משנה: עַמּוֹנִי וּמוֹאָבִי אֲסוּרִין וְאִיסּוּרָן אִיסּוּר עוֹלָם אֲבָל נְקֵיבוֹתֵיהֶן מוּתָּרוֹת מִיָּד. מִצְרִי וַאֲדוֹמִי אֵינָם אֲסוּרִים אֶלָּא עַד שְׁלֹּשָׁה דוֹרוֹת אֶחָד זְכָרִים וְאֶחָד נְקֵיבוֹת. אָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן קַל וְחוֹמֶר הַדְּבָרִים וּמָה אִם בִּמְקוֹם שֶׁאָסַר אֶת הַזְּכָרִים אִיסּוּר עוֹלָם הִתִּיר אֶת הַנְּקֵיבוֹת מִיָּד. מָקוֹם שֶׁלֹּא אָסַר אֶת הַזְּכָרִים אֶלָּא עַד שְׁלֹשָׁה דוֹרוֹת אֵינוֹ דִין שֶׁנַּתִּיר אֶת הַנְּקֵיבוֹת מִיָּד. אָֽמְרוּ לוֹ אִם הֲלָכָה נְקַבֵּל וְאִם לַדִּין יֵשּׁ תְּשׁוּבָה. אָמַר לָהֶם לֹא כִי הֲלָכָה אֲנִי אוֹמֵר. מַמְזֵירִין וּנְתִינִין אֲסוּרִים וְאִיסּוּרָן אִיסּוּר עוֹלָם אֶחָד זְכָרִים וְאֶחָד נְקֵיבוֹת. MISHNAH: Ammonites and Moabites are eternally forbidden but their females are immediately permitted. Egyptians and Edomites are forbidden only for three generations, both males and females. Rebbi Simeon said, is it not an argument de minore ad majus? If He permitted the females immediately in a case where the males are eternally forbidden, should we not permit the females in a case where He forbade the males only for three generations? They said to him: If it is practice165What in the Babli usually is called “practice going back to Moses on Mount Sinai”, meaning accepted practice whose origin lies so far back that its originator can no longer be ascertained. The Mishnah speaks only of Jews., we shall accept this; if it is a logical argument, there is a counter-argument. He said to them, in fact, I am declaring practice. Bastards and Gibeonites are eternally forbidden, both males and females.
הלכה: עַמּוֹנִי וּמוֹאָבִי אֲסוּרִין כול׳. עַמּוֹנִי וְלֹא עַמּוֹנִית. מוֹאָבִי וְלֹא מוֹאָבִית. וְדִכְװָתָהּ אֲדוֹמִי וְלֹא אֲדוֹמִית. מִצְרִי וְלֹא מִצְרִית. כְּתִיב עַל דְּבַר אֲשֶׁר לֹא קִדְּמוּ אֶתְכֶם בַּלֶּחֶם וּבַמַּיִם. הָיָה לָהֶם לַנָּשִׁים לְקַדֵּם. כְּתִיב אֲשֶׁר שָׂכַר עָלֶיךָ וַאֲשֶׁר יָעַץ. מִי דַרְכּוֹ לִשְׂכוֹר. הָאִישׁ וְלֹא הָאִשָּׁה. מִי דַרְכּוֹ לְיָעֵץ. הָאִישׁ וְלֹא הָאִשָּׁה. HALAKHAH: “Ammonites and Moabites are forbidden,” etc. “Ammonite166Deut.23:4.,” but not female Ammonite. “Moabite166Deut.23:4.,” but not female Moabite. Similarly, “Edomite167Deut. 23:8.” but not female Edomite, “Egyptian167Deut. 23:8.” but not female Egyptian? It is written: “Because they did not receive you with bread and water168Deut. 23:5, the reason for the exclusion of Ammonites and Moabites, even if converted.,” should the women have received? “Who hired against you169Micah 6:5, speaking of Bileam being hired to curse the Israelites. The argument is slightly extended in Sifry Deut. #249, 250.,” “who took counsel,” who usually hires? Males but not females. Who usually sits in counsel? Males but not females.
