Silence and Restraint in the Sotah Ritual

וְהִשְׁבִּ֨יעַ אֹתָ֜הּ הַכֹּהֵ֗ן וְאָמַ֤ר אֶל־הָֽאִשָּׁה֙ אִם־לֹ֨א שָׁכַ֥ב אִישׁ֙ אֹתָ֔ךְ וְאִם־לֹ֥א שָׂטִ֛ית טֻמְאָ֖ה תַּ֣חַת אִישֵׁ֑ךְ הִנָּקִ֕י מִמֵּ֛י הַמָּרִ֥ים הַֽמְאָרְרִ֖ים הָאֵֽלֶּה׃ וְאַ֗תְּ כִּ֥י שָׂטִ֛ית תַּ֥חַת אִישֵׁ֖ךְ וְכִ֣י נִטְמֵ֑את וַיִּתֵּ֨ן אִ֥ישׁ בָּךְ֙ אֶת־שְׁכׇבְתּ֔וֹ מִֽבַּלְעֲדֵ֖י אִישֵֽׁךְ׃ וְהִשְׁבִּ֨יעַ הַכֹּהֵ֥ן אֶֽת־הָאִשָּׁה֮ בִּשְׁבֻעַ֣ת הָאָלָה֒ וְאָמַ֤ר הַכֹּהֵן֙ לָֽאִשָּׁ֔ה יִתֵּ֨ן יְהֹוָ֥ה אוֹתָ֛ךְ לְאָלָ֥ה וְלִשְׁבֻעָ֖ה בְּת֣וֹךְ עַמֵּ֑ךְ בְּתֵ֨ת יְהֹוָ֤ה אֶת־יְרֵכֵךְ֙ נֹפֶ֔לֶת וְאֶת־בִּטְנֵ֖ךְ צָבָֽה׃ וּ֠בָ֠אוּ הַמַּ֨יִם הַמְאָרְרִ֤ים הָאֵ֙לֶּה֙ בְּֽמֵעַ֔יִךְ לַצְבּ֥וֹת בֶּ֖טֶן וְלַנְפִּ֣ל יָרֵ֑ךְ וְאָמְרָ֥ה הָאִשָּׁ֖ה אָמֵ֥ן ׀ אָמֵֽן׃

The priest shall adjure the woman, saying to her, “If no one else has lain with you, if you have not gone astray in defilement while in your husband’s household, be immune to harm from this water of bitterness that induces the spell. But if you have gone astray while committed to your husband and have defiled yourself, if anyone other than your husband has had carnal relations with you”— here the priest shall administer the curse of adjuration to the woman, as the priest goes on to say to the woman—“may GOD make you a curse and an imprecation among your people, as GOD causes your thigh to sag and your belly to distend; may this water that induces the spell enter your body, causing the belly to distend and the thigh to sag.” And the woman shall say, “Amen, amen!”

כֵּיצַד מְקַנֵּא לָהּ. אָמַר לָהּ בִּפְנֵי שְׁנַיִם, אַל תְּדַבְּרִי עִם אִישׁ פְּלוֹנִי, וְדִבְּרָה עִמּוֹ, עֲדַיִן הִיא מֻתֶּרֶת לְבֵיתָהּ וּמֻתֶּרֶת לֶאֱכֹל בַּתְּרוּמָה. נִכְנְסָה עִמּוֹ לְבֵית הַסֵּתֶר וְשָׁהֲתָה עִמּוֹ כְדֵי טֻמְאָה, אֲסוּרָה לְבֵיתָהּ וַאֲסוּרָה לֶאֱכֹל בַּתְּרוּמָה. וְאִם מֵת, חוֹלֶצֶת וְלֹא מִתְיַבָּמֶת:

The mishna asks: How does he issue a warning to her in an effective manner? If he says to her in the presence of two witnesses: Do not speak with the man called so-and-so, and she nevertheless spoke with him, she is still permitted to her home, i.e., she is permitted to engage in sexual intercourse with her husband, and if she is the wife of a priest she is still permitted to partake of teruma. However, if after he told her not to speak with so-and-so, she entered into a secluded place and remained with that man long enough to become defiled, i.e., sufficient time to engage in sexual intercourse, she is forbidden to her home from that moment until she undergoes the sota rite. And likewise, if she was the wife of a priest she is prohibited from partaking of teruma, as she was possibly disqualified by her infidelity, so long as her innocence is not proven by means of the bitter water. And if her husband dies childless before she drinks the bitter water, she perform ḥalitza with her late husband’s brother and may not enter into levirate marriage, as, if she had been unfaithful, levirate marriage is forbidden.

