Kiddushin, Daf Ayin, Part 2

 

Introduction

This section begins with a midrash on the same verse we ended with yesterday.

 

אמר רבה בר בר חנה כל הנושא אשה שאינה הוגנת לו מעלה עליו הכתוב כאילו חרשו לכל העולם כולו וזרעו מלח שנאמר (נחמיה ז, סא) ואלה העולים מתל מלח תל חרשא

 

Rabbah b. Bar Hanah said: He who takes a wife who is not fitting for him, the verse treats him as though he had ploughed the whole world and sown it with salt, as it is said: And these were they which went up front Tel-melah, Tel-harsha (Nehemiah 7:61).

Rabbah b. Bar Hannah explains the verse in connection with a man who marries a wife whose lineage is not fit for him. It is as if he ploughs all of the land (harsha) but sows it with salt (melah). The derashah also relies on the end of the verse that speaks of these people as not being able to determine their lineage.

 

אמר רבה בר רב אדא אמר רב כל הנושא אשה לשום ממון הויין לו בנים שאינן מהוגנים שנאמר (הושע ה, ז) בה’ בגדו כי בנים זרים ילדו

ושמא תאמר ממון פלט תלמוד לומר (הושע ה, ז) עתה יאכלם חדש את חלקיהם

ושמא תאמר חלקו ולא חלקה תלמוד לומר חלקיהם

ושמא תאמר לזמן מרובה ת"ל חדש

מאי משמע אמר רב נחמן בר יצחק חדש נכנס וחדש יצא וממונם אבד

 

Rabbah son of R. Adda said in the name of Rav: He who takes a wife for the sake of money will have unworthy children, as it is said: They have dealt treacherously against the Lord; for they have borne strange children [now shall the new moon devour them with their portions (Hosea 5:7).

And should you think, their money will be preserved [for them], Scripture says: Now shall the new moon devour them with their portions .

And should you think, his portion, but not hers: Scripture says: their portions.

And should you think [only] after a long time, Scripture says: the new moon.

What does this mean?

R. Nahman b. Yitzchak said: A month comes and a month goes and their money is lost.

 

Rabbah son of R. Adda adds that if one takes a wife whose lineage is not fit for him just for the sake of money he will have unworthy children. The moral sin of the father will affect his children. He interprets the verse in Hosea as referring to a man who marries a woman with improper lineage.

The children will not only be unworthy, but he will end up losing the dowry he aimed to profit. She, the woman he married, will also lose her own personal money. And they will lose it all within a month.

We can see here the rabbis severely warning against something that must have been a temptation to marry a woman with inferior lineage who comes with a big dowry. Indeed, there is little doubt that in a world in which lineage is a considerable factor in determining marriages, money can compensate for a lack of lineage.

 

ואמר רבה בר רב אדא ואמרי לה אמר רבי סלא אמר רב המנונא כל הנושא אשה שאינה הוגנת לו אליהו כופתו והקב"ה רוצעו ותנא על כולם אליהו כותב והקב"ה חותם אוי לו לפוסל את זרעו ולפוגם את משפחתו ולנושא אשה שאינה הוגנת לו אליהו כופתו והקב"ה רוצעו

 

Rabbah son of R. Adda also said, and others say, R. Salla said in the name of R. Hamnuna: He who marries a wife who is not fit for him, Elijah binds him and the Holy One, blessed be He, lashes him.

And a Tanna taught: Concerning all these Elijah writes and the Holy One, blessed he He, seals: Woe to him who disqualifies his seed, blemishes his family and he who takes a wife one who is not fit for him. Elijah binds and the Holy One, blessed be He, lashes him.

 

You are strongly advised not to take a wife not fit for you. I mean lashes from the Kadosh Barukh Hu OUCH!

וכל הפוסל פסול ואינו מדבר בשבחא לעולם ואמר שמואל במומו פוסל

 

And he who declares [others] unfit is [himself] unfit and never speaks in praise [of people]. And Shmuel said: With his own blemish he disqualifies [others] as unfit.

 

This is an important caveat to what we ve just read. On the one hand, one should not disqualify one s own lineage by marrying one of flawed lineage. But do not go around telling other people their lineage is flawed. That only testifies as to the flaws of the one pointing the finger.