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Why do the Sotah laws apply only to women?

by Rabbi Naftali Silberberg

  

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According to biblical law a man may marry more than one woman, but a woman is prohibited from having more than one husband. [Perhaps the reason is so that we should be able to determine the lineage of the children].

Therefore, a married man who is unfaithful with an unmarried woman is (sinning, because he is having relations with a woman who is not his wife, but) technically has not committed adultery.

However, the man who has relations with this married woman (the Sotah) is also an adulterer, and also subject to the sin and punishments of the Sotah.1 So this is not an issue of men/women, it is an issue of who is committing adultery.

Footnotes

  • 1. Numbers 5:22 see Rashi. Jerusalem Talmud tractate Sotah 20b 5:1
TAGS: sotah

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COMMENTS

An Adultry

Posted by: Anonymous on Dec 02, 2004

How could it be that it is only women that can commit an adultry? If this was true than shouldn't it say in the ten commandments that only women can commit an adultry? If this was what it said than it wouldnt even be in the ten commandments because these are laws that everyone must follow, so shouldn't it in effect be that a man would be commiting an adultry if he slept with a women, other than his wife, especially in a world that forbids a man to have more than one wife. If a man is able to do this please explain it to me because cleary I don't understand.

Editor's Comment

1. A man is also forbidden to commit adultery -- i.e. have sexual relations with another's wife.

2. A married man who lives with another (unmarried) woman has betrayed his wife, and will suffer the emotional and spiritual consequences. However, this sin is not included in the biblical injunction against adultery.

polygamy

Posted by: Anonymous, Mesa, AZ on Jun 23, 2006

In the article, "Why do the Sotah laws apply only to women"? by Rabbi Naftali Silberberg

"According to biblical law a man may marry more than one woman..."

What biblical law? I've observed in my reading of the OT, the practice of having multiple wives and/or concubines. But, I've never come across a law. Please supply book, chapter and verse.

Thank you.

Editor's Comment

1) As you note yourself, it is obvious that polygamy was accepted practice in Biblical times -- even by the most righteous people such as Abraham and Jacob. 2) No proof is needed to assume that something is permitted. The burden of evidence lies on the one who wants to establish a prohibition. There is no verse anywhere which forbids marrying more than one wife.
Sotah
A woman suspected of adultery, with probable cause. She is taken to the Holy Temple and given a potion which causes her death if she is guilty of the sin.