Kiddushin

but exempted married women.1 What was their interpretation?2 — The wife of the dead shall not marry without [ha-huzah] unto a stranger:3 she who sat ‘without’ shall not marry a stranger; but she who did not sit ‘without’ may marry a stranger.4 And R. Akiba follows his view, for he maintained, There is mamzer from those who are subject [only] to negative injunctions.5 [iii] Some state, because they are not thoroughly versed in the [minute] details of precepts. Who is meant by ‘some state?’ — Said R. Idi b. Abin: It is R. Eliezer. For it was taught: The unleavened bread of a Cuthean is permitted,6 and one fulfils his obligation therewith on Passover;7 but R. Eliezer forbids it,8 because they are not thoroughly versed in the [minute] details of precepts. R. Simeon b. Gamaliel said: Every precept which Cutheans have adopted, they observe it with minute care, [even] more than the Israelites. But here [in respect to marriage], wherein are they not well-versed? — Because they are not well-versed in the law of betrothal and divorce. 9 R. Nahman said in Rabbah b. Abbuha's name: A mamzer by a sister and a mamzer by a brother's wife became mixed up among them [the Cutheans].10 What does he inform us? — That there is mamzer from those who are liable to kareth.11 Then let one [only] be taught?12 — The actual event happened thus. Raba said: A [heathen] slave and a bondmaid were mixed up in them. Now, on whose account is the interdict? On account of the bondmaid!13 Then let one [only] be taught! — The actual event happened thus. MISHNAH. HE WHO MARRIES A PRIEST'S DAUGHTER14 MUST INVESTIGATE HER DESCENT15 UP TO FOUR MOTHERS, WHICH ARE EIGHT. [VIZ.,] HER MOTHER AND HER MOTHER'S MOTHER, HER MOTHER'S PATERNAL GRANDMOTHER16 AND HER MOTHER, HER FATHER'S MOTHER AND THIS ONE'S MOTHER, HER FATHER'S PATERNAL GRANDMOTHER AND HER MOTHER.17 [IN THE CASE OF] THE DAUGHTER OF A LEVITE OR AN ISRAELITE, ONE MORE IS ADDED.18 WE MAKE NO INVESTIGATION FROM THE ALTAR AND UPWARDS, FROM THE DUKAN [DAIS] AND UPWARDS, NOR FROM THE SANHEDRIN AND UPWARDS.19 AND ALL WHOSE PARENTS WERE ESTABLISHED TO HAVE BEEN AMONG THE PUBLIC OFFICERS20 OR CHARITY OVERSEERS ARE PERMITTED TO MARRY INTO THE PRIESTHOOD, AND THEIR DESCENT IS NOT INVESTIGATED. R. JOSE SAID: ALSO WHOEVER WAS SIGNED AS A WITNESS IN THE OLD COURT21 OF SEPPHORIS.22 R. HANINA B. ANTIGONUS SAID: ALSO ONE WHO WAS RECORDED IN THE KING'S LIST OF OFFICERS.23 GEMARA. Why are the women investigated but not the men? — When women quarrel among themselves, they quarrel [only] about immorality,24 so that if there is anything,25 it is not generally known.26 But when men quarrel among themselves, they quarrel over birth;27 if there is anything, it is generally known. Now, let her too investigate his [forbears]? — This supports Rab. For Rab Judah said in Rab's name: Fit women were not admonished not to marry the unfit.28 R. Adda b. Ahabah recited: Four mothers, which are twelve.29 In a Baraitha it was taught:’ Four mothers, which are sixteen.30 Now, as for R. Adda b. Ahabah, it is well; ‘wife who is without’ is an arusah, who may not live with her husband until nissu'in. [V. Samaritan version of the Bible, a.l. and Montgomery, The Samaritans, p. 185.] injunction, and the issue is mamzer. Hence though R. Akiba holds that the Cutheans are true proselytes, yet they contain mamzerim, which precludes intermarriage with them. Hence the interdiction of marriage with them, as explained anon. fulfilment of the precept, ‘on the fourteenth day of the month at even, ye shall eat unleavened bread’ (Ex. XII, 18). This Tanna holds that Cutheans know and are particular about this. issue by whom is mamzer. Another Cuthean, however, may be quite legitimate; therefore R. Eleazar forbids Cutheans to marry each other. though forbidden only on pain of kareth, is mamzer, in opposition to the view (Yeb. 49a) that only when the union involves death by the court is the issue mamzer (v. Rashi). declared the prohibition because of the bondmaid, whose issue has the status of a slave (supra 66b), and is forbidden to a Jew or Jewess. grandmother. Further, the mother of each of these is added, which gives eight. All these are examined, to see that none are unfit for a pure marriage. add her mother's maternal grandmother, and to her father's grandmother, we add one mother more. Temple, which was part of the Temple service, or if one was a member of the Sanhedrin, it is unnecessary to trace her descent any further. the reason is that they were particular that these should be only men of proved purity of descent. [The meaning of the phrase vbahv hfrg is doubtful. Schurer II. 1. p. 138 (Eng. ed.) renders it ‘the ancient government’, **, the reference being to the old government in Sepphoris, the members of which were all Israelites, in contradistinction to the later government set up by the Romans, in his view, in the days of Hadrian, which was of a mixed or heathen composition (Buchler JQR, XVI, p. 160 dates the change in the composition of the government to the days of Agrippa II). Render accordingly ‘whoever was recognised as a member of the old government’. Another possible meaning is ‘old archives’ or ‘old family registers’. v. Buchler Priester & Cultus, pp. 198ff.]