cellio: (talmud)
Monica ([personal profile] cellio) wrote2015-11-19 09:05 am
Entry tags:

daf bit: Sotah 24

We have previously learned that if the woman accused of infidelity refuses to drink the bitter sotah waters, she is divorced and does not receive the ketubah payment. (That is, they can't compel her to go through with the ordeal, but she also doesn't get a divorce settlement.) The mishna on today's daf talks about some similar cases. If the couple had marital relations on their way to Jerusalem (where the ritual is conducted), or if the husband is unwilling to let her drink (presumably at the last minute, else they wouldn't be in this situation), she receives her ketubah and does not drink. If the husband died before she could drink, Beit Shammai says she receives her ketubah and does not drink, but Beit Hillel says she either drinks or does not receive her ketubah. (24a)

In the cases where they have relations or he prevents her from drinking, it sounds like they are nonetheless divorced, which seems odd. Unless the mishna is telling us that she's not disqualified from her ketubah if they later get divorced. I'm not sure; need to do more reading.