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Sotah 3:1-2

Sotah 3:1

The husband or the kohein (it’s unclear which, so authorities differ) takes the woman’s flour offering from the Egyptian basket and places it into a Temple vessel, which he then puts in the woman’s hands. The kohein places his hands beneath hers and waves it with her.

Sotah 3:2

After waving it, the kohein brought the flour offering (to the southwest corner of the altar), where he removed and burned a handful of it; the rest could be eaten by the kohanim. The kohein would cause the women to drink the bitter water first and then offer her flour offering. Rabbi Shimon says that he would offer the flour offering before giving her the bitter water, as per Numbers 5:26, “after, he shall make the woman drink the water.” If he made her drink first and then offered the flour offering, it is still valid.

Author: Rabbi Jack Abramowitz