Kiddushin, Daf Ayin Gimmel, Part 2

 

Introduction

Today s sugya explains the second half of the baraita we learned yesterday.

 

אחד גר ואחד עבד משוחרר וחלל מותרין בכהנת

מסייעא ליה לרב דאמר רב יהודה אמר רב לא הוזהרו כשירות להנשא לפסולים

 

A convert, a freed slave and a halal are permitted to [marry] a priest’s daughter.

This supports Rav. For Rav Yehudah said in the name of Rav: Fit women [daughters of priests] were not warned against being married to the unfit.

 

Priests may not marry converts, freed slaves or halalim (daughters of disqualified priests). But daughters of priests may marry people of unfit lineage. In other words, the prohibitions are against men, not women. This is true for marriages that are permitted. This is not true for the prohibition of mamzerim these prohibitions are egalitarian an Israelite may not marry a mamzeret and a mamzer may not marry an Israelitess.

 

דרש ר’ זירא במחוזא גר מותר בממזרת רגמוהו כולי עלמא באתרוגייהו

אמר רבא מי איכא דדריש מילתא כי האי בדוכתא דשכיחי גיורי

 

R. Zera expounded in Mehoza: A convert may marry a mamzeret. Everyone pelted him with their etrogim.

Rava said: Is there anyone who expounds this way in a place where there are many converts!

 

When R. Zera taught that a convert may marry a mamzeret, he was essentially saying that converts are not part of the congregation of Israel. This was not popular with his audience, which was full of converts.

It is an interesting tidbit to learn that there were many converts in Mehoza.

 

דרש רבא במחוזא גר מותר בכהנת טענוהו בשיראי הדר דרש להו גר מותר בממזרת

אמרו ליה אפסידתא לקמייתא

אמר להו דטבא לכו עבדי לכו אי בעי מהכא נסיב ואי בעי מהכא נסיב

 

Rava expounded in Mehoza: A convert may marry a priest’s daughter. They loaded him with silks.

Then he expounded to them again: A convert is permitted [to marry] a mamzeret.

They said to him: You have lost [the benefit of] your first [teaching].

He replied: I have done what is best for you: if one [a convert] wishes, he can marry here [a mamzeret]; if he wishes, he can marry there [a priest’s daughter].

 

Rava makes the people happy when he tells them that a convert can marry a priest s daughter (who doesn t want a priest s daughter?). But they re not so happy when he say that they can marry a mamzeret. He thinks he s being generous converts can marry anyone! I m not so sure the converts would agree.

 

והילכתא גר מותר בכהנת ומותר בממזרת מותר בכהנת לא הוזהרו כשירות להנשא לפסולים ומותר בממזרת כרבי יוסי

 

The halakhah is: A convert is permitted to a priest’s daughter and he is permitted to a mamzeret.

He is permitted to a priest’s daughter: fit women were not warned against being married to the unfit.

And he is permitted to a mamzeret, in accordance with R. Yose.

 

The law follows Rava and the Talmud explains the reasoning behind each ruling. Unfit men can marry priest s daughter. But a convert is not considered in the congregation of Israel, and therefore he can marry a mamzeret.