1,997. The Sotah Process

Hilchos Sotah 2:16

If two witnesses testify that a woman committed adultery with her current husband while she was married to a previous husband, she must be divorced by her current husband even if they have several children together. Whenever we say that a woman must be divorced, she is not paid the value of her kesubah.

Hilchos Sotah 3:1

The sotah process is as follows: First, the husband goes to his local court and tells them that he warned his wife against seclusion with a certain man and she was then secluded with him. He names the witnesses who can confirm his words. He says that his wife denies committing adultery so he wants to have her drink the bitter water as proof. The court then hears the testimony of the witnesses. Assuming that it is accepted, they assign two scholars to watch the husband, to ensure that he doesn’t engage in intimacy with his wife before she drinks the bitter water because she is prohibited to him until then. The man is sent to Jerusalem because a suspected woman only drinks the bitter water in the Great Sanhedrin of 70 elders, which convenes in the Temple.