וּמְאַיְּימִין עָלֶיהָ וְכוּ׳. וּרְמִינְהוּ: כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁמְּאַיְּימִין עָלֶיהָ שֶׁלֹּא תִּשְׁתֶּה כָּךְ מְאַיְּימִין עָלֶיהָ שֶׁתִּשְׁתֶּה. אוֹמְרִים לָהּ: בִּתִּי, אִם בָּרוּר לָךְ הַדָּבָר שֶׁטְּהוֹרָה אַתְּ עִמְדִי עַל בּוּרְיִיךְ, וּשְׁתִי. לְפִי שֶׁאֵין מַיִם הַמָּרִים דּוֹמִין אֶלָּא לְסַם יָבֵשׁ שֶׁמּוּנָּח עַל בָּשָׂר חַי. אִם יֵשׁ שָׁם מַכָּה — מְחַלְחֵל וְיוֹרֵד, אֵין שָׁם מַכָּה — אֵינוֹ מוֹעִיל כְּלוּם. וְאוֹמֵר לְפָנֶיהָ וְכוּ׳. תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: אוֹמֵר לְפָנֶיהָ דְּבָרִים שֶׁל הַגָּדָה, וּמַעֲשִׂים שֶׁאֵירְעוּ בִּכְתוּבִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים, כְּגוֹן: ״אֲשֶׁר חֲכָמִים יַגִּידוּ וְלֹא כִחֲדוּ מֵאֲבוֹתָם״.

§ The mishna teaches: And they threaten her in order that she admit her sin, to obviate the need to erase God’s name. And the Gemara raises a contradiction from that which was taught in a baraita in the Tosefta (1:6): In the same manner that they threaten her so that she will not drink, so too, they threaten her so that she will drink, as they say to her: My daughter, if the matter is clear to you that you are pure, arise for the sake of your clear position and drink. If you are innocent you have nothing to fear, because the bitter water is similar only to a dry poison placed on the flesh. If there is a wound there, the poison will penetrate and enter the blood stream, but if there is no wound there, it does not have any effect. This teaches that the woman is warned not to drink if she is guilty, but if she is not guilty she is encouraged to drink. There is no mention of the latter in the mishna. § The mishna teaches: And the judge says in her presence matters that are not worthy of being heard by her and all her father’s family in order to encourage her to admit her sin. The Gemara cites a baraita that details what was said. The Sages taught in a baraita: The judge says in her presence words of homiletical interpretation and mentions incidents that happened to previous generations that are recorded in the early prophetic writings. For example, they expound the following verse: “That wise men told and did not hide from their fathers” (Job 15:18); this teaches that even during the time of the forefathers, there were people who admitted their sins despite the shame they incurred.

בַּמִדָּה שֶׁאָדָם מוֹדֵד, בָּהּ מוֹדְדִין לוֹ. הִיא קִשְּׁטָה אֶת עַצְמָהּ לַעֲבֵרָה, הַמָּקוֹם נִוְּלָהּ. הִיא גִלְּתָה אֶת עַצְמָהּ לַעֲבֵרָה, הַמָּקוֹם גִּלָּה עָלֶיהָ. בַּיָּרֵךְ הִתְחִילָה בָעֲבֵרָה תְחִלָּה וְאַחַר כָּךְ הַבֶּטֶן, לְפִיכָךְ תִּלְקֶה הַיָּרֵךְ תְּחִלָּה וְאַחַר כָּךְ הַבֶּטֶן. וּשְׁאָר כָּל הַגּוּף לֹא פָלֵט:

The mishna teaches lessons that can be derived from the actions and treatment of a sota. With the measure that a person measures, he is measured with it. For example, she, the sota, adorned herself to violate a transgression, the Omnipresent therefore decreed that she be rendered unattractive; she exposed herself for the purpose of violating a transgression, as she stood in places where she would be noticed by potential adulterers, so the Omnipresent therefore decreed that her body be exposed publicly; she began her transgression with her thigh and afterward with her stomach, therefore the thigh is smitten first and then the stomach, and the rest of all her body does not escape punishment.

וְאֵינוֹ כּוֹתֵב לֹא בְּקוֹמוֹס וְלֹא בְּקַנְקַנְתּוֹם, וְלֹא בְּכׇל דָּבָר שֶׁרוֹשֵׁם, אֶלָּא בִּדְיוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וּמָחָה״, כְּתָב שֶׁיָּכוֹל לִמָּחוֹת.

