One does not examine from the altar and above [i.e., if he began to examine the mothers and found that her father's father served at the altar, he need not examine her father's father's mother. For since her son served at the altar, of a certainty he was pedigreed]; and not from the (Levite's) podium and above [if he found that he sang upon the podium], and not from the Sanhedrin and above. [Specifically, the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem — even one who adjudicated monetary law alone. For they would appoint only a pedigreed Cohen, Levite, or Israelite to the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem, viz. (Numbers 11:16): "And let them stand there with you (Moses)" — with those who are similar to you in pedigree and wisdom.] And all whose fathers were known to be community officers or charity collectors may wed into the priesthood and need not be examined. [Since they contended with those people from whom they would exact pledges for charity, even on the eve of Sabbath, if their pedigree were tainted, it would be known. R. Yossi says: Also one who was signed as a witness in the sanhedraoth of [the city] Yeshanah [near] Sepphoris. R. Chanina b. Antignos says: Also one who was recorded in the king's list of officers [in the monthly division, to go out to the Davidic wars — such and such family in such and such month. Only the pedigreed would go out to these wars, hoping for Divine assistance in their merit and in the merits of their fathers.]
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.
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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.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Kiddushin
ולא מן הדוכן ולמעלה – if he found that he as a singer on the platform.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Kiddushin
בערכי ישנה של צפורי – In the Sanhedrins of the city whose name is Yeshanah, which is near to Sepphoris.
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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).
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Bartenura on Mishnah Kiddushin
ערכי – Sanhedrins where they would arrange and establish the genealogies.
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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.
