידים hints to עני. Rabbi Zerika says in the name of Rabbi Elazar that one who is mezalzel in netilat yadayim is uprooted, invoking פורץ גדר ישכנו נחש. Rav Chiya bar Ashi says in Rav’s name that for mayim rishonim one must raise the hands upward, and for mayim acharonim lower them, to prevent tamei water from returning; a baraita supports lifting the hands lest water go chutz la’perek and retamei the hands, and details two pourings when less than a revi’it, since yadaim are metame and become tahor al yedei netilah only ad ha’perek. Rabbi Abba says that one who eats bread without drying his hands is as if eating לחם טמא, citing ויאמר ה' ככה יאכלו בני ישראל את לחמם טמא, and the text instructs to bless before drying, avoid talking between washing and the beracha, and prefer any hefsek after the beracha rather than between washing and beracha.
- Rabbi Chiya bar Abba says in the name of Rabbi Yochanan that one with ga’avah will ultimately stumble with an eshet ish from ואשת איש נפש יקרה תצוד, and Rava explains that anyone who commits that sin, even if he learned Torah of which it is said יקרה היא מפנינים, will be ensnared to Gehinnom. Rabbi Yochanan says in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai that one with ga’avah is as if an idolater from תועבת ה' כל גבה לב and ולא תביא תועבה אל ביתך, and the Anaf Yosef explains that magnifying any human advantage limits the infinite Creator and is kefirah. Rabbi Yochanan himself says it is as if kafar ba’ikar from ורם לבבך ושכחת את ה' אלהיך, Rabbi Chama bar Chanina says it is as if one committed all arayot from כי את כל התועבות האל, and Ulla says it is as if one built a bamah from חדלו לכם מן האדם אשר נשמה באפו כי במה נחשב הוא, read as במה.
- Rav says that even one who praised Hashem as koneh shamayim va’aretz like Avraham Avinu—הרימותי ידי אל ה' אל עליון קנה שמים וארץ—will not be cleansed from Gehinnom if he has ga’avah. The students of the beit midrash of Rabbi Shela argue that “yad le’yad” fits even one who received Torah like Moshe Rabbeinu—מימינו אש דת למו—i.e., given מיד ליד. Rabbi Yochanan questions the phrasing and concludes that even one who gives צדקה baseter—מתן בסתר יכפה אף—will not be cleansed from Gehinnom if he harbors ga’avah.
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