On that day R’ Akiva expounded: Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to HASHEM, and they spoke saying (Exodus 15:1). There is no necessity [for the verse] to say, “saying”; what [then] is meant by “saying”? It teaches that the Is-raelites responded to Moses after each phrase, as when they recite the Hallel; therefore it says, “saying.” R’ Nechemiah says: As when they recite the Shema, and not as when they recite the Hallel.

On that day R’ Yehoshua ben Hyrkanos expounded: Job served the Holy One, Blessed is He, only out of love, as it is stated (Job 13:15): Even should He kill me, yet will I put my trust in Him. But still the matter is in doubt —- [does the verse mean] I will trust in Him or I will not trust in Him? Learn from what is said (Job 27:5): Till I perish I will not discard my perfect faith; this shows that he acted out of love. R’ Yehoshua said: Who will remove the dust from you eyes, Rabban Yochanan ben Zak-kai! —- for you expounded all your life that Job served the Almighty only out of fear, as it is said (Job 1:8): A man who is wholesome and upright, God-fearing, and who shuns evil, but has not Yehoshua your disciple’s disciple shown that he acted out of love!

One who warned his wife and she went into seclusion, even if he heard from a passing bird, he must divorce her and pay her the marriage contract; these are the words of R’ Eliezer. R’ Yehoshua says: Not until the women who spin thread by moon-light gossip about her.

[If] a single witness testified, “I saw her become defiled,” she did not drink. Moreover, even a slave, and even a female slave, are believed to disqualify her from [receiving payment for] her marriage contract. Her mother-in-law, her mother-in-law’s daughter, her co-wife, her husband’s brother’s wife, and her husband’s daughter are all believed —- not [however] to dis-qualify her from [receiving payment for] her marriage contract, but only that she not drink.

For logic would have dictated: that if the first testimony, which does not render her permanently forbidden, cannot be estab-lished by less than two [witnesses] —- [then] the last testimony, which does render her permanently forbidden, should cer-tainly not be established by less than two [witnesses]! But [the Torah] teaches (Numbers 5:13): And there was none to testify against her —- any manner of testimony which there may be against her.  But now [the logic of] kal vachomer dic-tates in regard to the first testimony: that if the last testimony, which does render her permanently forbidden, can yet be es-tablished by one witness —- [then] the first testimony, which does not render her permanently forbidden, should certainly be established by one witness! But [the Torah] teaches (Deut. 24:1): for he found in her some immoral matter, and over there (Deut. 19:15) it says: By the testimony of two witnesses ... shall a matter be established —- just as over there it is by the testimony of two witnesses, here too it is by the testimony of two witnesses.

[If] one witness says she was defiled and another says she was not defiled, [or] one woman says she was defiled and anoth-er says she was not defiled —- she drinks. [If] one says she was defiled and two says she was not defiled —- she drinks. [If] two say she was defiled and one says she was not defiled —- she does not drink.

These may be said in any language: The Biblical passage of the sotah; the avowal of the tithes; the recitation of Shema; pray-er; the Grace after Meals; the oath of testimony; and the oath of the deposit.

And these must be said in the Holy Tongue: The recitation [of the passage] of the first-fruits; chalitzah; the Blessings and the Curses; the blessing of the Kohanim; the blessing of the Kohen Gadol; the Biblical passage [read] by the king; the Biblical passage of the decapitated calf; and the [address of the Kohen] anointed for battle at the time he speaks to the people.

From where [is it derived that] the recitation of [the passage] of the first-fruits [must be in Hebrew]? [With respect to the passage of the first-fruits it is stated:] Then you shall speak up and say before HASHEM, your God (Deut. 26:5), and over there it states: and the Levites shall speak up and say (Deut. 27:14). Just as the speaking up stated over there [means] in the Holy Tongue, here too [it means] in the Holy Tongue.

From where [is it derived that] chalitzah [must be in Hebrew]? [With respect to chalitzah it is stated:] And she shall speak up and say (Deut. 25:9), and over there it states: And the Leviim shall speak up and say (Deut. 2:14). Just as the speaking up over there means in the Holy Tongue, here too [it means] in the Holy Tongue.  R’ Yehudah says: And she shall speak up and say, “So ...” —- [this] implies that she must say it in this [exact] language.

In what manner were the Blessings and the Curses [recited]? As soon as Israel crossed the Jordan they came to Mount Ger-izim and Mount Eval that are in the vicinity of Samaria near Shechem, near Elon Moreh, as it is said: Are they not across the Jordan, etc. (Deut. 11:30), and over there it states: and Abram passed through the land until the place of Shechem, until Elon Moreh (Genesis 12:6). Just as Elon Moreh there is Shechem, so Elon Moreh here is Shechem. Six tribes ascended to the top of Mount Gerizim, and six tribes ascended to the top of Mount Eval, while the Kohanim, the Leviim and the Ark stood below, in between. The Kohanim surrounded the Ark, the Leviim surrounded the Kohanim, and all of Israel were on this side and that, as it is said: And all of Israel, with its elders, its officers, and its judges, stood on this [side] and on that [side] of the Ark, etc. (Joshua 8:33).  They turned their faces toward Mount Gerizim and began with the blessing: “Blessed is the man who does not make a graven or a molten image.” And these and those responded, “Amen!” They turned their faces toward Mount Eval and began with the curse: “Cursed is the man who makes a graven or a molten image!” (Deut. 27:15). And these and those responded, “Amen!” (ibid.). [They continued in this manner] until they completed all the Blessings and Curses.  Afterward they brought the stones, [they] built an altar, plastered it with lime, and inscribed upon it all the words of the To-rah in seventy languages; as it is said: Explain [it] well (Deut. 27:8). Then they took the stones and came and spent the night in their place.

In what manner was the Blessing of the Kohanim [pronounced]? In the provinces they pronounced it as three blessings; but in the Temple, as one blessing. In the Temple, he pronounced the Name as it is written; but in the provinces, with its cogno-men.  In the provinces the Kohanim raise their hands to shoulder height, but in the Temple, above their heads; except for the Kohen Gadol who does not raise his hands above the Tzitz. R’ Yehudah says: Even the Kohen Gadol raises his hands above the Tzitz, as it is said: And Aaron raised his hands toward the people and he blessed them (Leviticus 9:32).