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1) THE MEGILAH MUST BE FOR THE SOTAH

(a) (Rava): If it was written on 2 pages (Tosfos; Rashi - in 2 columns) it is invalid.

1. The Torah said "A Sefer", and not 2 or 3 Sefarim.

(b) (Rava): If he erased each letter after writing it, it is invalid.

1. It says "The Kohen will do this entire Torah (procedure, i.e. there must be a full scroll, then it is erased).

(c) Question #1 (Rava): If a scroll was written for each of 2 Sotos, and they were erased into the same cup, is this valid?

1. If we only need the writing to be Lishmah (for the sake of the Sotah), this was fulfilled.
2. If also the erasing must be Lishmah, this was not fulfilled.

(d) Question #2 (Rava): If you will say that also the erasing must be Lishmah - if each scroll was erased into a different cup, and the waters were then combined, is this valid?

1. If we only need the writing and erasing to be Lishmah, this was fulfilled.
2. Or, perhaps it is invalid, because each Sotah drinks part of her water and part of the other's water.

(e) Question #3 (Rava): If you will say that it is invalid, because each Sotah drinks part of her water and part of the other's water - if the waters were combined and then divided into 2 portions, is this valid?

1. Do we rely on Bereirah (to say that each portion is the water originally prepared for that woman), or not?
2. This question is unresolved.

(f) Question (Rava): If she drank through a reed (as a straw) - is this a valid drinking? Through a tube?

1. Is this considered the way of drinking, or not?
2. This question is unresolved.

(g) Question (Rav): Why are there 2 oaths by a Sotah?
(h) Answer #1 (Rav): 1 is before the scroll is erased, the other is after the scroll is erased.

1. Objection (Rava): The Torah mentions both oaths before the scroll is erased!

(i) Answer #2 (Rava): 1 is an oath with a curse, the other is an oath without a curse.
(j) Question: What is the oath with a curse?
(k) Answer #1 (Rav): 'I impose an oath on you, that you are innocent; if you had adultery, the water (will kill you)'.

1. Objection (Rava): That is not an oath with a curse, it is an oath and a curse!

(l) Answer #2 (Rava): 'I impose an oath on you, that if you had adultery, the water...'

1. Objection (Rav Ashi): That is only a curse, there is no oath on her!

(m) Answer #3 (Rav Ashi): 'I impose an oath on you, that you are innocent, and if you had adultery, the water will kill you.'

(a) (Mishnah) Question: She answers "Amen" twice - what else does she accept?

1. She accepts the curse, and also the oath;
2. She did not have adultery with the man she was secluded with, nor any other man;
3. She did not have adultery during engagement, nor during Nisu'in; (in the case of a Yevamah), not while a Shomeres Yavam, nor after Yibum;

4. She did not have adultery; if she did, the water should kill her;
5. R. Meir says, she did not commit adultery, she will not commit adultery;

(b) R. Meir and Chachamim agree, he cannot stipulate to include before engagement, nor after divorce;

1. If she was secluded after divorce, had extramarital relations, and remarried her ex-husband, he cannot stipulate to include this.
2. The rule is - any relations that would not forbid her to him, he cannot stipulate about them.

(c) (Gemara - Rav Hamnuna): A Shomeres Yavam that had relations with a stranger becomes forbidden to the Yavam.

1. He learns this from the Mishnah - the oath covers relations she had as a Shomeres Yavam and after Yibum.
2. If relations with a stranger forbid a Shomeres Yavam to the Yavam, we understand why the oath includes this.
3. Question: If she remains permitted - why does the oath include this?

i. The end of the Mishnah says, any relations that would not forbid her to him is not included in the oath!

(d) (Sages of Eretz Yisrael): The law is not as Rav Hamnuna.
(e) Question: But the Mishnah supports him!
(f) Answer: The Mishnah is as R. Akiva, who says that engagement does not take effect between people that are forbidden by a Lav to have relations. (Therefore, a Shomeres Yavam that has relations with a stranger is a severe sin, and is comparable to a married woman that has adultery, which forbids her to her husband.)

(a) Question (R. Yirmeyah): Does the oath include adultery when she was previously married to him? (Or in the case of Yibum), during her marriage to his brother?
(b) Answer (Mishnah): The rule is - any relations that would not forbid her to him is not included in the oath; we infer, any relations that would forbid her to him is included.
(c) (Mishnah): R. Meir says, "Amen" that I did not commit adultery, ...
(d) (Beraisa): When R. Meir said that the 2nd "Amen" is an acceptance that she will not later commit adultery, he did not mean that the water will test her now - rather, if she will sin later, the water will test her then.
(e) Question (Rav Ashi): Can he stipulate that the water should test her for adultery during a later marriage?

1. Do we say, it will not forbid her now, so he may not?
2. Or, since he might divorce and remarry her and then it will forbid her, it does test her?

(f) Answer (Mishnah): All agree, he cannot stipulate to include before engagement, nor after divorce;

1. If she was secluded after divorce, had extramarital relations, and remarried her ex-husband, he cannot stipulate to include those relations.
2. We infer, if she had extramarital relations after remarrying, he can stipulate to include that.

(a) (Beraisa): "This is Toras (the law of) warning" - this teaches that a woman may drink, and drink again;

1. R. Yehudah says, "This" teaches that she does not drink again;

i. Nechunya the pit digger testified that a 2nd husband may make her drink a 2nd time, but not the same husband;

2. Chachamim say, a woman may not drink more than once, even if married to a second husband.

(b) Question #1: Why does the 1st Tana say she may drink again - the verse says "This" (implying, she only drinks once)!
(c) Question #2: Why does the last Tana say she may not drink again - the verse says "Toras" (implying, each time she is secluded after warning, the law that she drinks) applies!