And the scribe may not write with gum [komos], and not with iron sulfate [kankantom], nor with any substance that makes a mark and cannot be completely erased, but only with ink made from soot, as it is stated in the continuation of the same verse: “And he shall blot them out into the water of bitterness” (Numbers 5:23). This indicates that the scroll must be written with a writing that can be erased in water.

״הַמְקַנֵּא״, דִּיעֲבַד — אִין, לְכַתְּחִילָּה — לָא. קָסָבַר תַּנָּא דִּידַן: אָסוּר לְקַנּאוֹת. אָמַר רַב שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר רַב יִצְחָק: כִּי הֲוָה פָּתַח רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ בְּסוֹטָה, אָמַר הָכִי: אֵין מְזַוְּוגִין לוֹ לְאָדָם אִשָּׁה אֶלָּא לְפִי מַעֲשָׂיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״כִּי לֹא יָנוּחַ שֵׁבֶט הָרֶשַׁע עַל גּוֹרַל הַצַּדִּיקִים״. אָמַר רַבָּה בַּר בַּר חָנָה אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: וְקָשִׁין לְזַוְּוגָן כִּקְרִיעַת יַם סוּף, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אֱלֹהִים מוֹשִׁיב יְחִידִים בַּיְתָה מוֹצִיא אֲסִירִים בַּכּוֹשָׁרוֹת״.

§ The Gemara begins clarifying the mishna. The mishna states: One who issues a warning to his wife. By employing the descriptive phrase: One who issues a warning, and not the prescriptive phrase: One issues a warning, the tanna indicates that after the fact, yes, it is effective if he issues a warning in this manner, but ideally, no, one should not issue a warning to his wife at all ab initio. Apparently, the tanna of our mishna holds that it is prohibited to issue a warning to one’s wife ab initio in a manner that can cause her to become a sota, and all the halakhot concerning a sota are for one who issued a warning when not obligated to do so. Rav Shmuel bar Rav Yitzḥak says: When Reish Lakish would introduce his discussion of the Torah passage of sota he would say this: Heaven matches a woman to a man only according to his actions, as it is stated: “For the rod of wickedness shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous” (Psalms 125:3), indicating that if one has a wicked wife it is due to his own evil conduct. Rabba bar bar Ḥana says that Rabbi Yoḥanan says: And it is as difficult to match a couple together as was the splitting of the Red Sea, as it is stated in a verse that speaks of the exodus from Egypt: “God makes the solitary individuals dwell in a house; He brings out prisoners into prosperity [bakosharot]” (Psalms 68:7). God takes single individuals and causes them to dwell in a house by properly matching a man to a woman. This is similar to the exodus from Egypt, which culminated in the splitting of the Red Sea, where He released prisoners into prosperity.

תַּנְיָא, הָיָה רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר: אָדָם עוֹבֵר עֲבֵירָה בַּסֵּתֶר וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַכְרִיז עָלָיו בְּגָלוּי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְעָבַר עָלָיו רוּחַ קִנְאָה״, וְאֵין עֲבֵירָה אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן הַכְרָזָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיְצַו מֹשֶׁה וַיַּעֲבִירוּ קוֹל בַּמַּחֲנֶה״. רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ אָמַר: אֵין אָדָם עוֹבֵר עֲבֵירָה אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן נִכְנַס בּוֹ רוּחַ שְׁטוּת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אִישׁ אִישׁ כִּי תִשְׂטֶה אִשְׁתּוֹ״, ״תִּשְׁטֶה״ כְּתִיב.

It is taught in a baraita that Rabbi Meir would say: A person commits a transgression in private and the Holy One, Blessed be He, proclaims about him openly, i.e., in public, that he transgressed, as it is stated concerning a sota, who transgressed in private: “The spirit of jealousy came [avar] upon him” (Numbers 5:14); and the term avira means nothing other than a term of proclamation, as it is stated: “And Moses gave the commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed [vaya’aviru] throughout the camp” (Exodus 36:6). Reish Lakish says: A man commits a transgression only if a spirit of folly [shetut] enters him, as it is stated: “If any man’s wife goes aside [tisteh]” (Numbers 5:12). The word tisteh is written with the Hebrew letter shin, affording an alternative reading of tishteh, which is related to the term for folly, the word shetut.

