C“ontrolling Passions- Mixed Results 111

The significance of witnesses was stressed at the beginning of the tractate along with another matter. If the woman came from a distance and the witnesses against her were not present, the waters would not be effective. A bit later there was a long discussion of the woman’s merit causing the waters to be ineffective(B. Sotah 6a). Although these matters were discussed again later in the tractate, this showed doubts about the ritual from the beginning.

The text provided numerous homiletic discussions of various biblical characters, their failures and jealousies. The emphasis was on how good behavior was rewarded and evil punished through a life time with numerous asides(B. Sotah 9b-14a). This homiletic effort indicated that persuasion rather than legal or ritual means was considered to be the answer.

There were, of course, as in the Mishnah, detailed discussions about the nature of the sacrifice and the manner in which the rite was carried out, matters that are not our concern in this paper(B. Sotah 15b ff)

The entire issue of the woman’s merit, already treated by the Mishnah, led to lengthy discussion on the nature of the merit, whether for an obligatory mitzvah or commandment or for something that went beyond what was required. This then led to a detailed discussion of the merit of studying Torah and when would such merit be effective. As this was not obligatory upon women, most authorities felt that they would not receive merit. Rabina put it differently and suggested that merit was achieved through their support for husbands and sons who studied Torah (B. Sotah 21a). Similar discussions of the place of women followed with a slightly higher opinion of those who were pious than found in the Mishnah(Sotah 22a).

Many possible problems, which did or might arise, were discussed throughout the tractate as well as some other limitations, Such as physical contact with a man, but without sex, lesbian contact, sexual relations with animals— even when warned by the husband in the prescribed manner. These discussions expanded the range of the