Sotah 22 - April 20, 29 Nissan

Today's daf is sponsored by Dianne Kuchar in loving memory of her father, Moshe ben Avraham and her husband Dennis, Shimon Avraham ben Yisrael Moshe. "I find myself midway between the two yahrtzeits of the most significant men in my life, my dad and my Dennis. Dad would have been so proud of my learning, Dennis WAS very proud. We still can’t believe he is gone." The sages frowned upon one who learned Torah and memorized mishnayot but did not serve Torah scholars. This is understood as one who recited them without understanding them. Different sages categorized them as other types of people in society that were not to be relied upon. Who is considered an am haaretz? The Gemara defines the other two terms that Rabbi Yehoshua brought in the Mishna - isha prusha and makot perushim. These, as well as others who are also viewed as those who destroy the world, are defined as those who pretend to be righteous but it is just a cover for their true nature which is evil or one who does good things but for ulterior motives, such as learning or doing mitzvot in order to receive a reward. Abaye and Rava disagreed with the latter statement as one who learns Torah or does mitzvot not for their own sake will ultimately do them for their own sake and therefore it is recommended to learn Torah even if it is done for ulterior motives. Rabbi Shimon doesn't think that a woman's merits will delay her death, as it will weaken the power of the waters to scare those who are guilty and it will cause innocent women to be perceived as guilty even after drinking the water. Rebbi holds that the woman's merits can delay her death but she will not get pregnant and her health slowly deteriorates until she dies as a sotah. If the meal offering becomes impure, what is done with it? It depends on if it was before or after it was sanctified in a holy vessel.