1. In this week’s Torah portion the Sotah (a woman suspected of adultery) is discussed. A Sotah is a woman who was alone with another man other than her husband after her husband zealously warned her saying, “Do not be alone with so-and-so”.
2. Our Sages tell us that, “A person does not commit a transgression unless a spirit of foolishness enters him”. They bring a proof to this adage from a verse in this week’s Torah portion regarding the Sotah which reads, “Any man whose wife shall go astray (Sisteh)”. Our Sages explain that the word “Sisteh”, literally meaning, “shall go astray”, can also be read, “Sishteh”, meaning, “acted foolishly”, therefore they learn that, “A person does not commit a transgression unless a spirit of foolishness enters him”.
3. The Rebbe questions this, as an opportunity to begin explaining a deeper dimension of the Sotah:
The Weekly Sicha of the Rebbe – Parshas Nasso
The Rebbe says:
1. In this week’s Torah portion the Sotah (a woman suspected of adultery) is discussed. A Sotah is a woman who was alone with another man other than her husband after her husband zealously warned her saying, “Do not be alone with so-and-so”.
2. Our Sages tell us that, “A person does not commit a transgression unless a spirit of foolishness enters him”. They bring a proof to this adage from a verse in this week’s Torah portion regarding the Sotah which reads, “Any man whose wife shall go astray (Sisteh)”. Our Sages explain that the word “Sisteh”, literally meaning, “shall go astray”, can also be read, “Sishteh”, meaning, “acted foolishly”, therefore they learn that, “A person does not commit a transgression unless a spirit of foolishness enters him”.
3. The Rebbe questions this, as an opportunity to begin explaining a deeper dimension of the Sotah: