Study Sotah folio 16B with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
Text Excerpt
כדלעת, מני — רבי עקיבא היא, דדריש ריבויי ומיעוטי. דתניא: ״והיה ביום השביעי יגלח את כל שערו״ — ריבה, ״את ראשו ואת זקנו ואת גבת עיניו״ — מיעט, ״ואת כל שערו יגלח״ — חזר וריבה. ריבה ומיעט וריבה — ריבה הכל.
By contrast, the Mishnah states that the metzora must be shaven like a gourd. In accordance with whose opinion is this? It is in accordance with the opinion of R' Akiva, who interprets verses by means of the principle of amplifications and restrictions. As it is taught in a baraita: In the verse: “And it should be on the 7th day, that he should shave off all his hair,” the phrase “all his hair” is an amplification. The phrase that follows: “His head and his beard and his eyebrows,” is a restriction. In the final phrase: “Even all his hair he should shave off,” the verse then amplified again. The verse is therefore an instance of amplification and restriction and amplification, which includes everything.
What does it include? It includes the hair of all of the body. What does it nevertheless exclude? It excludes nose hairs, which do not need to be shaved. Since the Mishnah presents only the opinion of R' Akiva, it poses no challenge to R' Yishmael’s list.
מאי הוי עלה? תא שמע, דאמר רב הונא בר אשי אמר רב: אין שם עפר — מביא רקבובית ירק, ומקדש.
The Talmud asks: What conclusion was reached about it, i.e., whether ashes may be used instead of dust for the water of the sota? Come and hear evidence from that which Rav Huna bar Ashi says that Rav says: If there is no dust available for the sota water, the priest brings decomposed vegetable matter, and he consecrates the water with it. This indicates that it is permitted to substitute other substances for dust.
ולא היא: רקבובית ירק הוא דהואי עפר, אפר לא הואי עפר.
The Talmud responds: But that is not so. Decomposed vegetable matter is permitted because it will become dust, but ashes will not become dust.