כְּתִיב וְשַׁחֲרַיִם הוֹלִיד בִּשְׂדֵי מוֹאָב מִן שִׁלְחֹ אוֹתָם חוּשִׁים וְאֶת בַּעֲרָה נָשָׁיו. שַׁחֲרַיִם זֶה בּוֹעַז שֶׁהָיָה מְשׁוּחְרָר מִן הָעֲוֹנוֹת. הוֹלִיד בִּשְׂדֵה מוֹאָב שֶׁנָּשָׂא אֶת רוּת הַמּוֹאָבִיָּה. מִן שִׁלְחֹ אוֹתָם שֶׁהָיָה מִשִּׁבְטוֹ שֶׁלִּיהוּדָה. דִּכְתִיב בֵּיהּ וְאֶת יְהוּדָה שָׁלַח לְפָנָיו וגו׳. חוּשִׁים וְאֶת בַּעֲרָה נָשָׁיו. וְכִי יֵשׁ לָךְ אָדָם שָׁהוּא מוֹלִיד אֶת נָשָׁיו. אֶלָּא שֶׁחָשׁ כְּנָמֵר וּבִיאֵר אֶת הָהֲלָכָה. וַיּוֹלֶד מִן חוֹדֶשּׁ אִשְׁתּוֹ. לֹא צוֹרְכָה דִלֹא וַיּוֹלֶד מִן בַּעֲרָה נָשָׁיו. אֶלָּא עַל יָדֶיהָ נִתְחַדְּשָׁה הֲלָכָה. עַמּוֹנִי וְלֹא עַמּוֹנִית. מוֹאָבִי וְלֹא מוֹאָבִית. It is written: “Shaḥaraim fathered children in the fields of Moab, after he had sent them, Ḥushim and Ba‘arah his wives1701Chr. 8:8, speaking of the tribe of Benjamin. The verse probably means that he fathered children from a new Moabitic wife after he had divorced his two Benjaminite wives. The same text also in Ruth rabba 4:1..” “Shaḥaraim,” that is Boaz who was freed from sins. “He fathered children in the fields of Moab” because he married Ruth the Moabite. “After he had sent them,171The masoretic text reads מִן שִּׁלְחוֹ אוֹתָם “after he had divorced them”.” he was from the tribe of Judah, of whom it is written, “he sent Jehudah before him172Gen. 46:28.”. “Ḥushim and Ba‘arah his wives,” can anybody father his wives? But it means that he was quick as a panther and explained the practice. “He fathered from New Moon his wife1731Chr. 8:9. It might also mean: He fathered from his new wife.,” should it not have been: he fathered from Baarah, one of his wives174The children of Ḥushim are mentioned in 1Chr. 8:11; no children of Ba‘arah are mentioned.? But through her, practice was newly defined: “Ammonite,” and but female Ammonite. “Moabite,” but not female Moabite.
כָּתוּב אֶחָד אוֹמֵר. וּשְׁמוֹ יִתְרָא הַיִּשְׂרְאֵלִי. וְכָתוּב אַחֵר אוֹמֵר. יֶתֶר הַיִּשְׁמְעֵאלִי. רִבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן אוֹמֵר. יִשְׁמְעֵאלִי הָיָה. וְאַתְּ אוֹמֵר יִשְׂרְאֵלִי. אֶלָּא שֶׁנִּכְנַס לְבֵית דִּינוֹ שֶׁלִּישַׁעְיָה וּמְצָאוֹ יוֹשֵׁב וְדוֹרֵשׁ פְּנוּ אֵלַי וְהִוָּֽשְׁעוּ כָּל־אַפְסֵי אָרֶץ. וְנִתְגַּייֵר. וְנָתַן לוֹ אֶת בִּתּוֹ. וְרַבָּנִין אָֽמְרִין. יִשְׂרְאֵלִי הָיָה. וְאַתְּ אוֹמֵר יִשְׁמְעֵאלִי. אֶלָּא שֶׁחָגַר מָתְנָיו כְּיִשְׁמְעֵאלִי וְנָעַץ אֶת הַחֶרֶב בְּבֵית דִּין. אוֹ נַהֲרוֹג אוֹ נֶהֱרַג אוֹ נְקַייֵם דִּבְרֵי רִבִּי. כָּל־מִי שֶׁהוּא עוֹבֵר עַל הֲלָכָה זוֹ בְּחֶרֶב זוֹ אֲנִי הוֹרְגוֹ. עַמּוֹנִי וְלֹא עַמּוֹנִית. מוֹאָבִי וְלֹא מוֹאָבִית. אָמַר רִבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן. אֲנִי אֵין לִי אֶלָּא מִשְׁנָה. וַתָּשָׁב נָעֳמִי וְרוּת הַמּוֹאָבִיָּה כַלָּתָהּ עִמָּהּ הַשָּׁבָה מִשְּׂדֵה מוֹאָב. זוֹ הִיא שֶׁשָּׁבָה מִשְּׂדֵה מוֹאָב תְּחִילָּה. אֲחוֹרֵי אָמַר לָהּ. וַתַּעַזְבִי אָבִיךְ וְאִמֵּךְ. אָמַר לָהּ. אִילּוּ בָאָת אֶצְלֵינוּ מֵאֶתְמוֹל שִׁלְשׁוֹם לֹא הַיִינוּ מְקַבְּלִין אוֹתָךְ. One verse1752S. 17:25. says, “his name was Yitra the Israelite;” another verse says, “Yeter the Ismaelite1761Chr. 2:17. Both names refer to the same person, father of Amasa, nephew of David..” Rebbi Samuel bar Naḥman said, he was an Ismaelite. And you say, he was an Israelite? But he entered the court of Isaiah177It seems that the author of this piece identifies Isay with his descendant Isaiah 500 years later. and found him sitting and explaining: “turn to me and be saved, all ends of the earth178Is. 45:22.,” and converted. Then he gave him his daughter179It is very doubtful whether David’s sisters ever agreed to live under the authority of a husband.. But the rabbis say, he was an Israelite, and you say, an Ismaelite? But he girded his loins like an Ismaelite and stuck his sword in the