A Woman’s Prayer

In this week’s Torah reading, Parshat Naso, we come across a fascinating mitzvah. It is the only mitzvah in the entire legal system of 613 mitzvot that directly involves a miracle. Known as the process of “Sotah,” when properly followed and administered, this mitzvah determines whether a wife has been faithful to her husband.  But lest anyone jump and get the wrong idea, the Oral Law makes it explicitly clear that this process will not be effective if the husband, ever in his life, had a forbidden sexual relation.

Having previously warned his wife in front of 2 witnesses not to seclude herself with so and so, her husband may become suspicious of her fidelity. In this special case, he may employ the mitzvah of “Sotah.” If she is guilty, the special water that she drinks (which includes dust from the floor of the Temple and the dissolved ink with which God’s name was written) will simultaneously kill her and the man with whom she consorted. However, if she is innocent, she will conceive, via the normal process, a male child with her husband. 

Quite obviously, a miracle must occur within the Torah’s legal system, if this sequence of events and justice is to transpire. Only these two outcomes mentioned above are the possible results from the “Sotah” process. It is clear then, that no man could have created this mitzvah. Only God, who knows the thoughts and actions of every person, could create such a system to substantiate the accusation or to vindicate the innocent.

This mitzvah, however, is only applicable when two conditions are met: 1. The Holy Temple exists and 2. a majority of the Jewish people live in accordance with the Will of God.  “Thus, this matter was stopped from the time the people became debauched with (sexual) sins, as the Oral Law states, ‘When the adulterers became frequent, the water of Sotah ceased.’” (Ramban’s commentary on Bamidbar, 5:20)

There was one Jewish woman who used the mitzvah of Sotah in an unusual way to accomplish a very lofty goal. This woman was Hannah, the wife of Elkanah. Their story was recorded in the Book of Samuel I, chapters 1-2. It is read as the Haftorah portion on the first day of Rosh Hashanah. Hannah was barren and longed for a child with her husband. Her emotional pain and agony are vividly described by the prophet. Eventually, Hannah used her anguish in a positive way. As she prayed to Hashem for a child, she offered a vow. But only part of her prayer is presented in the written account. The Oral Law tells us the other part of her prayer.

Prayer, in part, is an opportunity for a human being to present before Hashem a rational request and plan to satisfy their personal needs. Hannah was brilliant. She formulated her prayer and petition such that God had to give her a male child. Her argument was twofold. She desired a child for the highest purpose, to serve Hashem. But her plea continued with a halachic (legal) argument. “If You, Hashem, do not grant my sincere, prayerful request for a child, then Hashem, I will force You to grant me a son.  How so? I will use the institution of the mitzvah Sotah.”

As Hannah continued her prayer, she expressed to God that she will contrive a situation where her husband will warn her about seclusion with another man. She will then arouse his suspicion and he will bring her to the Temple for the Kohain to administer the “Sotah” process.  She will drink the water of “Sotah” and of course, be found innocent. In accordance with the law of this mitzvah, as a reward for her innocence, “God,” she implored, “You will have to see to it that I conceive a male child with my husband. So, either way, Hashem, You must give me a child.”  That was the essence of Hannah’s prayer.

As the story unfolds, Hannah’s prayer is heard. Hannah and Elkanah do have a son without employing the mitzvah of “Sotah.”  Hannah appropriately named this child Shmuel, Samuel, which means, “God hears.” This name refers to the truth that God heard the prayer of Hannah. We say in the אשרי prayer every day,  “Hashem hears the prayers of all who call out to him in truth.” As promised, after weaning her son, Hannah brings him to serve in the Temple. This child eventually becomes the great prophet, Samuel, for whom the Books of Samuel are named.

So, while the mitzvah of “Sotah,” designed as an honor to the nation of Israel to demonstrate God’s closeness to us, has been temporarily forfeited, the mitzvah and power of prayer remain with us to this day.

Given the current uptick of antisemitism both here and abroad, as well as the constant maligning of the Israeli government and the recent spate of terror attacks on its citizens, let our prayers for the safety of all of Israel’s citizens and Jews around the world come before God. May Hashem continue His protecting care over the nation of Israel, Jews, and peace-loving people the world over. עם ישראל חי!

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Robert Kaplan