5783/2023
The fourth aliyah of Parashat Naso discusses the Sotah - a
woman suspected of cheating on her husband. Rashi explains that a Sotah deviates from the path of modesty since she was secluded (had Yichud) with another man. Her husband brings her to a Kohen and the woman has to drink a concoction to discover if she committed adultery. If she did, her belly will explode, and if not she will be fine. The Torah says that if she has not sinned, she will be fertile.
There are two mitzvot in the Torah in which Hashem changes the ways of nature: Tzaraat and Sotah. What do these mitzvot have in common and why does Hashem change nature for them? Also, why does Hashem seemingly reward the Sotah by allowing her to be fertile, if she still violated Yichud and was not acting modestly?
Tzaarat and Sotah are very similar because they both involve a person tarnishing a relationship. When a person speaks lashon hara about a friend, he ruins their relationship.
The Sotah too, betrays her spouse and destroys their relationship. Hashem changes nature to punish these people, because our bein adam lechaveiro, our interpersonal connections, are so important. Being good to the people closest to us is crucial and that is why Hashem changes nature to demonstrate the seriousness involved in a relationship.
A Sotah who did not sin is blessed with fertility because Hashem wants to strengthen her relationship with her husband. Hashem is giving them a child, something towards which they each contributed and they can work together to raise. Instead of separation, Hashem wants to draw the husband and wife closer together by blessing them a child to raise together. Even though the woman sinned, Hashem blesses her with a child, which emphasizes the crucial importance of our relationships.
Nature is changed and sinners are rewarded because Hashem wants to make sure that our relationships last and are strong. We should follow Hashem’s example and take our relationships with utmost seriousness.