The Torah describes (starting in Bamidbar 5:11) the process of a husband warning his wife not to be secluded with a certain man. Then if she is secluded with that man for a certain amount of time and witnesses (or the husband) see the seclusion she is eligible to go through the sotah process. I would like to know if the husband at any point can undo his initial warning so that the woman's seclusion with the second man cannot precipitate the sotah process.
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4+1 Perhaps also there is a type of behavior for her to do tshuva? Interesting question.– user6591Aug 2, 2017 at 13:35
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5Interesting question. Related question: Does the warning 'expire' on it's own if there were no conditions said, or does the warning last forever once it's made?– Salmononius2Aug 2, 2017 at 14:05
2 Answers
Yes, a husband can annul his warning at any time so long as the forbidden seclusion hasn't actually happened yet. (Rambam Sotah 1:7, Shulchan Arukh EH 178:12, Sotah 25a)
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1Sotah 4:2 seems to be saying that he can cancel the warning even on the way to the temple, either by saying "I will not make her drink" or by having relations with her. Is that a broader view? (I mean, it's mishna, so early, so plenty of time to be refined, but I haven't chased it down and my Hebrew's not good enough for your linked sources.) Apr 19, 2019 at 16:15
yes, and it is retroactively invalidated, in fact he can even undo the warning done on his behalf by the court. see Noda BiYehuda Tinyana Even HaEzer 159