1,989. When a Woman is Not Made to Drink

Hilchos Sotah 1:20

In all the cases where we said that a suspected woman doesn’t drink the bitter waters because of testimony that she committed adultery, she becomes prohibited to her husband forever and must be divorced without being paid the value of her kesubah. She was prohibited because she was warned and entered into seclusion with the man. She doesn’t drink the water that might have permitted her because there was a witness, as we discussed.

Hilchos Sotah 2:1

When a woman is warned and enters into seclusion, she is not forced to drink the bitter water. If she admits to committing adultery, she is not made to drink the water. Rather, she must be divorced and is not paid the value of her kesubah and she is prohibited to her husband forever. Similarly, if she denies committing adultery but refuses to drink the bitter water, she is not forced to drink. Rather, she must be divorced and is not paid the value of her kesubah. If her husband doesn’t want her to drink, or if the couple engaged in intimacy after she was secluded with the man, she doesn’t drink. Rather, she is paid the value of her kesubah and she departs, forever prohibited to the husband.