earth in court, to kill or be killed, to support the word of my teacher: I shall kill with this sword anybody who transgresses this practice: “Ammonite,” and not female Ammonite; “Moabite,” and not female Moabite. Rebbi Samuel bar Naḥman said, I have only what I did learn180It is possible that instead of משנה one should read משׂדה, “I have only ‘from the field’”, referring to the preceding paragraph that שדה מוֹאב is a catchword for Ruth the Moabite.: “Naomi returned with Ruth the Moabite, her daughter-in-law, who returned from the fields of Moab181Ruth 1:22..” She is the one who first returned from the fields of Moab. Afterwards, he182Ruth 2:11, a speech of Boaz. The implication is that Boaz was instrumental in declaring Moabite women eligible for marriage before he became involved with Ruth since otherwise he would have had to recuse himself from decision making. In the parallel in the Babli, 77a, the decision is directly attributed to the prophet Samuel. told her: “You abandoned your father and your mother.” He said to her: If you had come to us yesterday or the day before, we would not have accepted you.
תַּנָּה רִבִּי זַכַּיי קוֹמֵי רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן. בַּת גֵּר עַמּוֹנִי כְשֵׁירָה. בַּת גִּיּוֹרֶת עֲמּוֹנִית פְּסוּלָה. אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן. בַּבְלַייָא. עָבַרְתָּ בְיָֽדְךָ תְּלָתָא נְהָרִין וְאִתְבַּדְתָּ. אֶלָּא הִיא בַּת גֵּר עַמּוֹנִי הִיא בַּת גִּיּוֹרֶת עֲמּוֹנִית כְּשֵׁירָה. רִבִּי יוֹסָה בְשֵׁם רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן. לֹא כֵן צְרִיכָה בְּשֶׁהָֽיְתָה אִמָּהּ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל. שֶׁלֹּא תֹאמַר. כְּשֵׁם שֶׁנִּתְחַלְלָה אִמָּהּ כָּךְ נִתְחַלְלָה בִתָּהּ. רִבִּי אַבָּהוּ בְשֵׁם רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן. כְּשֵׁירָה אֲפִילוּ לְכֹהֵן גָּדוֹל. מַה טַעֲמָא. בְּעַמָּיו. עַם שֶׁהֵן עֲשׂוּיִין שְׁנֵי עַמְמִין. זְכָרִים אֲסוּרִין וּנקֵיבוֹת מוּתָּרוֹת. רִבִּי חַגַּיי בְשֵׁם רִבִּי פְדָת. רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ לֹא אָמַר כֵּן אֶלָּא בַּת גֵּר עַמּוֹנִי פְסוּלָה שֶׁהִיא בָאָה מִטִּיפָּה פְסוּלָה. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן. וְתַנֵּי כֵן. עַמְמִין זֶה בַזֶּה עַד שֶׁלֹּא נִתְגַּייְרוּ זְכָרִים אֲסוּרִין אִיסּוּר עוֹלָם וּנקֵיבוֹתֵיהֶן מוּתָּרוֹת מִיָּד. נִתְגַּייְרוּ זְכָרִים אֲסוּרִין אִיסּוּר עוֹלָם וּנקֵיבוֹתֵיהֶן מוּתָּרוֹת לְאַחַר שְׁלֹשָׁה דוֹרוֹת. רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה בְשֵׁם אָחָא. מַתְנִיתָא אָֽמְרָה כֵן. מְנַיַין אַתָּה אוֹמֵר. אֶחָד מִכָּל־מִשְׁפְּחוֹת הָאֲרָצוֹת שֶׁבָּא עַל אַחַת מִן הַכְּנַעֲנִים וְיָֽלְדָה מִמֶּנּוּ בֵּן מוּתָּר לִקְנוֹתוֹ עֶבֶד. תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר אֲשֶׁר הוֹלִידוּ בְאַרְצְכֶם. וְלֹא מִן הַגָּרִים אֲשֶּׁר בָּאָרֶץ. Rebbi Zakkai stated before Rebbi Joḥanan: The daughter of an Ammonite convert is enabled, the daughter of an Ammonite woman convert is disabled. Rebbi Joḥanan told him: Babylonian, you crossed three rivers on your way and got lost! But both the daughter of an Ammonite convert and the daughter of an Ammonite woman convert are enabled183It seems that R. Zakkai only had heard the statement that the daughter of a male Ammonite convert was enabled to be married into the priesthood and concluded that the insistence on a male would imply the quite unreasonable implication that the daughter of a female Ammonite would be disabled. R. Joḥanan points out that the statement on the daughter of a male Ammonite convert is needed for itself if the mother is an Israelite woman. Since the marriage of the parents is forbidden, the mother becomes desecrated for the priesthood. It is noteworthy that the disability does not extend to the daughter.
