1. Method
The Place Where We Are Right
by Yehuda Amichai From the place where we are right Flowers will never grow In the spring. The place where we are right Is hard and trampled Like a yard. But doubts and loves Dig up the world Like a mole, a plow. And a whisper will be heard in the place Where the ruined House once stood.
Yehuda Amichai: (1924 – 2000) was an Israeli poet. Amichai is considered, both in Israel and internationally, as Israel's greatest modern poet, and one of the leading poets worldwide.He also wrote two novels and several short stories.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yehuda_Amichai
2. Sotah: The Case of Jealousy
(יב) דַּבֵּר֙ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְאָמַרְתָּ֖ אֲלֵהֶ֑ם אִ֥ישׁ אִישׁ֙ כִּֽי־תִשְׂטֶ֣ה אִשְׁתּ֔וֹ וּמָעֲלָ֥ה ב֖וֹ מָֽעַל׃ (יג) וְשָׁכַ֨ב אִ֣ישׁ אֹתָהּ֮ שִׁכְבַת־זֶ֒רַע֒ וְנֶעְלַם֙ מֵעֵינֵ֣י אִישָׁ֔הּ וְנִסְתְּרָ֖ה וְהִ֣יא נִטְמָ֑אָה וְעֵד֙ אֵ֣ין בָּ֔הּ וְהִ֖וא לֹ֥א נִתְפָּֽשָׂה׃ (יד) וְעָבַ֨ר עָלָ֧יו רֽוּחַ־קִנְאָ֛ה וְקִנֵּ֥א אֶת־אִשְׁתּ֖וֹ וְהִ֣וא נִטְמָ֑אָה אוֹ־עָבַ֨ר עָלָ֤יו רֽוּחַ־קִנְאָה֙ וְקִנֵּ֣א אֶת־אִשְׁתּ֔וֹ וְהִ֖יא לֹ֥א נִטְמָֽאָה׃
(12) Speak to the Israelite people and say to them: If any man’s wife has gone astray and broken faith with him (13) in that a man has had carnal relations with her unbeknown to her husband, and she keeps secret the fact that she has defiled herself without being forced, and there is no witness against her— (14) but a fit of jealousy comes over him and he is wrought up about the wife who has defiled herself; or if a fit of jealousy comes over one and he is wrought up about his wife although she has not defiled herself—
3. The Rite
(טו) וְהֵבִ֨יא הָאִ֣ישׁ אֶת־אִשְׁתּוֹ֮ אֶל־הַכֹּהֵן֒ וְהֵבִ֤יא אֶת־קׇרְבָּנָהּ֙ עָלֶ֔יהָ עֲשִׂירִ֥ת הָאֵיפָ֖ה קֶ֣מַח שְׂעֹרִ֑ים לֹֽא־יִצֹ֨ק עָלָ֜יו שֶׁ֗מֶן וְלֹֽא־יִתֵּ֤ן עָלָיו֙ לְבֹנָ֔ה כִּֽי־מִנְחַ֤ת קְנָאֹת֙ ה֔וּא מִנְחַ֥ת זִכָּר֖וֹן מַזְכֶּ֥רֶת עָוֺֽן׃ (טז) וְהִקְרִ֥יב אֹתָ֖הּ הַכֹּהֵ֑ן וְהֶֽעֱמִדָ֖הּ לִפְנֵ֥י יהוה׃ (יז) וְלָקַ֧ח הַכֹּהֵ֛ן מַ֥יִם קְדֹשִׁ֖ים בִּכְלִי־חָ֑רֶשׂ וּמִן־הֶֽעָפָ֗ר אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִהְיֶה֙ בְּקַרְקַ֣ע הַמִּשְׁכָּ֔ן יִקַּ֥ח הַכֹּהֵ֖ן וְנָתַ֥ן אֶל־הַמָּֽיִם׃ (יח) וְהֶעֱמִ֨יד הַכֹּהֵ֥ן אֶֽת־הָאִשָּׁה֮ לִפְנֵ֣י יהוה וּפָרַע֙ אֶת־רֹ֣אשׁ הָֽאִשָּׁ֔ה וְנָתַ֣ן עַל־כַּפֶּ֗יהָ אֵ֚ת מִנְחַ֣ת הַזִּכָּר֔וֹן מִנְחַ֥ת קְנָאֹ֖ת הִ֑וא וּבְיַ֤ד הַכֹּהֵן֙ יִהְי֔וּ מֵ֥י הַמָּרִ֖ים הַמְאָֽרְרִֽים׃ (יט) וְהִשְׁבִּ֨יעַ אֹתָ֜הּ הַכֹּהֵ֗ן וְאָמַ֤ר אֶל־הָֽאִשָּׁה֙ אִם־לֹ֨א שָׁכַ֥ב אִישׁ֙ אֹתָ֔ךְ וְאִם־לֹ֥א שָׂטִ֛ית טֻמְאָ֖ה תַּ֣חַת אִישֵׁ֑ךְ הִנָּקִ֕י מִמֵּ֛י הַמָּרִ֥ים הַֽמְאָרְרִ֖ים הָאֵֽלֶּה׃ (כ) וְאַ֗תְּ כִּ֥י שָׂטִ֛ית תַּ֥חַת אִישֵׁ֖ךְ וְכִ֣י נִטְמֵ֑את וַיִּתֵּ֨ן אִ֥ישׁ בָּךְ֙ אֶת־שְׁכׇבְתּ֔וֹ מִֽבַּלְעֲדֵ֖י אִישֵֽׁךְ׃ (כא) וְהִשְׁבִּ֨יעַ הַכֹּהֵ֥ן אֶֽת־הָאִשָּׁה֮ בִּשְׁבֻעַ֣ת הָאָלָה֒ וְאָמַ֤ר הַכֹּהֵן֙ לָֽאִשָּׁ֔ה יִתֵּ֨ן יהוה אוֹתָ֛ךְ לְאָלָ֥ה וְלִשְׁבֻעָ֖ה בְּת֣וֹךְ עַמֵּ֑ךְ בְּתֵ֨ת יהוה אֶת־יְרֵכֵךְ֙ נֹפֶ֔לֶת וְאֶת־בִּטְנֵ֖ךְ צָבָֽה׃ (כב) וּ֠בָ֠אוּ הַמַּ֨יִם הַמְאָרְרִ֤ים הָאֵ֙לֶּה֙ בְּֽמֵעַ֔יִךְ לַצְבּ֥וֹת בֶּ֖טֶן וְלַנְפִּ֣ל יָרֵ֑ךְ וְאָמְרָ֥ה הָאִשָּׁ֖ה אָמֵ֥ן ׀ אָמֵֽן׃ (כג) וְ֠כָתַ֠ב אֶת־הָאָלֹ֥ת הָאֵ֛לֶּה הַכֹּהֵ֖ן בַּסֵּ֑פֶר וּמָחָ֖ה אֶל־מֵ֥י הַמָּרִֽים׃ (כד) וְהִשְׁקָה֙ אֶת־הָ֣אִשָּׁ֔ה אֶת־מֵ֥י הַמָּרִ֖ים הַמְאָֽרְרִ֑ים וּבָ֥אוּ בָ֛הּ הַמַּ֥יִם הַֽמְאָרְרִ֖ים לְמָרִֽים׃ (כה) וְלָקַ֤ח הַכֹּהֵן֙ מִיַּ֣ד הָֽאִשָּׁ֔ה אֵ֖ת מִנְחַ֣ת הַקְּנָאֹ֑ת וְהֵנִ֤יף אֶת־הַמִּנְחָה֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יהוה וְהִקְרִ֥יב אֹתָ֖הּ אֶל־הַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃
(15) the man shall bring his wife to the priest. And he shall bring as an offering for her one-tenth of an ephah of barley flour. No oil shall be poured upon it and no frankincense shall be laid on it, for it is a meal offering of jealousy, a meal offering of remembrance which recalls wrongdoing. (16) The priest shall bring her forward and have her stand before the LORD. (17) The priest shall take sacral water in an earthen vessel and, taking some of the earth that is on the floor of the Tabernacle, the priest shall put it into the water. (18) After he has made the woman stand before the LORD, the priest shall bare the woman’s head and place upon her hands the meal offering of remembrance, which is a meal offering of jealousy. And in the priest’s hands shall be the water of bitterness that induces the spell. (19) The priest shall adjure the woman, saying to her, “If no man has lain with you, if you have not gone astray in defilement while married to your husband, be immune to harm from this water of bitterness that induces the spell. (20) But if you have gone astray while married to your husband and have defiled yourself, if a man other than your husband has had carnal relations with you”— (21) here the priest shall administer the curse of adjuration to the woman, as the priest goes on to say to the woman—“may the LORD make you a curse and an imprecation among your people, as the LORD causes your thigh to sag and your belly to distend; (22) 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!” (23) The priest shall put these curses down in writing and rub it off into the water of bitterness. (24) He is to make the woman drink the water of bitterness that induces the spell, so that the spell-inducing water may enter into her to bring on bitterness. (25) Then the priest shall take from the woman’s hand the meal offering of jealousy, elevate the meal offering before the LORD, and present it on the altar.
4. For the Sake of Peace in the Home
In the case of the Holy Name, inscribed in sanctity, Scripture orders that it is to be blotted out in water to bring about peace between a man and his wife.
