Sotah

SHE BEGAN THE TRANSGRESSION WITH THE THIGH etc. Whence is this? Shall I say because it is written: When the Lord doth make thy thigh to fall away and thy belly to swell?  But it is likewise written: Her belly shall swell and her thigh shall fall away!  — Abaye said: When [the priest] utters the curse, he first curses the thigh and then curses the belly; but when the water produces its effect it does so in its normal order, viz., the belly first and then the thigh. But also in connection with the curse, it is written: Make thy belly to swell and thy thigh to fall away!  — That is what the priest informs her, viz., that it affects her belly first and then the thigh so as not to discredit the water of bitterness. MISHNAH. SAMSON WENT AFTER [THE DESIRE OF] HIS EYES; THEREFORE THE PHILISTINES PUT OUT HIS EYES, AS IT IS SAID, AND THE PHILISTINES LAID HOLD ON HIM, AND PUT OUT HIS EYES.  ABSALOM GLORIED IN HIS HAIR; THEREFORE HE WAS HANGED BY HIS HAIR. AND BECAUSE HE COHABITED WITH THE TEN CONCUBINES OF HIS FATHER, THEREFORE HE WAS STABBED WITH TEN LANCES, AS IT IS SAID, AND TEN YOUNG MEN THAT BARE JOAB'S ARMOUR COMPASSED ABOUT.  AND BECAUSE HE STOLE THREE HEARTS, THE HEART OF HIS FATHER, THE HEART OF THE COURT OF JUSTICE, AND THE HEART OF ISRAEL, AS IT IS SAID, SO ABSALOM STOLE THE HEARTS OF THE MEN OF ISRAEL,  THEREFORE THREE DARTS WERE THRUST THROUGH HIM, AS IT IS SAID, AND HE TOOK THREE DARTS IN HIS HAND, AND THRUST THEM THROUGH THE HEART OF ABSALOM.  — IT  IS THE SAME IN CONNECTION WITH THE GOOD. MIRIAM WAITED A SHORT WHILE FOR MOSES, AS IT IS SAID, AND HIS SISTER STOOD AFAR OFF;  THEREFORE ISRAEL WAS DELAYED FOR HER SEVEN DAYS IN THE WILDERNESS, AS IT IS SAID, AND THE PEOPLE JOURNEYED NOT TILL MIRIAM WAS BROUGHT IN AGAIN.  JOSEPH EARNED MERIT BY BURYING HIS FATHER AND THERE WAS NONE AMONG HIS BROTHERS GREATER THAN HE; AS IT IS SAID, AND JOSEPH WENT UP TO BURY HIS FATHER, ETC.,  AND THERE WENT UP WITH HIM BOTH CHARIOTS AND HORSEMEN.  WHOM HAVE WE GREATER THAN JOSEPH SINCE NONE OTHER THAN MOSES OCCUPIED HIMSELF WITH HIS BURIAL? MOSES EARNED MERIT THROUGH THE BONES OF JOSEPH AND THERE WAS NONE IN ISRAEL GREATER THAN HE, AS IT IS SAID, AND MOSES TOOK THE BONES OF JOSEPH WITH HIM.  WHOM HAVE WE GREATER THAN MOSES SINCE NONE OTHER THAN THE OMNIPRESENT OCCUPIED HIMSELF [WITH HIS BURIAL], AS IT IS SAID, AND HE BURIED HIM IN THE VALLEY?  NOT ONLY CONCERNING MOSES DID THEY SAY THIS, BUT CONCERNING ALL THE RIGHTEOUS, AS IT IS SAID, AND THY RIGHTEOUSNESS SHALL GO BEFORE THEE, THE GLORY OF THE LORD SHALL BE THY REARWARD. GEMARA. Our Rabbis have taught: Samson rebelled [against God] through his eyes, as it is said: And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me, because she is pleasing in my eyes;  therefore the Philistines put out his eyes, as it is said: And the Philistines laid hold on him and put out his eyes.  But it is not so; for behold it is written: But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the Lord!  — When he went [to choose a wife] he nevertheless followed his own inclinations. It has been taught: Rabbi says: The beginning of his [Samson's] degeneration occurred in Gaza; therefore he received his punishment in Gaza. 'The beginning of his [Samson's] degeneration was in Gaza', as it is written: And Samson went to Gaza, and saw there an harlot etc.;  'therefore he received his punishment in Gaza,' as it is written: And they brought him down to Gaza.  But behold it is written: And Samson went down to Timnah!  — Nevertheless the beginning of his degeneration occurred in Gaza. And it came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah.  It has been taught: Rabbi says: If her name had not been called Delilah, she was fit that it should be so called. She weakened  his strength, she weakened his heart, she weakened his actions. 'She weakened his strength', as it is written: And his strength went from him.  'She weakened his heart', as it is written: And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart.  'She weakened his actions' since the Shechinah departed from him, as it is written: But he wist not that the Lord had departed from him. 'And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart'. How did she know this?  R. Hanin said in the name of Rab: Words of truth are recognisable. Abaye said: She knew that this righteous man would not utter the Divine Name in vain; when he exclaimed: I have been a Nazirite unto God,  she said: Now he has certainly spoken the truth. And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him.  What means 'and urged him'? R. Isaac of the School of R. Ammi said: At the time of the consummation, she detached herself from him. Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink no wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing.  What means 'any unclean thing'? Furthermore, had she [Samson's mother] up to then eaten unclean things? R. Isaac of the School of R. Ammi said: [She had hitherto eaten] things forbidden to a Nazirite. But God clave the hollow place that is in Lehi.  R. Isaac of the School of R. Ammi said: He [Samson] lusted for what was unclean;  therefore his life was made dependent upon an unclean thing. And the spirit of the Lord began, etc.  R. Hama b. Hanina said: Jacob's prophecy became fulfilled, as it is written: Dan shall be a serpent in the way. To move him in Mahaneh-Dan.  R. Isaac of the School of R. Ammi said: This teaches that the Shechinah kept ringing in front of him like a bell;  it is written here to move him [lefa'amo] in Mahaneh-Dan, and it is written elsewhere A golden bell [pa'amon] and a pomegranate.  Between Zorah and Eshtaol  — R. Assi said: Zorah and Eshtaol are two great mountains, and Samson uprooted them and ground one against the other. And he shall begin to save Israel.  R. Hama b. Hanina said: