Sotah - Daf 9
- כל הנותן עיניו במה שאינו שלו, מה שמבקש אין נותנין לו, ומה שבידו נוטלין הימנו
It was taught in a Baraisa: סוטה נתנה עיניה במי שאינו ראוי לה – The sotah set her eyes on one unfit for her, מה שביקשה לא ניתן לה – what she sought was not given to her (i.e., she becomes prohibited to him even after leaving her husband), ומה שבידה נטלוהו ממנה – and what was in her hand they took from her (i.e., death through the waters, or becoming prohibited to her husband through confessing), שכל הנותן עיניו במה שאינו שלו – because anyone who sets his eyes on what is not his, מה שמבקש אין נותנין לו – what he seeks is not given to him, ומה שבידו נוטלין הימנו – and what is in his hand they take from him. The Baraisa continues that the same held true for the original serpent, that set its eyes on Chava and had relations with her. It did not get what it sought and lost what it had: Instead of being king of the beasts, it would now be the most cursed; instead of walking upright, it would go on its belly; instead of eating mankind’s food, it would eat dust; instead of killing Adam (through eating of the Tree) and marrying Chava, there would be enmity between serpents and women. The Baraisa lists ten other people who exemplify this principle.
- מדה כנגד מדה re: Shimshon and Avshalom, and positive מדה כנגד מדה re: Miriam, Yosef, and Moshe
The next Mishnah teaches more examples of מדה כנגד מדה: שמשון הלך אחר עיניו – Shimshon followed his eyes, לפיכך נקרו פלשתים את עיניו – therefore the Plishtim gouged out his eyes. Because Avshalom was conceited about his hair, he was hung by his hair; because he consorted with ten of his father’s concubines, ten lances were put into him; because he stole three hearts (by fooling his father, Beis Din, and Klal Yisroel), three staves were thrust into him. This principle applies for the good as well: מרים המתינה למשה שעה אחת – Miriam waited one hour for Moshe at the Nile, לפיכך נתעכבו לה ישראל ז' ימים במדבר – therefore, Klal Yisroel waited for her for seven days in the desert when she had tzaraas. Because Yosef, the greatest of the brothers, honored Yaakov by leading his burial procession, he was honored by being buried by Moshe, the greatest in Klal Yisroel. Moshe, in turn, was honored by being buried by Hashem Himself.
- Delilah’s name, and how she knew when Shimshon was telling the truth
Rebbi said: אילמלא נקרא שמה דלילה – Even if her name had not been Delilah, ראויה היתה שתקרא דלילה – it would have been fitting for her to be called Delilah (from the word “weakened”): דילדלה את כחו – She weakened his strength, דילדלה את לבו – she weakened his heart, דילדלה את מעשיו – and she weakened his actions. He explains: She weakened his strength, as is says: "ויסר כחו מעליו" – And his strength left him. She weakened his heart, as it says: "ותרא דלילה כי הגיד לה את כל לבו" – And Delilah saw that he had told her all that was in his heart. She weakened his actions, דאיסתלק שכינה מיניה – because the Shechinah left him, as it says: "והוא לא ידע כי ה' סר מעליו" – And he did not know that Hashem had left him. The Gemara wonders how Delilah was certain that he had now told the truth, since he had been untruthful several times before. Rav Chanin said in the name of Rav: ניכרין דברי אמת – Words of truth are recognizable (such as here, where it explained why he grew his hair long and refrained from wine). Abaye said that she knew the righteous Shimshon would not say Hashem’s Name in vain, so when he said, "נזיר אלקים אני" – I am a nazir to Hashem, she knew he spoke truthfully.