הִגִּיעוּ לִירוּשָׁלַיִם בֵּית דִּין הַגָּדוֹל מוֹשִׁיבִין אוֹתָהּ בֵּינֵיהֶן וּמְאַיְּמִין עָלֶיהָ שֶׁלֹּא בִּפְנֵי בַּעְלָהּ וּמַפְחִידִין אוֹתָהּ פַּחַד גָּדוֹל שֶׁלֹּא תִּשְׁתֶּה. וְאוֹמְרִים לָהּ בִּתִּי הַרְבֵּה הַיַּיִן עוֹשֶׂה. הַרְבֵּה שְׂחוֹק עוֹשֶׂה. הַרְבֵּה יַלְדוּת עוֹשָׂה. הַרְבֵּה שְׁכֵנִים רָעִים עוֹשִׂים. אַל תִּגְרְמִי לַשֵּׁם הַגָּדוֹל שֶׁנִּכְתַּב בִּקְדֻשָּׁה שֶׁיִּמָּחֶה עַל הַמַּיִם. וְאוֹמְרִין לָהּ בִּתִּי הַרְבֵּה קְדָמוּךְ וְנִשְׁטְפוּ וַאֲנָשִׁים גְּדוֹלִים וִיקָרִים תָּקַף יִצְרָן עֲלֵיהֶן וְנִכְשְׁלוּ. וּמַגִּידִין לָהּ מַעֲשֵׂה יְהוּדָה וְתָמָר כַּלָּתוֹ. וּמַעֲשֵׂה רְאוּבֵן בְּפִילֶגֶשׁ אָבִיו עַל פְּשָׁטוֹ. וּמַעֲשֵׂה אַמְנוֹן וַאֲחוֹתוֹ. כְּדֵי לְהָקֵל עָלֶיהָ עַד שֶׁתּוֹדֶה. וְאִם אָמְרָה הֵן נִטְמֵאתִי אוֹ אֵינִי שׁוֹתָה יוֹצְאָה בְּלֹא כְּתֻבָּה וְהוֹלֶכֶת לָהּ: עָמְדָה בְּדִבּוּרָהּ שֶׁהִיא טְהוֹרָה. מְבִיאִין אוֹתָהּ לְשַׁעַר מִזְרָחִי שֶׁל עֲזָרָה שֶׁהוּא כְּנֶגֶד קדֶשׁ הַקָּדָשִׁים. וּמַעֲלִין אוֹתָהּ מִמָּקוֹם לְמָקוֹם וּמַקִּיפִין בָּהּ כְּדֵי לְיַגְּעָהּ עַד שֶׁתִּקְצַר נַפְשָׁהּ אוּלַי תּוֹדֶה:

When they arrive in Jerusalem, the High Court has her sit in its presence while her husband is not present, and they alarm her, frighten her and bring upon her great dread so that she will not [desire to] drink [the bitter water. They tell her: "My daughter, [we know] that wine has a powerful influence, frivolity has a powerful influence, immaturity has a powerful influence, bad neighbors have a powerful influence. Do not cause [God's] great name, which is written in holiness, to be blotted out in the water." And they tell her: "There are many who preceded you and were swept away [from the world]. Men of greater and more honorable stature have been overcome by their natural inclination and have faltered." [To emphasize this,] they tell her the story of Judah and Tamar, his daughter-in-law, the simple meaning of the episode concerning Reuben and [Bilhah], his father's concubine, and the story of Amnon and his sister, to make it easier for her to admit [her guilt]. If she says: "I committed adultery," or "I will not drink [the water]," she is to be divorced without receiving [the money due her by virtue of] her ketubah, and the matter is dismissed. If she persists in he claim of innocence, she is brought to the eastern gate of the Temple Courtyard, which faces the Holy of Holies. She should be taken from place to place [in the Temple Courtyard] and made to walk around it so that she will become tired and her spirits will sap [with the intent that perhaps] she will admit [her guilt].

וּלְפִיכָךְ פָּסַק הָעִנְיָן הַזֶּה מִשָּׁעָה שֶׁנִּתְקַלְקְלוּ בַּעֲבֵרוֹת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ (סוטה מז): ״מִשֶּׁרָבוּ הַנּוֹאֲפִים פָּסְקוּ מֵי סוֹטָה״, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (הושע ד יד):

Now there is nothing amongst all the ordinances of the Torah which depends upon a miracle, except for this matter, which is a permanent wonder and miracle that will happen in Israel, when the majority of the people live in accordance with the Will of G-d; for He was pleased for His righteousness’ sake to teach the women that they do not do after the lewdness of the other nations and to purify Israel from adulterous offspring, so that they are worthy that the Divine Presence dwell among them.

