Man untersucht nicht vom Altar und darüber [dh wenn er anfing, die Mütter zu untersuchen und feststellte, dass der Vater ihres Vaters am Altar diente, braucht er die Mutter des Vaters ihres Vaters nicht zu untersuchen. Denn da ihr Sohn am Altar diente, war er mit Sicherheit ein Stammbaum. und nicht vom (Leviten-) Podium und darüber [wenn er feststellte, dass er auf dem Podium sang] und nicht vom Sanhedrin und darüber. [Insbesondere der Sanhedrin in Jerusalem—sogar einer, der allein über das Währungsrecht entschieden hat. Denn sie würden nur einen reinrassigen Cohen, Leviten oder Israeliten zum Sanhedrin in Jerusalem ernennen, nämlich. (Numeri 11:16): "Und sie sollen bei dir stehen (Mose)"—mit denen, die Ihnen in Stammbaum und Weisheit ähnlich sind.] Und alle, deren Väter als Gemeindebeamte oder Wohltätigkeitssammler bekannt waren, können in das Priestertum heiraten und müssen nicht untersucht werden. [Da sie sich mit jenen Menschen auseinandersetzten, von denen sie auch am Vorabend des Sabbats Zusagen für wohltätige Zwecke machen würden, wäre es bekannt, wenn ihr Stammbaum verdorben wäre. R. Yossi sagt: Auch einer, der als Zeuge im Sanhedraoth von [der Stadt] Yeshanah [in der Nähe] Sepphoris unterschrieben wurde. R. Chanina b. Antignos sagt: Auch einer, der in die Offiziersliste des Königs aufgenommen wurde [in der monatlichen Division, um in die Davidischen Kriege zu gehen—solche und solche Familie in diesem und jenem Monat. Nur die Stammgäste würden in diese Kriege gehen und auf göttliche Hilfe in ihrem Verdienst und in den Verdiensten ihrer Väter hoffen.]
Bartenura on Mishnah Kiddushin
אין בודקין מן המזבח ולמעלה – He began to examine the mothers, and found that her father’s father served at the Altar, there is no need to examine after the mother of her father’s father, since her son served at the Altar, it is known that he is of legitimate descent.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Kiddushin
Introduction
In yesterday’s mishnah we learned that men need to check their wives’ lineage before marriage. The normal check was eight mothers. Our mishnah teaches that if the woman father’s or one of the mother’s father’s served in a role where disqualified priests were not allowed, then they need not check back any further. I would make the following analogy: sometimes companies do background checks on potential employees. However, if the company for which the person previously worked is known for doing thorough background checks, a fresh check need not be done.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Kiddushin
ולא מן הדוכן ולמעלה – if he found that he as a singer on the platform.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Kiddushin
They do not check from the altar and upwards, nor from the duchan [dais] and upwards, nor from the Sanhedrin and upwards. If one of the woman’s fathers either served as a priest at the altar, or sung as a Levite from the duchan in the Temple or served in the Sanhedrin, the man who wishes to marry her need not check back in that branch any further. We should note that it is clear from here that lineage was a criterion for serving in the Sanhedrin.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Kiddushin
ולא מן הסנהדרין ולמעלה – and especially from the Sanhedrin/Jewish court that was in Jerusalem, and even from those who adjudicated only monetary cases, for they would not place anyone from the Sanhedrin other than a Kohen, Levite or Israelite of legitimate descent, as it is states (Numbers 11:16): “And let them take their place there with you,” those that are similar to you in descent and in wisdom.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Kiddushin
And all those whose fathers were established to have been among the public officers or charity collectors may marry [their daughters] into the priesthood, and he doesn’t need to check after them. Furthermore, if the father held a position of public trust then the husband need not check any further. Again we can note that lineage was a criterion in appointing men to positions of leadership. This section probably refers to the post-destruction period, whereas the previous section referred to positions held when the Temple still stood.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Kiddushin
וגבאי צדקה – since they would quarrel with these people, they would seize the Tzedakah, and even on Fridays, if they had with them a matter, it would have a voice.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Kiddushin
And all those whose fathers were established to have been among the public officers or charity collectors may marry [their daughters] into the priesthood, and he doesn’t need to check after them. According to Albeck, Rabbi Yose is referring to people appointed to approve documents in the old court in Tsippori. Normal witnesses would not undergo such thorough background checks.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Kiddushin
בערכי ישנה של צפורי – In the Sanhedrins of the city whose name is Yeshanah, which is near to Sepphoris.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Kiddushin
Rabbi Yose says: even one who was signed as a witness in the old court of Tzippori. While all sorts of people with all sorts of lineages could certainly serve as soldiers, only those with proper lineage were listed in the king’s list of officers (see I Chronicles 7:40).
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Kiddushin
ערכי – Sanhedrins where they would arrange and establish the genealogies.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Kiddushin
אסטרטיא של מלך – in the monthly division of each month to go out to the wars of the House of David, a particular family in a certain month. And they would not go out to war other than those with legitimate descent , so that their merit and the merit of their ancestors would help them.
