ופרע את ראש האשה. יגלה ולפי דעתי יוציא פרע ראשה שהיה מכוסה: AND LET THE HAIR OF THE WOMAN’S HEAD GO LOOSE. Para (go loose) means he shall uncover.44According to this opinion the meaning of our verse is, and he shall uncover (u-fara) the hair of the woman. However, I believe that it means he shall take out the hair of the woman, which was covered, and let it go loose.
מי המרים. לפי דעתי שמלת מי סמוך ומלת המרים תאר השם אם כן סודו ידוע גם יתכן שנקראו על שם סופם כמו ובגדי ערומים תפשיט והעד ובאו בה המים המאררים למרים להורות כי האלות הנקראות המאררים ישימו המים מרים אחר היותם מתוקים: THE WATER OF BITTERNESS. It is my opinion that the word me (water) is in the construct45With a missing word. and the word ha-marim is an adjective.46Describing the missing word. If so, then its secret is known.47We know what word is missing. According to I.E. the phrase me ha- marim is short for me ha-sammim ha-marim (the water containing the bitter ingredient). See Sotah 20a. It is also possible that the waters were so called because of their ultimate taste.48The waters were not yet bitter. They only turned bitter at the end. Hence I.E. explains that they are called the bitter waters because they were ultimately bitter. Compare, And stripped the naked of their clothing (Job 22:6).49One cannot strip a naked person. Thus what Scripture means is that the one who was ultimately naked was stripped. And the water that causeth the curse shall enter into her and become bitter (v. 24) is proof of this, for this verse indicates that the oaths,50Mentioned in verse 19. The waters turned bitter after the oaths were dissolved in it. which they that cause the curses51The curses come about through her false swearing. refers to, will make the sweet waters bitter.
ומלת המאררים. מהבנין הכבד כמו אשר אררה ה': The word ha-me’arerim (that causeth the curse) is a pi’el. It is like the word erarah (cursed) in which the Lord hath cursed (Gen. 5:29).52It too is a pi’el. The root alef, resh, resh usually comes in the kal. Hence I.E.’s comment.