ANSWERS TO REVIEW QUESTIONS
prepared by Rabbi Eliezer Chrysler
Kollel Iyun Hadaf, Jerusalem
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Sotah 5
Questions
1)
(a) Rava Amar Ze'iri cites the Pasuk in Yirmiyah "Shim'u ve'Ha'azinu Al
Tegavhu Leiv" as the warning for conceit. According to Rav Nachman bar
Yitzchak, it is a combination of two Pesukim in the Chumash; one of them is
"ve'Ram Levavecha ve'Shachachta" - the other, is "Hishamer Lecha Pen
Tishkach es Hashem".
(b) The principle of Rebbi Avin Amar Ila'a that governs this warning is -
'Kol Makom she'Ne'emar Hishamer, Pen ve'Al Eino Ela be'Lo Sa'aseh'.
(c) Rav Avira cites a Pasuk in Iyov, sometimes in the name of Rav Ami,
sometimes in the name of Rav Asi (on the previous Amud he quoted Rebbi Ami
or Rebbi Asi. Presumably one of them is a printer's error). He learns from
...
1. ... "Rumu Me'at" - that someone who is conceited will be made small.
2. ... "ve'Einenu" - that he will die.
3. ... "ve'Humchu ke'*Chol* Yechpatzun" - that if he repents (makes himself
lowly), he will live his full life (like Avraham, Yitzchak and Ya'akov by
whom the Torah writes "Kol". Though this is difficult according to Chazal,
who state that Avraham died five years prematurely to avoid seeing Eisav
sinning).
2)
(a) We learn from the conclusion of the previous Pasuk: "u'che'Rosh
Shibo'les Yimalu" - that should he fail to repent, he will be cut-off like
the top of the corn.
(b) Rav Huna and Rav Chisda argue over whether ...
1. ... this refers literally to the top of the corn or to the entire corn.
Rav Asi explains the expression "Rosh ha'Shibo'les", according to the latter
opinion - with an analogy. He compares it to the owner of a cornfield who,
upon entering his field and seeing some stalks of corn that have grown
taller than the others, picks them.
2. ... the Pasuk in Yeshayah "ve'es Daka u'Shefal Ru'ach" means that Hashem
raises the humble person to be with Him, or that he lowers Himself to be
with the humble person. We prove the latter opinion to be the correct one -
from the fact that Hashem descended to rest His Shechinah on Har Sinai
rather than to raise Har Sinai up to him.
(c) Rav Yosef advises us to learn from Hashem - (who descended upon Har
Sinai) to be humble.
3)
(a) Rebbi Elazar learns from ...
1. ... the two Pesukim "ve'Ramei ha'Komah" (Yeshayah) and "ve'Ashereihem
Tegadei'un" (Va'eschanan) - that a conceited person deserves to be cut down
like an Asheirah (a tree that is worshipped).
2. ... the Pasuk in Yeshayah "Hakitzu ve'Ranenu Shecheinei Afar" - that only
people who 'dwell with the dust' (with those who are less significant than
themselves) will arise at Techi'as ha'Meisim, but not people who are
conceited.
(b) And, based on the Pasuk in Tehilim "(Ki Ram Hashem ve'Shafal Yir'eh)
ve'Gavo'ah mi'Merchak Yeyeida", he says that when the Shechinah comes across
a conceited person - it wails.
(c) The distinction that Rav Avira (or Rebbi Elazar) draws between a tall
man and Hashem is - that, whereas a tall man does not see a small one,
Hashem 'knows' those who are small (meaning that a great person tends to
ignore those who are in a lower bracket than themselves, but Hashem brings
close those who are lowly).
(d) Rav Chisda (or Mar Ukva) quotes Hashem as saying - that He cannot live
together in the world with a conceited person (as Chazal have said 'When
someone is conceited he pushes away the legs of the Shechinah').
4)
(a) Others associate the Pasuk "Meloshni ba'Seiser Re'eihu, Oso Atzmis,
Gevah Einayim u'Rechav Leivav" (which Rav Chisda or Mar Ukva just derived
their previous statement) - in connection with the sin of Lashon ha'Ra.
(b) Rebbi Alexandri Darshens from the Pasuk "ve'ha'Resha'im ka'Yam
Nigrash" - that if the wind can drain the sea (which contains numerous
Revi'i'os of water) of its residue, then it (in the form of even the
slightest punishment) can certainly drain a conceited person (since the
previous Pesukim are speaking about humble people), who only contains one
Revi'is of blood.
(c) Although a person contains many Revi'i'os of blood - he can survive with
only one.
5)
(a)
1. Rav Chiya bar Ashi Amar Rav says - that a Talmid-Chacham needs to possess
one sixty-fourth of pride.
2. Rav Huna B'rei de'Rav Yehoshua adds - that it even enhances his stature
like 'a Sa'sa de'Shibalta' (the tall wheat-stalks that surround the ordinary
stalks).