In the Babli, 77b, one version of the statement of R. Zakkai is explicit: The daughter of an Ammonite and an Israelite woman is disabled. This is rejected by R. Joḥanan.. Rebbi Yosa in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan: The statement is needed only if her mother was from Israel. That you should not say, since her mother was desecrated, so the daughter is desecrated. Rebbi Abbahu in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan, she is enabled even for the High Priest. What is the reason? “In his peoples184Lev. 21:14, speaking of the High Priest, “only a virgin from among his people he may take as a wife.” In the Babli, 77b, R. Zakkai is the source of this argument but he wrongly requires the (converted) parents to be from the same people.”. A people divided into two peoples, the males are forbidden but their females permitted. Rebbi Ḥaggai in the name of Rebbi Pedat: Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish did not say so, but the daughter of an Ammonite convert is disabled since she comes from a disabled drop185Babli 77a, a different reason ascribed to him.. Rebbi Joḥanan said, we have stated thus: Of Gentiles married unconverted, the males are permanently forbidden but their females are immediately permitted. If they converted, the males are permanently forbidden but their females are permitted after three generations186If an Ammonite and an Egyptian woman married as Gentiles, the children are Ammonites since in permitted marriages the child’s status is that of the father. But if they married when converted, the child inherits the disabilities of both parents. Therefore, the daughter, who does not inherit any disability from her father, has the status of a second generation Egyptian from her mother (in the opinion of the rabbis who reject R. Simeon’s argument.)
The Babli, 78a, formulates this explicitly: Among Gentiles, the status of the father is determining. If they converted, the more disabled is determining.. Rebbi Ḥizqiah in the name of [Rebbi] Aḥa: A baraita states this: From where can you say that if one of any of the families of the earth cohabited with a Canaanite woman and she gave birth to a son, that you may buy him as a slave? The verse says, “whom they will father in your land,187Lev. 25:45. In v. 44 it is stated that slaves may be bought (only) from the surrounding peoples, since Canaanites are not to be tolerated in the Land. It is then stated that a child fathered in the Land can be tolerated if his father was not a Canaanite; the argument is parallel to that of the baraita quoted earlier. The same statement is in the Babli, 78a.” not from those who dwell in your land.
שְּׁמוּאֵל בַּר אַבָּא בָּעֵי. עֲבָדִים מַהוּ שֶׁיַּעֲלֶה לָהֶם דּוֹרוֹת. הֵיךְ עֲבִידָה. גֵּר עֶבֶד עַמּוֹנִי שֶׁנָּשָׂא לְגִיּוֹרֶת שִׁפְחָה מִצְרִית לְאַחַר שְׁלֹשָׁה דוֹרוֹת נִתְגַייְרוּ. אִין תֵּימַר. עֲבָדִים עָלוּ לָהֶם דּוֹרוֹת זְכָרִים אֲסוּרִין אִיסּוּר עוֹלָם וּנקֵיבוֹת מוּתָּרוֹת לְאַחַר שְׁלֹשָׁה דוֹרוֹת. Samuel bar Abba asked: Are generations counted for slaves? How is that? A converted188A slave circumcised as property of a Jew who will become a full Jew upon manumission. Ammonite slave who married a converted Egyptian slave. After three generations they converted189As it stands, this makes no sense. One may either emend the text to read “were manumitted” instead of “converted” or one may read the fact of manumission into the expression “converted into full Jews”.. If you say that generations are counted for slaves, the males are permanently forbidden but the females are permitted after three generations190I. e., the females are permitted immediately upon manumission of the third generation..
