Naso: embarrassment

One of the main subjects of the parsha is the Sotah ( the suspected wife).

The sotah ritual is embarrassing.  It is embarrassing to read about a ritual that includes a magic potion. Medically, I think that such a concoction of dirt from the Temple floor and dried ink in water would rarely  (probably never) cause the described symptoms of liver cirrhosis described as  the indicators of guilt. That is a comfort on this day when a Sudanese woman was stoned to death for adultery.  I am comfortable with the expiation of an ineffective magic formula.

The sotah is also embarrassed.  The written text  says that her hair is exposed.  The Talmud says more is exposed.  This indicates a relationship between exposure and embarrassment.  What is hidden is embarrassing if exposed ( or it least it was in earlier times).  Does this go back to the invention of clothing? Adam and Eve were embarrassed, so they clothed themselves. Is everything that we clothe embarrassing if uncovered? We clothe the Torah! Bob Dylan ( who won the Medal of Freedom this week) said, “ You’re invisible now, you have no secrets to reveal.”

Embarrassment is not fatal. I don’t think that the sotah drink was fatal either. Stoning... that’s fatal.  Maybe actual adultery is fatal, too.

Note the meaning of adultery.  It is a pollution ( adulterated).  Grown ups are the corrupted  people. 

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