(b) Rava says that a Talmid-Chacham who possesses pride - in large measures
is in Shamta (Cherem), and one who does not - possess it at all is in Shamta
too, because without any pride at all, people will not listen to him.
(c) Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak maintains that one is better of without any
pride at all - because Shlomoh Hamelech describes someone who possesses it
as abominable.
6)
(a) Chizkiyah advises someone who wants his prayers to be answered - to be
soft-hearted like flesh (and not hard like stone).
(b)
1. From the fact that the Torah writes in Tazri'a "*u'Basar* ki Yih'yeh Bo
be'Oro Shechin ve'Nirpa" (rather than "*ve'Adam* Ki Yih'yeh ... ") - Rebbi
Zeira extrapolates like Chizkiyah just said.
2. Rebbi Yochanan gives the acronym of "Adam" - as 'Eifer, Dam, Marah (the
liquid from the gall of the liver), demonstrating how empty a human-being
is.
(c) Some give the acronym of "Basar" as 'Bushah, Seruchah ve'Rimah'. Others
take out 'Seruchah' because it begins with a 'Samech' and not with a
'Shin' - replacing it with 'She'ol' (the grave, which is where man belongs).
7)
(a) Rav Ashi Darshens from the Pasuk "ve'la'Se'eis ve'la'Sapachas" - that
someone who makes himself big will eventually be diminished.
(b) We prove from the Pasuk ...
1. ... "ve'al Kol he'Harim ha'Ramim ve'al Kol ha'Gevahos ha'Nisa'os" - that
"Se'eis" (like "Nisa'os") means tall or uplifted.
2. ... "Safcheini Na el Achas ha'Kehunos Le'echol Pas-Lechem" (regarding the
house of Eli ha'Kohen) - that "Sapachas" (like "Safcheini") means secondary.
5b---------------------------------------5b
Questions
8)
(a) Rebbi Yehoshua ben Levi extrapolates from the Pasuk ...
1. ... "Zivchei Elokim Ru'ach Nishbarah" - that someone who is lowly of
spirit is considered as if he had brought, not just one Korban, but all the
Korbanos.
2. ... "Leiv Nishbar ve'Nidkeh Elokim Lo Sivzeh" - that his prayers will not
be rejected.
(b) And he learns from the Pasuk there "ve'Sam Derech Ar'enu
be'Yesha Elokim" - that anyone who takes stock of his ways in this world (to
reckon the loss of a Mitzvah against the reward, and the reward of a sin
against the loss) will experience the salvation of Hashem.
(c) He reconciles the fact that the Pasuk writes "ve'Sam" and not
"ve'Sham" - by making use of the principle 'Al Tikrei ("ve'Sam") Ela
("ve'Sham").
9)
(a) The Tana of our Mishnah describing Kinuy, writes 'Amar Lah Al Tedabri im
Ish P'loni Zeh'. The corollary between the Reisha ('Keitzad Mekane Lah') and
the Reisha de'Seifa ('Amar Lah Bifnei Shenayim') is - that the latter
explains the former.
(b) The problem with this from the Seifa de'Seifa of the Mishnah (Dibrah
Imo, Adayin Muteres le'Beiso ... ') is - that according to the Reisha
de'Seifa it seems that merely speaking to the man involved is considered
S'tirah, whereas, according to the Seifa de'Seifa, which permits her to her
husband and to eat Terumah until such time as they enter a secluded place
together, it is clear that speaking alone is not called 'S'tirah'.
(c) In light of the Seifa de'Seifa, Abaye explains that the Reisha de'Seifa
is not the explanation of the Reisha, but one of a series of cases that are
not considered S'tirah, as we shall now see.
(d) The cases that ...
1. ... are not considered Kinuy - are a warning not to speak with the man in
question and she either spoke or even entered a secluded area with him, or
if he warned her not to enter a secluded area and she spoke with him in an
area that was not secluded.
2. ... are considered Kinuy - only if he warned her not to enter a secluded
area together with the man, and she did.
10)
(a) The Tana concludes the Mishnah 've'Im Meis Choletzes'. Rav Yosef learns
from the Pasuk "ve'Yatz'ah mi'Beiso, ve'Haysah le'Ish *Acher*" - that the
Sotah may marry another man, but not the Yavam (who is not called 'Acher'
vis-a-vis her deceased husband).
(b) He knows that the Pasuk is referring to a Sotah - because the Pasuk
previously said "Ki Matza Bah Ervas Davar".
(c) She requires Chalitzah on the other hand - in the same way as she would
have required a Get from her husband had he not died.
11)
(a) According to the second Lashon, Rav Yosef explains that she should not
require Yibum - because seeing as the Torah ordered the Sotah to leave her
husband (to relieve him from having to live with an immoral woman), how can
it then force the Yavam to take her into his house?
(b) The Torah does however, permit her to marry somebody else - on the
grounds that he does so of his own choice. No-one asks him to do so.
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