Kiddushin, Daf Ayin Bet, Part 5
Introduction
The first part of today s section continues to discuss the two interpretations of Ezekiel s lament over the death of Pelatiah. Was the lament a good lament, praising Pelatiah for not turning Israelites over to slavery, or a bad lament, wondering why Pelatiah died a peaceful death after having defecated towards the Temple?
תסתיים דשמואל דאמר לרעה דאמר רבי חייא בר אבין אמר שמואל מושכני הרי היא כגולה ליוחסים מישון לא חשו לה לא משום עבדות ולא משום ממזרות אלא כהנים שהיו בה לא הקפידו על הגרושות
Conclude that Shmuel was the one who interpreted it to his discredit. For R. Hiyya b. Abin said in the name of Shmuel: Moshchani is as the Exile in respect to lineage. Mishan they were not concerned about it on account of slavery or on account of mamzerim, but the priests who dwelt there were not scrupulous about marrying divorced women!
The opinion that Ezekiel s lament was for good implied that Pelatiah sent slaves to Mishan. But Shmuel says that there is no problem of slavery in the background of Mishan s lineage. Therefore, it seems that Shmuel must be the author of the opinion which reads Ezekiel s lament to Pelatiah s discredit.
לעולם אימא לך שמואל אמר לטובה ושמואל לטעמיה דאמר המפקיר עבדו יצא לחירות ואינו צריך גט שחרור שנא’ (שמות יב, מד) כל עבד איש מקנת כסף עבד איש ולא עבד אשה אלא עבד שיש לו רשות לרבו עליו קרוי עבד עבד שאין לרבו רשות עליו אין קרוי עבד
In any case, I could tell you that it could have been Shmuel who interpreted it to his credit; and Shmuel is consistent with his own opinion: for he said: If one renounces ownership of his slave, he goes free and does not require a deed of manumission, for it is said, But every man s slave that is bought for money (Exodus 12:44): a man’s slave, but not a woman’s slave? [This cannot be. Rather, it means this]: a slave whose master has authority over him is called a slave; a slave whose master has no authority over him is not called a slave.
The Talmud rejects identifying Shmuel with the reading that it was to Pelatiah s discredit. The slaves who went to Mishan no longer had owners and therefore they no longer have the status of slaves. To be a slave, one must have an owner. Therefore, there is no necessity to posit that Shmuel s statement about Mishan is inconsistent with the opinion that reads Ezekiel s statement to Pelatiah s credit.
אמר רב יהודה אמר שמואל זו דברי ר"מ אבל חכמים אומרים כל ארצות בחזקת כשרות הם עומדות
R. Yehudah said in the name of Shmuel: This is the view of R. Meir. But the Sages hold: All countries have the presumption of fitness.
The sugya takes a turn here. Only R. Meir holds that all countries have the presumption of fitness. Other sages hold that all countries are presumed to have kosher lineage.
אמימר שרא ליה לרב הונא בר נתן למינסב איתתא מחוזייתא
אמר ליה רב אשי מאי דעתיך דאמר רב יהודה אמר שמואל זו דברי ר’ מאיר אבל חכ"א כל ארצות בחזקת כשרות הן עומדות והא בי רב כהנא לא מתני הכי ובי רב פפא לא מתני הכי ובי רב זביד לא מתני הכי אפ"ה לא קיבלה מיניה משום דשמיע ליה מרב זביד דנהרדעא
Amemar permitted R. Huna b. Nathan to take a wife from Mehoza. R. Ashi said to him: What are you basing this on? That R. Yehudah said in the name of Shmuel: This is the view of R. Meir. But the Sages hold: All countries have the presumption of fitness? But the School of R. Kahana did not teach this, and the School of R. Papa did not teach this, and the School of R. Zevi did not teach this? Nevertheless he did not accept this [ruling] from him, because he had heard it from R. Zevid of Nehardea.
Amemar treats the women from Mehoza as having fit lineage, and R. Ashi, correctly, assumes that this is based on R. Yehudah s statement. All places are presumed to be fit. But, R. Ashi informs Amemar, most amoraic academies do not teach this statement. Nevertheless, Amemar accepts it as authoritative based on the fact that he heard it from R. Zevid of Nehardea.
This short story is an excellent example of amoraic authority. Amemar can accept a tradition because he learned it from his master. R. Ashi, however, is not obligated to accept that tradition and rather relies on what seems to be the majority of opinion. We can also see here that amoraic academies disagreed on which traditions were authoritative. Their disputes were not only about logic and argumentation.