אָֽמְרוּ לוֹ אִם הֲלָכָה נְקַבֵּל. אִם לַדִּין יֵשׁ תְּשׁוּבָה. מַה הָיָה לָהֶם לְהָשִׁיב. רִבִּי אַבָּהוּ בְשֵׁם רִבִּי יוֹסֵי בֵּירִבִּי חֲנִינָה. הֲרֵי בֶן בְּנוֹ וּבֶן בִּתּוֹ הֲרֵי הֵן אֲסוּרִין עַד שְׁלֹשָׁה דוֹרוֹת אֶחָד זְכָרִים וְאֶחָד נְקֵיבוֹת. רִבִּי אַבָּהוּ אָמַר. רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ בָּעֵי. מְשִׁיבִין דָּבָר שֶׁהוּא מַמְזֵר עַל דָּבָר שֶׁאֵינוֹ מַמְזֵר. רִבִּי חַגַּיי אָמַר. רִבִּי אַבָּהוּ בָּעֵי. מְשִׁיבִין דָּבָר שֶׁהוּא כָרֵת עַל דָּבָר שֶׁאֵינוֹ כָרֵת. אָמַר לְהוֹן לֹא כִי. הֲלָכָה אֲנִי אוֹמֵר וּמִקְרָא מְסַייְעֵינִי. בָּנִים. לֹא בָנוֹת. “They said to him: If it is practice, we shall accept this; if it is a logical argument, there is a counter-argument.” What could they have argued? Rebbi Abbahu in the name of Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Ḥanina: Are not his grandchildren forbidden for three generations, both male and female191In Lev. 18:17, incest with direct descendents is forbidden for three generations, equally for males and females. The Babli, 77b, has the same argument. There, the two questions of R. Abbahu are answered in the negative; incest prohibitions which concern capital crimes cannot be used as counter arguments in an argument de minore ad majus involving simple prohibitions (regarding Ammonites and Moabites) or prohibitions derived from a positive commandment (regarding Edomites and Egyptians) but they may be used in applications of rules 3 and 4 of R. Ismael (under conditions not recognized by the Yerushalmi.)? Rebbi Abbahu said that Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish questioned, does one argue a matter concerning bastardy in a matter not concerning bastardy? Rebbi Ḥaggai said that Rebbi Abbahu questioned, does one argue a matter concerning extirpation in a matter not concerning extirpation? He said to them, in fact, I am declaring practice and a verse supports me. “Sons,” not daughters192Deut. 23:9: “Sons that will be born to them in the third generation shall come (masc.) for them into the Eternal’s congregation.” The entire sentence is in the masculine..
רִבִּי יַעֲקֹב בַּר אָחָא בְשֶׁם רִבִּי יֹאשַׁיָּה. דּוֹר אַחַד עָשָׂר שֶׁבְּמַמְזֵר כְּרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן כָּשֵׁר. וְלֹא דָרַשׁ עֲשִׂירִי. תַּנֵּי. רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֵּירִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר. דּוֹר אַחַד עָשָׂר שֶׁבְּמַמְזֵר זְכָרִים אֲסוּרִין נְקֵיבוֹת מוּתָּרוֹת. אַף הָכָא זְכָרִים אֲסוּרִין נְקֵיבוֹת מוּתָּרוֹת. רִבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בְּרֵיהּ דְּרִבִּי יוֹסֵי בֵּירִבִּי בּוּן אָמַר. אַתְיָא דְּרִבִּי לָֽעְזָר בֵּירִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן כְּרִבִּי מֵאִיר. כְּמַה דְרִבִּי מֵאִיר אָמַר. גְּזֵירָה שָׁוָה בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁכָּתוּב. כֵּן רִבִּי [ ] בֵּירִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר. גְּזֵירָה שָׁוָה בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁכָּתוּב. מַה לְהַלָּן זְכָרִים אֲסוּרִין וּנְקֵיבוֹת מוּתָּרוֹת. אַף הָכָא זְכָרִים אֲסוּרִין וּנְקֵיבוֹת מוּתָּרוֹת. מֵעַתָּה אֲפִילוּ מִיָּד. בִּלְבַד מֵעֲשִׂירִי וּלְמַעֲלָן. Rebbi Jacob bar Aḥa in the name of Rebbi Josia: The eleventh generation of bastards is qualified193As marriage partners for all Jews. following Rebbi Simeon; he does not use the principle of gezerah