| Tractate of theTalmud | |
|---|---|
| Seder: | Nashim |
| Number ofmishnahs: | 67 |
| Chapters: | 9 |
| Babylonian Talmud pages: | 49 |
| Jerusalem Talmud pages: | 47 |
| Tosefta chapters: | 15 |
Sotah (Hebrew:סוֹטָה orHebrew:שׂוֹטָה,[1] "strayer") is atractate of theTalmud inRabbinic Judaism. The tractate explains theordeal of the bitter water, atrial by ordeal of a woman suspected ofadultery, which is prescribed by theBook of Numbers in theHebrew Bible (Tanakh). In most editions, this tractate is the fifth in the order ofNashim, and it is divided into nine chapters. The tractate exists in theMishnah,Tosefta, and both theBabylonian andJerusalem Talmud.
Sotah is also the term used for the woman tried in this manner.[2]
Themishnas (mishnayot) are devoted in the main to an exact definition of the rules of procedure in the case of a wife who was either actually or supposedly unfaithful. The mishnas discuss other rituals in which speech is a key component, such asegla arufa, breaking the heifer's neck;Hakheil, theJewish King's septa-annual publicTorah reading; and the Blessings and Curses ofMount Gerizim andMount Ebal.
TheTosefta of Sotah is divided into fifteen chapters and contains a large number of aggadic and exegetic interpretations, as well as various historical statements and narratives.
BothGemaras,Bavli, andYerushalmi, contain many tales and legends,aggadic interpretations, sayings, and proverbs, in addition to their elucidations ofMishnaic passages.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Singer, Isidore; et al., eds. (1901–1906)."SOTAH".The Jewish Encyclopedia. New York: Funk & Wagnalls.