ובמדרש (שם) וכן הוא בספרי גדול השלום שהקב"ה שינה בדבר מפני השלום שנאמר האף אמנם אלד ואני זקנתי, גדול השלום ששינה המלאך שדבר עם מנוח מפני השלום כי לאשה אמר הנה את עקרה ולא ילדת ולא ספר דבר זה למנוח, גדול השלום שהשם שנכתב בקדושה אמר הקב"ה ימחה על המים להטיל שלום בין איש לאשתו, ר"א אומר גדול השלום שלא נטעו הנביאים בפי כל הבריות אלא שלום

יָשׁוּב יְרַחֲמֵנוּ. תִּתֵּן אֱמֶת. אִם כֵּן רָאוּי שֶׁתִּמְצָאֶנָּה בוֹ י"ג מִדּוֹת אֵלּוּ.

Therefore it is fitting that he should [make his actions] resemble the actions of the Crown (Keter), which are the thirteen highest traits of mercy. And they are hinted to in the secret of the verses (Michah 7:18-20), "Who is a power like You; He will again have mercy on us; You shall give truth." If so, it is fitting that these thirteen traits [also] be found in man.

מָה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר ״וְהִיא נִטְמָאָה״, ״וְהִיא לֹא נִטְמָאָה״ — אִם נִטְמְאָה לָמָּה שׁוֹתָה? אִם לֹא נִטְמְאָה לָמָּה מַשְׁקָהּ? מַגִּיד לְךָ הַכָּתוּב שֶׁהַסָּפֵק אֲסוּרָה. מִכָּאן אַתָּה דָּן לְשֶׁרֶץ: וּמָה סוֹטָה, שֶׁלֹּא עָשָׂה בָּהּ שׁוֹגֵג כְּמֵזִיד וְאוֹנֶס כְּרָצוֹן — עָשָׂה בָּהּ סָפֵק כְּוַדַּאי, שֶׁרֶץ, שֶׁעָשָׂה בּוֹ שׁוֹגֵג כְּמֵזִיד וְאוֹנֶס כְּרָצוֹן — אֵינוֹ דִּין שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה בּוֹ סָפֵק

The baraita continues by citing additional expositions involving the verse: “And she is defiled” (Numbers 5:14): What is the meaning when the verse states with regard to the cases in which a husband can compel his wife to drink the bitter water of a sota: “And he warns his wife, and she is defiled; or if the spirit of jealousy comes upon him, and he warns his wife, and she is not defiled” (Numbers 5:14)? If she is defiled, why does she need to drink? And if she is not defiled, why does he make her drink? The baraita answers: The verse tells you that it is discussing a case when there is uncertainty as to whether the woman was faithful to her husband, yet it is prohibited for her to engage in sexual intercourse with her husband until the matter is clarified. From here you can derive the halakha in a case of uncertainty with regard to whether the carcass of a creeping animal has imparted ritual impurity: Just as in the case of a sota, where the Torah does not consider unwitting adultery like intentional adultery, and rape is not treated like a willing transgression, because if a married woman committed adultery unwittingly or was raped she is not punished, yet still the Torah considers an uncertain case of adultery like a certain violation inasmuch as the woman is forbidden to her husband until the truth is clarified; so too, with regard to a creeping animal or other agents of ritual impurity, where the Torah does consider unwitting contact with impure items like intentional contact, as one contracts impurity whether or not his contact was intentional and an accident is treated like willing contact, is it not logical that the Torah must also consider an uncertain case of transmission of ritual impurity

וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים פּוֹתְחִין לוֹ פֶּתַח כּוּ׳. תָּנָא: לְעוֹלָם אַל תְּהִי רָגִיל בַּנְּדָרִים, שֶׁסּוֹפְךָ לִמְעוֹל בִּשְׁבוּעוֹת. וְאַל תְּהִי רָגִיל אֵצֶל עַם הָאָרֶץ, שֶׁסּוֹפְךָ לְהַאֲכִילְךָ טְבָלִים. אַל תְּהִי רָגִיל אֵצֶל כֹּהֵן עַם הָאָרֶץ, שֶׁסּוֹפְךָ לְהַאֲכִילְךָ תְּרוּמָה. וְאַל תַּרְבֶּה שִׂיחָה עִם הָאִשָּׁה, שֶׁסּוֹפְךָ לָבוֹא לִידֵי נִיאוּף. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן בֶּן דַּהֲבַאי, אַרְבָּעָה דְּבָרִים סָחוּ לִי מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת: חִיגְּרִין מִפְּנֵי מָה הָוְיִין — מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוֹפְכִים אֶת שׁוּלְחָנָם. אִילְּמִים מִפְּנֵי מָה הָוְיִין — מִפְּנֵי שֶׁמְּנַשְּׁקִים עַל אוֹתוֹ מָקוֹם. חֵרְשִׁים מִפְּנֵי מָה הָוְיִין — מִפְּנֵי שֶׁמְסַפְּרִים בִּשְׁעַת תַּשְׁמִישׁ. סוֹמִין מִפְּנֵי מָה הָוְיִין — מִפְּנֵי שֶׁמִּסְתַּכְּלִים בְּאוֹתוֹ מָקוֹם.