šawah194The principle that identical expressions must have identical legal implications (R. Ismael’s rule #2). Deut. 23:3 forbids the bastard even up to the tenth generation. Verse 4 forbids Ammonites and Moabites even up to the tenth generation, forever. The rule of gezerah šawah is invoked in Sifry Deut. #248, 249 to imply that the prohibition of the bastard also is forever.. It was stated: Rebbi Eleazar ben Rebbi Simeon says, in the eleventh generation of bastards, the males are forbidden and the females permitted. Here also the males are forbidden and the females permitted195R. Eleazar ben R. Simeon disagrees with his father and accepts the gezerah šawah, with the automatic consequence that it can be applied only to males since in the case of Ammonites it applies only to males. Female bastards are forbidden only to the tenth generation as stated explicitly in the verse.. Rebbi Samuel ben Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Abun said, it turns out that Rebbi Eleazar ben Rebbi Simeon follows the argument of Rebbi Meїr. As Rebbi Meїr said, a gezerah šawah is as if written in a verse, so Rebbi [Eleazar] ben Rebbi Simeon says, a gezerah šawah is as if written in a verse. Here also, the males are forbidden and the females permitted. In that case, even immediately? Only from the tenth and further.
שָּׁאֲלוּ אֶת רִבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר. דּוֹר אַחַד עָשָׂר שֶׁבְּמַמְזֵר מַהוּ. אָמַר לָהֶן. הָבִיאוּ לִי דוֹר שְׁלִישִׁי וַאֲנִי מְטָהֲרוֹ. וּמַה טַעֲמָא דְּרִבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר. דְּלָא הֲוָה אַתְייָא דְרִבִּי לִיעֶזֶר כְּרִבִּי חֲנִינָה. דְּאָמַר רִבִּי חֲנִינָה. אַחַת לְשִׁשִּׁים וּלְשִׁבְעִים שָׁנָה הַקָּדוֹשּׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מֵבִיא דֶבֶר בָּעוֹלָם וּמְכַלֵּה מַמְזֵירֵיהֶן וְנוֹטֵל אֶת הַכְּשֵׁירִין עִמָּהֶן שֶׁלֹּא לְפַרְסֵם אֶת חַטָּאֵיהֶן. וְאַייְתִינָהּ כַּיי דָמַר רִבִּי לֵוִי בְשֵׁם רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ. בִּמְקוֹם אֲשֶׁר תִּשָּׁחֵט הָעוֹלָה תִּשָּׁחֵט הַחַטָּאת לִפְנֵי יי֨. שֶׁלֹּא לְפַרְסֵם אֶת הַחַטָּאִים. וּמַה טַעַם. וְגַם הוּא חָכָם וַיָּבֵא רָע. לֹא מִסְתַּבְּרָא דְּלֹא אֶלָּא זֶהוּ וַיָּבֵא טוֹב. אֶלָּא לְלַמְּדָךְ שֶׁאֲפִילוּ רָעָה שֶׁמֵּבִיא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בָּעוֹלָם בְּחָכְמָה הוּא מֵבִיאָהּ. וְאֶת דְּבָרָו לֹא הֵסִיר. כָּל־כָּךְ לָמָּה. וְקָם עַל בֵּית מְרֵיעִים וְעַל עֶזְרַת פּוֹעֲלֵי אָוֶן. וְאַתְייָא כְּהַהִיא דָמַר רִבִּי לֵוִי בְשֵׁם רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ. בִּמְקוֹם אֲשֶׁר תִּשָּׁחֵט הָעוֹלָה תִּשָּׁחֵט הַחַטָּאת לִפְנֵי יי֨. שֶׁלֹּא לְפַרְסֵם אֶת הַחַטָּאִים. רַב הוּנָא אָמַר. אֵין מַמְזֵר חַי יוֹתֵר מִשְּׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם. רִבִּי זְעִירָא כַד סְלַק לְהָכָא שְׁמַע קָלִין קַרְייָן. מַמְזֵירָא וּמַמְזֵרְתָה. אָמַר לוֹן. מַהוּ כֵן. הָא אֲזִילָא הַהִיא דְּרַב הוּנָא. דְּרַב הוּנָא אָמַר. אֵין מַמְזֵר חַי יוֹתֵר מִשְּׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם. אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי יַעֲקֹב בַּר אָחָא. עִמָּךְ הָיִיתִי כַד אָמַר רִבִּי בָּא רַב הוּנָא בְשֵׁם רַב. אֵין מַמְזֵר חַי יוֹתֵר מִשְּׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם. אֵימָתַי. בִּזְמַן שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְפוּרְסָם. הָא אִם הָיָה מְפוּרְסָם חַי הוּא. They asked Rebbi Eliezer, what is the status of the