Sotah 4:5-5:1

Sotah 4:5

The following women are warned by the courts (because their husbands are not capable of doing so): a woman whose husband has lost his hearing or his mental faculties, or who has been imprisoned. This warning does not cause her to drink the bitter water but it can cause her to forfeit the value of her kesubah. Rabbi Yosi says that this warning is also sufficient to cause her to drink in that, when her husband is released from prison, he can cause her to drink on the strength of the court’s warning.

Sotah 5:1

Just as the bitter water tests the woman suspected of adultery, it also tests the suspected adulterer, as per Numbers 5:22 and 27, “and they shall enter,” “and they shall enter.” Just as a woman who committed adultery is prohibited to her husband, she is prohibited to the adulterer, as per Numbers 5:27 and 29, “impure,” “and become impure.” These laws represent the opinion of Rabbi Akiva; Rabbi Yehoshua said that Zechariah ben HaKatzav interpreted these verses the same way as Rabbi Akiva. Rebbi does not interpret as Rabbi Akiva does (i.e., based on an extra letter vav) but he reaches a similar conclusion, saying that the verses of “if she has become impure” and “become impure” refer to her husband and the adulterer, respectively.