Kiddushin 76b

קידושין ע״ו ע״ב

Learn Kiddushin 76b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Checking family lineage (יוחסין) before marrying into כהונה: how far to check, the presumption of fitness, and which ancestors' roles prove clean lineage

Overview

This amud finishes explaining how many generations of mothers must be checked, reading the משנה's 'one more' as 'one more pair.' רב says the משנה's checking follows רבי מאיר, while the חכמים hold that families are presumed fit; two versions of רב's words are given, and in the second one checking is needed once someone raises an ערער. The גמרא then explains the משנה's list of ancestors who make further checking unnecessary. These are a כהן at the מזבח, a לוי on the דוכן, and a member of the סנהדרין, whose members had to be free of any 'blemish'; the verses show this means lineage, not only bodily defects. Public officers prove lineage only in ירושלים, and charity collectors prove it because their quarrels would expose any flaw. A story with רב יוסף teaches that public posts go only to someone 'from among your brothers,' which includes one whose mother was born Jewish. Places differed on appointing converts. Finally, signers in ציפורי and soldiers of בית דוד prove lineage, and the גמרא answers challenges from warriors who seem to have been converts and from דוד's four hundred youths.

Opening lines

The steps (44)

1. ResolutionReading the statement as speaking about a Levite or Israelite woman
2. ChallengeDoes the ברייתא argue with the משנה?
3. Resolution'One more' means one more pair
4. StatementThe משנה follows רבי מאיר; the חכמים presume families are fit
5. Challengeרב said elsewhere the משנה is only when someone objected
6. ResolutionTwo different traditions of רב
7. StatementAnother version: both statements of רב fit together
8. QuestionWhy no checking past the altar?
9. ResponseHe was already checked before serving
10. QuestionWhy no checking past the platform?
11. ResponseLineage experts sat there
12. QuestionWhy no checking past a member of the סנהדרין?
13. ResponseThe court was clean of any blemish
14. ProofThe verse: no blemish in you
15. ChallengeMaybe the verse means a physical blemish
16. ResolutionPhysical blemishes come from a different verse
17. RejectionMaybe that was because of the שכינה
18. ResolutionA verse about ordinary judges also says 'with you'
19. QuestionAre people of flawed lineage never appointed to public posts?
20. ChallengeBut a ממזר may judge money cases
21. Resolutionאביי: the משנה speaks about ירושלים
22. ProofA teaching from the school of Levi agrees
23. QuestionWhy do charity collectors' families need no check?
24. ResponseCollectors fight with people, so any flaw would be exposed
25. StatementTwo men compete for a city post
26. StatementOnly someone 'from among your brothers' may be appointed
27. QuestionWhat if his mother was born Jewish?
28. ResponseA Jewish mother is enough, so the jobs are divided
29. Conclusionאביי: host a scholar who will speak up for you
30. StatementSome אמוראים appointed converts
31. StatementStricter places refused even minor posts to converts
32. QuestionWhy does signing in ציפורי prove lineage?
33. ResponseThey checked before letting witnesses sign
34. StatementThe army list means דוד's troops
35. ProofThe verse behind the army rule
36. QuestionWhy must soldiers have pure lineage?
37. ResponseTheir ancestors' merit protects them
38. ChallengeChallenge from צלק העמוני
39. ResolutionHe only lived in עמון
40. ChallengeChallenge from אוריה החתי
41. ResolutionHe only lived in חת
42. Challengeאתי הגתי must have been a non-Jew
43. Challengeדוד's four hundred youths, sons of captive women
44. ResolutionThey only marched to frighten the enemy