eleventh generation of a bastard? He said to them, bring to me a third generation and I shall declare him pure196The same statement is in the Babli, 78b.. What is Rebbi Eliezer’s reason since he does not seem to follow Rebbi Ḥanina? As Rebbi Ḥanina said, once every sixty to seventy years the Holy One, praise to Him, brings a plague into the world to finish off the bastards and he takes the qualified ones with them in order not to publicize the sinners197This describes the situation in the later Roman Empire where the plague had become endemic during the reign of the emperor Hadrian.. This parallels what Rebbi Levi said in the name of Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish: “In the place where the ascent offering has its throat cut before the Eternal, the purification sacrifice has its throat cut,198Lev. 6:18; the purification sacrifice atones for inadvertent sins. In the Babli, Soṭah 32b, the statement is by R. Joḥanan in the name of R. Simeon bar Ioḥai.” in order not to publicize the sinners. What is the reason? “199Is. 31:2. Also He is wise and brings evil;” should it not rather be “brings good”? But to teach you that even the evil that the Holy One, praise to Him, brings to the world, He brings in wisdom. “His word He did not remove,” why all this? “He overcomes the house of evildoers and accomplices of workers of iniquity.” That parallels what Rebbi Levi said in the name of Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish: “In the place where the ascent offering has its throat cut before the Eternal, the purification sacrifice has its throat cut,” in order not to publicize the sinners. Rav Huna said, no bastard lives more than thirty days200A convenient legal fiction which allows every male to marry every female without investigating his or her background. The same statement in the Babli, 78b.. When Rebbi Ze‘ira immigrated here, he heard voices call “he-bastard, she-bastard”. He said, what is this? There goes that of Rav Huna, since Rav Huna said, no bastard lives more than thirty days. Rebbi Jacob bar Aḥa said to him, I was with you when Rebbi Abba, Rav Huna said in the name of Rav: No bastard lives more than thirty days, when? If it is unknown. Therefore, if it is known, he lives201In the parallel, Qiddushin 3:13, the argument is by Rebbi Uqba bar Aḥa. In the Babli, 78b, the entire argument is R. Ze‘ira’s, based on a statement of his teacher Rav Jehudah..
רִּבִּי יָסָא בְשֵׁם רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן. אַף לְעָתִיד לָבוֹא אֵין הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא נִזְקַק אֶלָּא לְשִׁבְטוֹ שֶׁלְּלֵוִי. מֵאי טַעֲמָא. וְיָשַׁב מְצָרֵף וּמְטַהֵר כֶּסֶף וְטִהַר אֶת בְּנֵי לֵוִי וְזִקַּק אוֹתָם כול׳. אָמַר רִבִּי זְעוּרָה. כְּאָדָם שֶׁהוּא שׁוֹתֶה בְּכוֹס נָקִי. אָמַר רַב הוֹשַׁעְיָה. בְּגִין דַּאֲנָן לְוִיִים נַפְסִיד. אָמַר רִבִּי חֲנִינָה בְּרֵיהּ דְּרִבִּי אַבָּהוּ. אַף לְעָתִיד לָבוֹא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עוֹשֶׂה עִמָּהֶן צְדָקָה. וּמַה טַעֲֲמָא. וְהָיוּ לַיי֨ מַגִּישֵׁי מִנְחָה בִּצְדָקָה. Rebbi Yasa in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan: In the future, the Holy One, praise to Him, will only deal with the tribe of Levi202He denies that all bastards automatically disappear (cf. Qiddushin3:13) and holds that in the days of the Messiah only from the tribe of Levy will they be eliminated by divine action.
