And so too for good: Miriam waited for Moses one hour, as it is stated (Exodus 2:4): And his sister stationed herself from afar ...; therefore Israel delayed for her seven days in the desert, as it is stated: and the people did not travel on until Miriam was brought in. Joseph was privileged to bury his father and none of his brothers was greater than he, as it is stated (Gen. 50:7,9): so Joseph went up to bury his father . . . and he brought up with him both chariots and horsemen . . . Who was [treated with] as much [honor] as Joseph that none other than Moses attended to him. Moses was privileged to [attend to] the bones of Joseph, and there was none in Israel greater than him, as it is stated: And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him. Who was [treated with] greater [honor] than Moses, that none but the Almighty attended to him, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 34:6): And He bur-ied him in the valley. And not of Moses alone did they say so, but of all the righteous, as it is stated (Isaiah 58:8): And your righteousness shall go before you, and the glory of HASHEM shall gather you in.

He brought her minchah-offering in an Egyptian basket and put it on her hands so as to tire her. All minchah-offerings start and finish in service-vessels, but this one starts in an Egyptian basket and finishes in service-vessels. All minchah-offerings require oil and frankincense, but this one requires neither oil nor frankin- cense. All minchah-offerings are of wheat [flour], but this one is of barley [flour]. The minchah-offering of the omer, though of barley [flour], is of sifted flour; but this one is of unsifted flour. Rabban Gamliel says: Just as her deeds were like those of an animal, so too her offering is [from] the food of animals.

He brought a new earthenware cup and put half a log of water from the kiyor into it; R’ Yehudah says: A quarter [of a log]. Just as he minimizes the [amount of] writing [required], so too he minimizes the [amount of] water [required].  He entered the Sanctuary and turned to his right —- where there was a spot one cubit by one cubit with a marble flagstone with a ring fixed in it; and when he raised it, he took dust from beneath it. He added enough to be visible on the water, as it is stated (v. 17): And the Kohen shall take from the dust that will be on the Tabernacle floor and add it to the water.

When he comes to write the scroll, from what point does he write? From: If no man has lain ... But if you have strayed while under [the authority of] your husband ... (vs. 19, 20). But he omits: And the Kohen shall adjure the woman ... (v. 21). He then writes: May HASHEM make you for a curse and an oath ... These curse-causing waters shall enter your innards to make the belly bloat and the thigh fall away (vs. 21, 22). But he omits: And the woman shall answer, “Amen, amen” (v. 22). R’ Yose says: He made no break. R’ Yehudah says: He writes only —- May HASHEM make you for a curse and an oath ... These curse-causing waters shall enter your innards ... (vs. 21, 22). But he omits: And the woman shall answer, “Amen, amen” (v. 22).

He cannot write [it] on a tablet or on a papyrus or on an unprocessed skin but only on a scroll, as it is stated: In a book (v. 23). And he may not write with gum, or vitriol, or with any substance that leaves a mark, only with ink, as it is stated: And he shall dissolve [it] (v. 23) —- a writing that can be dissolved.

To what does she reply, “Amen, amen”? Amen to the curse, amen to the oath; amen with regard to this man; amen with regard to another man; amen that I have not committed adultery while betrothed, while married, while awaiting yibum, or after having been married [in yibum]; amen that I have not been defiled, and that if I have been defiled, these [curses] should come upon me. R’ Meir says: Amen that I have not been defiled, amen that I will never become defiled.

All agree that he cannot stipulate with her concerning [the time] before she was betrothed or [the time] after she will have been divorced. If she secluded herself after [she had been divorced] and became defiled, and he then remarried her, he could not stipulate with her concerning this. This is the rule: Any [incident in] which even if she had cohabited she would not be prohibited to him, he cannot stipulate with her [concerning it].

He took her minchah-offering out of the Egyptian basket, put it into a service-vessel, and placed it in her hand. The Kohen placed his hand beneath hers and waved it.

He waved [it] and brought [it] near [the altar], removed a kometz and burned [it]; and the remainder was eaten by the Ko-hanim. He [first] gave her to drink and then offered her minchah-offering. R’ Shimon says: He offered her minchah-offering and then gave her to drink, as it is said (v. 26): And afterward, he shall give the woman the waters to drink. [But] if he gave her to drink and afterward offered her minchah-offering, it is valid.

Before the scroll was erased, [if] she said, “I will not drink,” her scroll is hidden away and her minchah-offering is scattered on the ash heap. Her scroll is not valid for the use of any other sotah. [If] the scroll was erased and she [then] said, “I am de-filed,” the water is poured out and her minchah-offering is scattered on the ash heap. [But if] the scroll was erased and she [then] said, “I will not drink,” they force her and make her drink against her will.

She hardly finishes drinking before her face becomes sallow, her eyes bulge and her veins protrude. And they call out: “Take her out! (Take her out!)” so that she will not contaminate the [Temple] Courtyard with tumah.  If she had any merit, it held her [punishment] in abeyance. Certain merits hold [the punishment] in abeyance for one year, others hold [it] in abey-ance for two years, others hold [it] in abeyance for three years. Based on this Ben Azzai says; A man should teach his daugh-ter Torah, so that if she ever drinks she will realize that merit can hold her [punishment] in abeyance. R’ Eliezer says: Who-ever teaches his daughter Torah, it is as though he teaches her sensuality. R’ Yehoshua says: A woman prefers one measure with sensuality than nine measures with chastity.  He used to say: A foolish saint, a cuning evildoer, an abstinent woman, and the wounds of the pious, these are the ruin of [the] world.