§ It is stated in the mishna that the Rabbis say: Dissolution is broached with him by suggesting a different extenuation, and he is taught not to take this kind of vow so that he will not take vows lightly. It is taught in a baraita: Never be accustomed to taking vows, because ultimately you will disregard them, and you will even abuse oaths, which are more grave. And do not regularly be around an ignoramus, because ultimately he will feed you untithed produce, as he is not careful to tithe. Do not regularly be by an ignorant priest, because ultimately he will feed you teruma due to his close relationship with you, and teruma is forbidden to a non-priest. And do not talk extensively with a woman, because ultimately you will come to adultery. § Rabbi Yoḥanan ben Dehavai said: The ministering angels told me four matters: For what reason do lame people come into existence? It is because their fathers overturn their tables, i.e., they engage in sexual intercourse in an atypical way. For what reason do mute people come into existence? It is because their fathers kiss that place of nakedness. For what reason do deaf people come into existence? It is because their parents converse while engaging in sexual intercourse. For what reason do blind people come into existence? It is because their fathers stare at that place.

ונמצא זה הדין הוא חסד להם שהם נעשים כלים לקדושת שמו יתברך. וזהו חסד להם, כי אפשר יהיה עליה לנפשם בזה. וזהו הרמז (שמות יד, לא) וירא ישראל את היד הגדולה, ובאמת יד הגדולה רומז תמיד על מדת החסד ומה חסד היה כאן. ועל זה מפרש הפסוק (שם) וייראו העם את ה' ונמצא היו הם כלים שיתקדש שמו הגדול.

When G’d exacts judgment from sinners this ‎may take two forms. 1) By doing so, He at the same time ‎sanctifies His holy name. 2) He is not concerned with sanctifying ‎His holy name through the manner in which he executes this ‎judgment. When G’d’s name becomes sanctified while He exacts ‎retribution from the sinner, this is an act of Kindness on His part, ‎as the victim of the judgment exacted simultaneously became the ‎instrument through which G’d’s name was sanctified. The ‎victim’s soul experiences a spiritual elevation as a result of having ‎been instrumental in sanctifying G’d’s name.

דהיינו שצריך להרגיז היצ"ט על היצה"ר לשבר כח הפניות עד שיזכה שיהיה אהבתו שלימה, ועל ידי זה הוא מעלה גם את האהבות החיצונות שהיו בו מתחילה, מעלה אותם ג"כ אל הקדושה, כמ"ש חז"ל 'הזדונות נעשים כזכיות'. וזהו שאנו אומרים "אהבת עולם אהבתנו", פירוש גם אהבת עוה"ז שהיתה לנו מתחילה, "אהבתנו", כלומר גם הם אהובים לפניך כשאנו מעלים אותם אל הקדושה, "חמלה גדולה

as above. "And he waited more etc and she did not come back etc" (Gen. 8:12) the explanation comes from the verse "a great voice that did not add" (Deut. 5:19) and the explanation of Rashi: 'did not interrupt', meaning, that there are other levels in human beings in which one does not stop thinking ever, seeing that one's deeds are never good enough to their own eyes and one is always seeing defects on them, and is always trying to go back and do teshuvah, and this is "she returned to him again" - a person should always be a ba'al teshuvah.

וכדי לבאר זה נבאר ענין ד' דגלים איך הוא בכל האדם ובכל זמן, דגל מחנה יהודא קדמה מזרחה (במדבר ב, ג), דגל מחנה ראובן תימנה (שם ב, י), דגל מחנה אפרים ימה (שם ב, יח), דגל מחנה דן צפונה (שם ב, כה).

And through turning the face towards the face, it causes bounty and blessing via the direct light, [which is] the opposite of the refracted light, which is strict justice.