Sotah - Daf 47
- לעולם תהא שמאל דוחה וימין מקרבת
It was taught in a Baraisa: לעולם תהא שמאל דוחה וימין מקרבת – It should always be the left hand which pushes away, and the right should bring close, לא כאלישע שדחפו לגחזי בשתי ידיו – unlike Elisha, who pushed Geichazi away with both hands, ולא כיהושע בן פרחיה שדחפו לאחד מתלמידיו בשתי ידיו – and unlike Yehoshua ben Perachyah, who pushed one of his students away with both hands. After Elisha declined reward for miraculously curing Naaman, Geichazi followed Naaman and said Elisha had decided to accept reward. Elisha discerned Geichazi’s actions, and castigated him forcefully, cursing him and his descendants with tzaraas. Later, Elisha went to him to convince him to repent, but Geichazi refused, quoting Elisha’s teaching: כל מי שחטא והחטיא את הרבים – Anyone who sins and causes others to sin,אין מספיקין בידו לעשות תשובה – is not given the opportunity to do teshuvah. When Rebbe Yehoshua ben Perachyah was traveling with his students, he lauded the hostess of their inn: כמה נאה אכסניא זו – How nice is this hostess, referring to her good deeds. A student said: רבי עיניה טרוטות – Rebbi, but her eyes are round! Rebbe Yehoshua responded strongly and put him in cheirem. Rebbe Yehoshua did not accept his requests to return, until one day he intended to accept him but motioned to him while reciting Shema, which the student misinterpreted as pushing him away.
- What happens if the murderer’s identity becomes known
The next Mishnah states: נמצא ההורג עד שלא נערפה העגלה – If the murderer was found before the calf was decapitated, תצא ותרעה בעדר – it goes out and grazes with the flock (and is permitted in use, because this Tanna holds that benefit from the עגלה only becomes prohibited after its decapitation). If the murderer was discovered after the calf was already decapitated, it is buried in its place like an ordinary עגלה ערופה, although the murderer became known, שעל ספק באתה מתחילתה – because [the עגלה] originally came to atone for a circumstance of uncertainty, כיפרה ספיקה והלכה לה – it atoned for the uncertainty and went on, meaning it achieved its purpose at the time the killer’s identity was unknown. The Mishnah adds that the murderer is still executed. The Gemara says even the testimony of a single witness who claims to know the murderer’s identity is accepted, because the passuk says: לא נודע מי הכהו – it is unknown who struck him. This implies that if it is known to anyone, they do not perform an עגלה ערופה. Rebbe Akiva adds that if Beis Din witnessed a murder, even if they cannot identify the murderer, they do not perform עגלה ערופה.
- Sotah waters and עגלה ערופה ended when wickedness increased
The Mishnah had taught: משרבו הרוצחנין בטלה עגלה ערופה – When the murderers increased, עגלה ערופה ceased. A Baraisa explains: לפי שאינה באה אלא על הספק – Because it only comes to atone for cases of uncertainty of the murderer’s identity; משרבו הרוצחנין בגלוי בטלה עגלה ערופה – when murderers who killed in the open increased, עגלה ערופה ceased. The Mishnah had taught: משרבו המנאפים פסקו המים המרים – When adulterers increased, the bitter waters were discontinued. A Baraisa explains the reason: The passuk states: "ונקה האיש מעון" – The man will be innocent of iniquity, teaching בזמן שהאיש מנוקה מעון המים בודקין את אשתו – when the man is innocent of iniquity of illicit relations, the waters examine his wife, אין האיש מנוקה מעון אין המים בודקין את אשתו – but if the man is not innocent of iniquity, the waters do not examine his wife. The Baraisa quotes another passuk: לא אפקוד על בנותיכם כי תזנינה – I will not punish because of daughters when they commit harlotry, and the Gemara explains this teaches that even the immorality of one’s sons and daughters prevent the waters from examining his wife. A Baraisa proceeds to list the consequences of an increase in many negative behaviors.
