Devar/5769/Naso
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< Devar | 5769
עברית
English
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them: If any man's wife go aside, and act unfaithfully against him (Num 5:12)
Here the Torah begins the portion concerning the sotah -- a woman who gave her husband reasons to suspect her of infidelity. and the spirit of jealousy come upon him, and he be jealous of his wife, and she be defiled; or if the spirit of jealousy come upon him, and he be jealous of his wife, and she be not defiled (ibid 14). That is, whether or not she did anything -- if "a spirit of jealousy came upon him", the judgement is the same -- she must undergo the trial of the "bitter waters which cause curse".
It is difficult for us today to understand why the woman specifically should be required to undergo a trial even if she did nothing. Our tendency is to say that if the man suspects her, that's his problem! But the Torah is telling us something deeper: that peace in one's home is so important, that for its sake the couple must be willing to set aside their personal honor. The woman becomes an object of derision when she undergoes the water trial, and her husband likewise becomes an object of derision when people see what happens to his wife.
Further: If one had [only enough money to purchase] before him the candle for his household and the Chanukka candle, or his household candle and wine for kiddush -- then his household candle takes precedence. Because God's Name is erased [during the sotah trial] in order to bring peace between man and wife. Great is peace, for the entire Torah was given in order to bring peace into the world, as the verse states "Its ways are pleasant ways; and all of its paths are peace" (Prov 3:17) (Laws of Megillah and Chanukka 4:14). The Rambam ends the "book of seasons" of the "Mishne Torah" with this halachah, to teach us that all the holidays and festivals and sabbaths -- come to bring peace between us as individuals, and between us and God may He be blessed. And there is no peace when there is no peace between man and wife.
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