Numbers Rabbah
“In the course of the sotah ceremony, which determines whether a woman was unfaithful to her husband, God’s Name is written on a shard of clay that is then dipped in water, causing the Name to be erased. It is as if God is saying, “My Name, which was written in holiness, may be erased in order to bring out peace between husband and wife.”Rebbe Nachman’s Torah, Parashat Naso, Breslov Research Institute, pg. 30, cf. Chullin 141a
5. A Story about Rabbi Meir: For the Sake of Peace in the Home
Rabbi Meir would teach a lesson in the synagogue of Hammata* every night of the week. There was a woman who would come regularly to hear him. One time the lesson lasted longer than usual. When she returned home, she found that the lights had burned out. Her husband said to her, "Where have you been?" She replied, "I was listening to the lesson." He said, "May God do so-and-so if this woman enters this house before spitting in the face of the one who gave that lesson." Rabbi Meir perceived with the help of the Holy Spirit what had happened and pretended to have a pain in his eye. He announced, "Any woman who knows how to recite a charm over an eye, let her come and heal mine." The woman's neighbors said to her, "The time has come for you to return home. Pretend to be a charmer and spit in his eye." She came to him. He said to her, "Do you know how to heal a sick eye through making a charm?" She was scared and replied, "No." He said, "Doesn't it help to spit into the eye seven times to heal it?" After she spit in his eye, he told her, "Go and tell your husband that although he only asked you to spit once, you in fact spit seven times." The disciples of Rabbi Meir objected, "You condone this disgraceful behavior towards the Torah? If you had told us about the incident with her husband, we could easily have found him, flogged him at the stock until he was reconciled with his wife!" Rabbi Meir responded: "Should the honor of Meir not be equal to that of his Creator? Now if according to the Torah, the name of God which is written in holiness is to be blotted out in order to bring about peace between a man and a woman [see Numbers 5:23], should not the honor of Meir be treated in the same fashion?" (JT Sotah 1:4, 16d)
Translation and Essay can be found here https://www.jonathanlipnick.com/blog/even-rabbi-meir-got-spit-at
^. Sukkah 53a-b For the Sake of World Peace
אָמַר דָּוִד: מִי אִיכָּא דְּיָדַע אִי שְׁרֵי לְמִכְתַּב שֵׁםאַחַסְפָּא וְנִשְׁדְּיֵהּ בִּתְהוֹמָא וּמַנַּח לֵיכָּא?
דְּקָאָמַר לֵיהּ מִידֵּי.
אֲמַר דָּוִד: כׇּל דְּיָדַע לְמֵימַר וְאֵינוֹ אוֹמֵר יֵחָנֵק בִּגְרוֹנוֹ.
נָשָׂא אֲחִיתוֹפֶל קַל וָחוֹמֶר בְּעַצְמוֹ וּמָה לַעֲשׂוֹת שָׁלוֹם בֵּין אִישׁ לְאִשְׁתּוֹ אָמְרָה תּוֹרָה, שְׁמִי שֶׁנִּכְתַּב בִּקְדוּשָּׁה יִמָּחֶה עַל הַמַּיִם, לַעֲשׂוֹת שָׁלוֹם לְכׇל הָעוֹלָם כּוּלּוֹ, עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ שְׁרֵי.
כָּתֵב שֵׁם אַחַסְפָּא וְשָׁדֵי לִתְהוֹמָא וּנְחֵית תְּהוֹמָא שִׁיתְּסַר אַלְפֵי גַּרְמִידֵי.
כִּי חָזֵי דְּנָחֵית טוּבָא אֲמַר כַּמָּה דְּמִידְּלֵי טְפֵי מִירְטַב עָלְמָא.
אֲמַר חֲמֵשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה מַעֲלוֹת וְאַסְּקֵיהּ חֲמֵיסַר אַלְפֵי גַּרְמִידֵי.
Talmud Bavli Sukkah 53a-b
David said, “Does anyone know whether it is permitted to write God’s name on a shard [of pottery] so we could throw it into the watery deep and [the waters] will rest?” No one responded to him. David said: Anyone who knows what to say and isn’t saying it shall be hanged by his throat!
Ahitofel inferred (from a kal va homer): If in order to make peace between a man and his wife, the Torah says the divine name written in holiness can be erased into water, how much more so in order to make peace in the whole world! [Ahitofel] said to him: It is permitted. He wrote the Name on a shard and threw it into the watery deep, and the water receded sixteen-thousand amot.
When he saw that it had receded too much David said the more it rises the more the world is moistened. He composed the fifteen [Songs of] Ascents [Psalms 120-134], and [the water] rose fifeen-thousand amot, remaining at one-thousand amot [beneath the earth’s surface].