Daf 124b (דַּף קכ״ד ע״ב)

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), the Kohen does not enter of himself into this (כַּהֲנָא לָא עָיֵיל גַּרְמֵיהּ לְהַאי), but when she gives herself before him (אֶלָּא כַּד הִיא יָהֲבַת גַּרְמָהּ קַמֵּיהּ), once (מִפְּאָה זִמְנָא נ״א: לִזְכָאָה), and twice he asks her (וּתְרֵין שָׁאִיל לָהּ). Since she desires to be found meritorious (כֵּיוָן דְּאִיהִי בַּעְיָא לְאִשְׁתַּכְּחָא זַכָּאָה), then the Kohen performs the act (כְּדֵין כַּהֲנָא עָבִיד עוֹבָדָא), in order to increase peace (בְּגִין לְאַסְגָּאָה שְׁלָמָא).

The Kohen writes the Holy Name once in a straight manner (כַּהֲנָא כְּתִיב שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא חַד זִמְנָא בְּאֹרַח מֵישָׁר), afterwards he writes it backwards (לְבָתַר כָּתַב לֵיהּ לְמַפְרֵעַ), letters - some say: lines (נ״א: סְרִיטִין) - shields of light (אַתְוָון טְרִיסִין בִּטְהִירִין): judgment with judgment (דִּינָא בְּדִינָא), mercy with mercy (רַחֲמֵי בְּרַחֲמֵי), mercy with judgment (רַחֲמֵי בְּדִינָא), and judgment with mercy (וְדִינָא בְּרַחֲמֵי). If she is found meritorious (אִשְׁתְּכַחַת זַכָּאָה), letters of mercy are found (אַתְוָון רַחֲמֵי אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ), and judgments are removed (וְדִינִין סַלְּקִין). If she is not found as is proper (לָא אִשְׁתְּכַחַת כַּדְּקָא יָאוּת), mercy is removed (רַחֲמֵי סַלְּקִין), and judgments remain (וְדִינִין אִשְׁתְּאָרוּ), and then judgment is performed (וּכְדֵין דִּינָא אִתְעָבִיד).

Rabbi El'azar opened and said (רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר פָּתַח וְאָמַר): “And they came to Marah, and they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter” (וַיָבֹאוּ מָרָתָה וְלֹא יָכְלוּ לִשְׁתּוֹת מַיִם מִמָּרָה כִּי מָרִים הֵם) (Exodus 15). Behold, it has been established (הָא אוּקְמוּהָ). He said (אָמַר): I wonder how the people of the world do not look into and do not strive in the words of the Orayta (תַּוַּהְנָא אֵיךְ בְּנֵי עָלְמָא לָא מִסְתַּכְּלִין וְלָא מִשְׁתַּדְּלִין בְּמִלִּין דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא). Here there is need to look (הָכָא אִית לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא): Why is it written here (אֲמַאי כְּתִיב הָכָא): “There He made for them statute and judgment, and there He tested them” (שָׁם שָׂם לוֹ חֹק וּמִשְׁפָּט וְשָׁם נִסָּהוּ) (Exodus 15).

But surely, the mystery of the matter (אֲבָל וַדַּאי רָזָא דְּמִלָּה), that here it was concerning the waters (דְּהָכָא עַל מַיָּיא הֲוָה). Because the Egyptians were saying (בְּגִין דְּמִצְרָאֵי הֲווֹ אָמְרֵי), that the children of Yisrael were from them (דִּבְנַיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל הֲווֹ מִנַּיְיהוּ), and there were among Yisrael some who suspected their wives in this matter (וַהֲווּ כַּמָה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל דְּחַשְׁדִין לְאִנְתְּתַיְיהוּ בְּדָא). Until Kudsha Berikh Hu brought them to this place (עַד דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מָטָא לוֹן לְהַאי אֲתָר), and desired to test them (וּבָעֵי לְמִבְדַּק לוֹן). What is written? “And they came to Marah…” (מַה כְּתִיב וַיָבֹאוּ מָרָתָה וְגוֹ׳) (Exodus 15). “And he cried out to Hashem…” (וְיִצְעַק אֶל יְיָ וְגוֹ׳) (Exodus 15).

Kudsha Berikh Hu said to Moshe (אָמַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְמֹשֶׁה): Moshe, what do you desire? (מֹשֶׁה מַה אַתְּ בָּעֵי). Behold, how many transgressions stand among you here (הָא כַּמָה חֲבִילִין קַיְימִין גַּבַּיְיכוּ הָכָא), and I desire to test here the wives of Yisrael (וַאֲנָא בָּעֵינָא לְמִבְדַּק הָכָא נְשֵׁיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל). Write the Holy Name (כְּתוֹב שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא), and cast it into the waters (וּרְמֵי לְמַיָּיא), and all shall be tested (וְיִבָּדְקוּן כֻּלְּהוֹן), women and men (נְשֵׁי וְגוּבְרִין), so that no slander shall remain upon My children (וְלָא יִשְׁתְּאַר לַעַז עַל בָּנַי). And until all are tested here (וְעַד דְּיִבָּדְקוּן כֻּלְּהוֹן הָכָא), My Name shall not dwell upon them (לָא אַשְׁרֵי שְׁמִי עָלַיְיהוּ).

Immediately, “And Hashem showed him a tree, and he cast it into the waters” (מִיַּד וַיּוֹרֵהוּ יְיָ עֵץ וַיַּשְׁלֵךְ אֶל הַמַּיִם) (Exodus 15). This is the Holy Name (דָּא שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא), that which the Kohen would write to test the wives of Yisrael (הַהוּא דְּהֲוָה כּוֹתֵב כַּהֲנָא לְמִבְדַּק נְשֵׁיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל). Then, “There He made for them statute and judgment, and there He tested them” (כְּדֵין, שָׁם שָׂם לוֹ חֹק וּמִשְׁפָּט וְשָׁם נִסָּהוּ) (Exodus 15).