Halacha Overview
26. Adultery - Sotah
If a woman is deliberately unfaithful to her husband
she becomes forbidden to him and he must divorce her, as
it says "Her first husband... cannot take her again to be
his wife after she has been defiled"1,a; and she is also
forbidden to marry the man with whom she was unfaithful.
If a man tells his wife before witnesses that she must not
be alone with someone and she disobeys, she also becomes
forbidden to both of them. When the Temple exists she
can (if they wish) return to her husband by performing the
ceremony of drinking the "bitter waters", as it says "If
a man's wife strays... he shall bring his wife to the priest
and bring her sacrifice with her, a tenth of an ephah of
barley flour; he shall not pour oil on it nor put
frankincense on it... and [the priest] shall make the woman drink the
bitter water...".2,b It is a man's duty to be particular
about the habits of the members of his household and to
warn them against sin, as it says "And you shall know that
your tent is at peace and you shall examine your habitation
and not sin".3,c
Sources: |
| 1. Deut. 24:4 |
a. Geirushin 11:14; Ishus 24:17 |
| 2. Num. 5:12-31 |
b. 1:1-2; 2:1,12; Ishus 24:24 |
| 3. Job 5:24 |
c. 4:19 |