Jeśli była ubrana na biało, ubierają ją na czarno. Jeśli były na niej złote klejnoty, naszyjniki, kolczyki w nosie i pierścienie na palce, zdejmują je z niej, aby ją zhańbić. A potem bierze skręcony sznur i zawiązuje go nad jej piersiami. A wszyscy, którzy chcą widzieć, przychodzą, aby zobaczyć, z wyjątkiem jej niewolników i niewolnic, bo jest wobec nich wyniosła. I wszystkim kobietom wolno ją widzieć, jak jest napisane: „I wszystkie kobiety będą ostrzeżone, aby nie postępowały zgodnie z twoją lubieżnością”. (Ezechiela 23:48)
Bartenura on Mishnah Sotah
היתה מכוסה בלבנים מכסה בשחורים – if they were black [clothing] that were nice for her, cover her with ugly black clothing.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Sotah
Introduction
This mishnah continues to describe the public humiliation which the Sotah must undergo.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Sotah
קטליות – large that they place around the neck and because the woman chokes herself with them in order that she would appear to have a lot of skin, they are called קטליות –chains–necklaces.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Sotah
If she was clothed in white, he clothes her in black. If she wore gold jewelry or necklaces, ear-rings and finger-rings, they remove them from her in order to make her repulsive. The Sotah is not allowed to continue to wear clothes or jewelry that make her more beautiful.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Sotah
נזמים וטבעות מעבירים ממנה – The Gemara (Talmud Sotah 8b) explains that you would not say that she should leave the earrings and rings after her clothes had been torn and revealed her heart–bosom that this is more of a disgrace to her just as it is a greater disgrace for a naked man that he should walk with shoes on his feet than walk barefoot. It comes to teach us that this is not the case.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Sotah
After that [the priest] takes a rope made of twigs and binds it over her breasts. After the clothes were torn (see previous mishnah), the priest uses a coarse rope to tie them above her breasts. She is not meant to stand there naked, but rather just disheveled.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Sotah
חבל מצרי – It explains in the Jerusalem Talmud that because she acted in the ways of Egypt, but if there is no “common rope”–Egyptian rope, bring other ropes.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Sotah
Whoever wishes to look upon her comes to look with the exception of her male and female slaves, since she has no shame in front of them. The mishnah allows, indeed encourages, the Sotah to be made into a public spectacle. Anyone who wishes to look at her can do so. The only exceptions are her male and female slaves, for they are accustomed to seeing her at her most intimate moments. Seeing them might encourage her not to admit to her crime, and one of the goals of the ceremony is for her to crime.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Sotah
קושרו למעלה מדדיה – so that her clothing doesn’t fall and she would remain naked.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Sotah
All of the women are permitted to look upon her, as it is said, “That all women may be taught not to do after your lewdness” (Ezekiel 23:48). The Talmud understands that not only are other women permitted to look at her, but they are actually obligated to look at her. This is learned from Ezekiel who says that other women shall see the adulteress punished and will not repeat her crimes. Note that the chapter in Ezekiel uses the metaphor of adultery to describe Israel’s “whoring” itself after foreign Gods. The vivid descriptions of her crimes and the description of her punishment are reflections of the punishment of adulteresses.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Sotah
וכל הרוצה לראות יבא ויראה – and specifically, with men, it is optional and not obligatory, but with women, it is obligatory upon all the women that are found there to come and look as it is written (Ezekiel 23:48): “and all the women shall take warning [not to imitate your wantonness].”
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Bartenura on Mishnah Sotah
וכל הנשים מותרות לראותה. חייבין לראות – But women are permitted to look at her and obligated to look at her. This is explained in the Gemara (Talmud Sotah 8b).