In the Babli, Qiddushin 70b, the same verse is used to declare that the tribe of Levi is cleansed of bastards first of all the tribes.. What is the reason? “203Mal. 3:3. The refiner will sit, the purifier of silver, and will refine them,” etc. Rebbi Ze‘ira said, like a man who only drinks from a clean cup. Rav Hoshaia said, because we are Levites, should we lose? Rebbi Ḥanina the son of Rebbi Abbahu said, also in the future, the Holy One, praise to Him, will deal with them charitably. What is the reason? “203Mal. 3:3. They will be for the Eternal presenters of an offering in charity.”
אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן. כָּל־מִשְׁפָּחָה שֶׁנִּשְׁתַּקֵּעַ בָּהּ פְּסוּל אֵין מְדַקְדְּקִין אַחֲרֶיהָ. אָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ. מַתְנִיתָא אָֽמְרָה כֵן. מִשְׁפַּחַת בֵּית צְרִיפָה הָֽיְתָה בְּעֶבֶר הַיַּרְדֵן וְרִיחֲקָהּ בֶּן צִיּוֹן בִּזְרוֹעַ. וְעוֹד אֲחֶרֶת הָֽיְתָה שָׁם וְקָֽרְבָהּ בֶּן צִיּוֹן בִּזְרוֹעַ. אַף עַל פִּי כֵן לֹא בִיקְּשׁוּ חֲכָמִים לְפַרְסְמָן. אֲבָל חֲכָמִים מוֹסְרִין אוֹתָן לִבְנֵיהֶן וּלְתַלְמִידֵיהֶן פַּעֲמַיִים בַּשָּׁבוּעַ. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן. הָעֲבוֹדָה שֶׁאיני מַכִּירָן וְנִשְׁתַּקְּעוּ בָהֶן גְּדוֹלֵי הַדּוֹר. אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי. חֲמֵשֶׁת אֲלָפִים עֲבָדִים הָיוּ לוֹ לְפַשְׁחוּר בֶּן אִמֵּר הַכֹּהֵן וְכוּלָּן נִשְׁתַּקְּעוּ בִכְהוּנָּה גְדוֹלָה. הֵן הֵן עַזֵּי פָנִים שֶׁבַּכְּהוּנָּה. אָמַר רִבִּי לָֽעְזָר. עִיקַּר טִירוֹנִייָא שֶׁבָּהֶן וְעַמְּךָ כִּמְרִיבֵי כֹהֵן. אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּהוּ שְׁלֹשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה עַייָרוֹת נִשְׁתַּקְּעוּ בַּכּוּתִיים בִּימֵי הַשְּׁמָד. אָֽמְרִין הָדָא עִירוֹ דְמוֹשְׁהָן מִינֵּיהוֹן. Rebbi Joḥanan said, one does not investigate a family in which a family disqualification204Either a disqualification of bastardy or a disqualification for the priesthood. has disappeared. Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish said, a Mishnah says so: “There was a family in Bet Ṣerifa in Transjordan who was forcibly distanced by Ben Ṣion. Another [family] was there who was forcibly integrated by Ben Ṣion.205Mishnah Idiut 8:7. It is not known who this Ben Ṣion was. The text states that one family was deemed unworthy of marrying into priesthood against the will of the rabbis and one was declared worthy also against the will of the rabbis. Cf. Babli Qiddushin 70a.” Nevertheless, the Sages did not want to make their names public206This proves R. Joḥanan’s point that one may not investigate accepted families for disqualifications.. But the Sages transmit them to their sons and students two times in a Week207A sabbatical period of 7 years.. Rebbi Joḥanan said, by the Temple service, I know them208Reading אני for the ms. איני; following the editio princeps. Another formulation of the same statement in the Babli, Qiddushin 70a. and the leading personalities of the generation have disappeared in them. Rebbi Joshua ben Levi said, Pashḥur ben Immer the priest had 5000 slaves2094000 in the Babli, Qiddushin 70a. Cf. Jer. 20:1., and their traces have disappeared in the high priesthood. These are the insolent in the priesthood. Rebbi Eleazar said, their main training210In modern Hebrew טִירוֹנוּת, from Latin tiro “recruit”, cf. Ma‘aser Šeni p. 214. The verse, Hos. 4:4, proves that priest were quarrelsome long before Jeremiah’s time and strong-armed behavior is ingrained in Cohanim even without any admixture of slaves. The same argument by R. Eleazar in the Bablim Qiddushin 69b.: “Your people is like quarrelsome priests.” Rebbi Abbahu said, Samaritans211Who might be bastards in the rabbinic view; cf. Chapter 4, Note 82. disappeared in thirteen villages in the times of persecution. They said, the village of Moshhan212The village and the time of persecution are not identified. is one of them.