Mishnah
Mishnah

Talmud for Kiddushin 4:5

אֵין בּוֹדְקִין לֹא מִן הַמִּזְבֵּחַ וּלְמַעְלָה, וְלֹא מִן הַדּוּכָן וּלְמַעְלָה, וְלֹא מִן סַנְהֶדְרִין וּלְמָעְלָה. וְכֹל שֶׁהֻחְזְקוּ אֲבוֹתָיו מִשּׁוֹטְרֵי הָרַבִּים וְגַבָּאֵי צְדָקָה, מַשִּׂיאִין לַכְּהֻנָּה וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לִבְדֹּק אַחֲרֵיהֶן. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר, אַף מִי שֶׁהָיָה חָתוּם עֵד בָּעַרְכֵי הַיְשָׁנָה שֶׁל צִפּוֹרִי. רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בֶּן אַנְטִיגְנוֹס אוֹמֵר, אַף מִי שֶׁהָיָה מֻכְתָּב בְּאִסְטְרַטְיָא שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ:

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.]

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