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1) INVALID WITNESSES

(a) The case in the Mishnah is that a woman testified first.
(b) We explain R. Nechemyah's words as follows: Wherever the Torah believed 1 witness, we follow the majority; 2 women that contradict 1 woman are as 2 men that contradict a man (and they are believed);

1. But 2 women that contradict 1 man - we are in doubt who to believe.

(c) Question: Why must the Mishnah teach 2 clauses about invalid witnesses?
(d) Answer: One might have thought that we only follow the majority (of invalid witnesses) to be stringent - we hear, we even follow them to be lenient.

2) WHAT MUST BE SAID IN HEBREW

(a) (Mishnah): The following may be said in any language: the Parshah of Sotah; the declaration that one has given his tithes; Shema Yisrael; prayer; blessing after a meal; the oath that one does not know testimony; the oath of a watchman;
(b) The following must be said in Hebrew: what one recites when he brings Bikurim (first fruits); the verses said at Chalitzah; the blessings and curses (on Mount Gerizim and Mount Eival); the blessing Kohanim give; the blessings of the Kohen Gadol (on Yom Kipur): the Parshah the king reads when the nation is gathered (on Sukos); what is recited at the beheading of a calf (when a murdered body is found); and what the anointed Kohen says to the soldiers.

1. We learn that Bikurim must be said in Hebrew as follows: "You will answer..." - and it also says (by the blessings and curses) "The Levi'im will answer".

i. Just as the Levi'im answered in Hebrew, also the recital by Bikurim.

2. Chalitzah - "She will answer and say" - this is also learned from the Levi'im.

i. R. Yehudah says, we do not need to learn from the Levi'im - it says, "She will answer and say thusly" - it must be in the exact language as in the Torah.

(a) (Continuation of Mishnah) Question: What was the procedure of the blessings and curses?
(b) Answer: When Benei Yisrael entered Eretz Yisrael, they came to Mount Gerizim and Mount Eival in Shomron, near Shechem.

1. 6 tribes ascended Mount Gerizim, and 6 ascended Mount Eival. The Kohanim, Levi'im, and the Ark were in the valley below.
2. The Kohanim surrounded the Ark; the Levi'im surrounded the Kohanim; the rest of Yisrael were on both sides - "All of Yisrael, the sages, agents of Beis Din, and judges stand on both sides of the Ark."

(c) (The Levi'im) turned towards Mount Gerizim and started with a blessing - 'Blessed is the man that will not make an (idolatrous) graven image or figure from melted metal'; Yisrael on both sides answered Amen;

1. (The Levi'im) turned towards Mount Eival to say the curse - 'Cursed is the man that will make a graven image or figure from melted metal'; Yisrael on both sides answered Amen.
2. All the blessings and curses were said thusly.

(d) Afterwards, they brought the stones, built an Altar and plastered it with lime; they wrote the entire Torah on it, in each of the 70 languages - "Well explained".
(e) They took the stones and stayed overnight in their place (Gilgal).

4) THINGS SAID IN ANY LANGUAGE

(a) (Gemara): "The Kohen tells the woman" - this teaches that the Parshah of Sotah may be said in any language.
(b) (Beraisa): We inform her why she drinks, in what she drinks, what caused her to be defiled, and for which adultery the water tests her.

1. Why she drinks - because there was warning and seclusion;
2. In what she drinks - in a vessel of earthenware;
3. What caused her to be defiled - lightheadedness and immaturity;
4. For which adultery the water tests her - (not if she was) unaware or forced, (only if she sinned) knowingly and willingly.

(c) (Mishnah): The declaration that one has given his tithes (may be said in any language).

1. It says "You will say in front of Hash-m, 'I eradicated the sanctified (tithes) from the house'"; we learn from Parshas Sotah, by which it also says "Saying", and may be said in any language.

(d) Question (Rav Zevid): Why don't we learn from the (blessings and curses of the) Levi'im, by which it also says "Saying", and which were in Hebrew?
(e) Answer (Abaye): It is better to learn from Sotah, by which it says only "Saying" (as by the declaration of tithes), and not from the Levi'im, by which it says "Answering" and "Saying".
(f) (Beraisa - R. Shimon bar Yochai): A person should speak of his own praise in a low voice, and of his detriment in a loud voice.

1. He should speak of his praise in a low voice - we learn from declaration of tithes; his detriment in a loud voice - we learn from what one recites when he brings Bikurim.

(g) Contradiction: Here, R. Shimon bar Yochai says detriment should be in a loud voice;

1. (R. Yochanan, citing R. Shimon bar Yochai): Prayer was instituted to be said quietly, to avoid embarrassing sinners, just as the Torah said that a sin-offering should be slaughtered in the same place (the north) as a (voluntary) burnt-offering (so people should not know that a person is bringing a sin-offering).

(h) Correction: Rather, a person should speak of his affliction in a loud voice.

1. (Beraisa): "(A leper) will call out 'Tamei, Tamei'" - one should publicize his affliction, so others will ask Hash-m to have mercy upon him.
2. The same applies to one that lost a relative.

(i) (R. Yochanan, citing R. Shimon bar Yochai): Prayer was instituted to be said quietly, to avoid embarrassing sinners, just as the Torah said that a sin-offering should be slaughtered in the same place as a burnt-offering.
(j) Objection #1: But the blood of a sin-offering is sprinkled on top of the Altar, and the blood of a burnt-offering is thrown below (on corners of the Altar, and people will know when someone brings a sin-offering)!
(k) Answer: Only the Kohen will know.
(l) Objection #2: A sin-offering is a female, and a burnt-offering is a male!
(m) Answer: A lamb's tail covers the genitals, onlookers would not know if it is a female.

1. Question: If the sinner brings a goat as his sacrifice, onlookers will know it is a female!
2. Answer: He embarrassed himself - if he did not want people to know, he should have brought a lamb!
3. Question: One who served idolatry has no choice, he must bring a goat!
4. Answer: For such a severe sin, it is good that he be embarrassed, to help atone for the sin.

(a) (Mishnah): Shema Yisrael (may be recited in any language).

1. "Shema (hear)" - in any language you hear (i.e. understand).

(b) (Beraisa - Rebbi): Shema Yisrael must be said as it is written (i.e. in Hebrew); Chachamim say, in any language.

1. Rebbi learns from "They will be" - as they are (in Hebrew).
2. Chachamim learn from "Shema (hear)" - in any language you hear.

(c) Question: What do Chachamim learn from "They will be"?
(d) Answer: That it may not be read out of order.

1. Rebbi learns that from the extra letter Hei in "ha'Devarim (the words)".
2. Chachamim do not learn anything from the Hei.

(e) Question: What does Rebbi learn from "Shema"?
(f) Answer: That one must say the words audibly to his own ears.

1. Chachamim hold that even if one does not say it audibly, he fulfills the Mitzvah.