Study Sotah folio 16B with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
By contrast, the Mishnah states that the metzora must be shaven like a gourd. In accordance with whose opinion is this? It is in accordance with the opinion of R' Akiva, who interprets verses by means of the principle of amplifications and restrictions. As it is taught in a baraita: In the verse: “
What does it include? It includes the hair of all of the body. What does it nevertheless exclude? It excludes nose hairs, which do not need to be shaved. Since the Mishnah presents only the opinion of R' Akiva, it poses no challenge to R' Yishmael’s list.
The Talmud asks: What conclusion was reached about it, i.e., whether ashes may be used instead of dust for the water of the sota? Come and hear evidence from that which Rav Huna bar Ashi says that Rav says: If there is no dust available for the sota water, the priest brings decomposed vegetable mat
The Talmud responds: But that is not so. Decomposed vegetable matter is permitted because it will become dust, but ashes will not become dust.
§ The Mishnah states: He would take loose dust from underneath the tablet and place it into the vessel with the water, so that the dust would be visible upon the water. A baraita states (Tosefta 1:8): 3 items are required to be seen: The dust of the sota must be visible in the water, the ashes of th