Kiddushin 73A

Study Kiddushin folio 73A with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.

Text Excerpt

חד ⁠– לכהנים, וחד ⁠– ללוים, וחד ⁠– לישראלים, וחד ⁠– למישרי ממזר בשתוקי, וחד ⁠– למישרי שתוקי בישראל. קהל גרים לא איקרי קהל. ורבי יהודה? כהנים ולוים מחד ״קהל״ נפקי, אייתר ליה לקהל גרים.

One is referring to priests, to teach that people with flawed lineage may not enter their congregation; and one is referring to Levites; and one to Israelites; and one serves to permit a mamzer to marry a shetuki, since a mamzer is prohibited from entering only the congregation of God, but he may marry someone who is not definitely a member of the congregation, e.g., a shetuki; and one serves to permit a shetuki to marry an Israelite, as only one who is a definite mamzer may not marry an Israelite. As for the congregation of converts, it is not called a congregation at all, and they may marry those prohibited from entering the congregation of Israel. And R' Yehuda holds that priests and Levites are derived from one instance of the word “congregation,” since they are from the same tribe, that of Levi. Consequently, one instance of the word “congregation” remains for him to interpret. He interprets it as referring to the congregation of converts, and deems it prohibited for a mamzer to enter that congregation as well.

ואיבעית אימא: הכי נמי, תרי קהלי נינהו, ממזר בשתוקי ושתוקי בישראל מחד ״קהל״ נפקא ⁠– ״לא יבא ממזר בקהל ה׳״⁠ –

And if you wish, say: So too, R' Yehuda agrees with R' Yosei that Levites and priests are two congregations, since there are special halakhot of marriage that apply only to priests. Rather, R' Yehuda holds that the permissibility of the marriage of a mamzer with a shetuki and a shetuki with an Israelite is derived from one instance of the word “congregation,” from the verse: “A mamzer should not enter into the congregation of YHWH” (Deuteronomy 23:3).

Text data via Sefaria: William Davidson Edition - English and William Davidson Edition - Vocalized Aramaic, CC-BY-NC; edition provenance: Koren. Display terminology has been modernized for readability.