MATRILINEAL DESCENT: A BACKGROUND CHECK

• Published in: Tradition (New York) 2021-04, Vol.53 (2), p.39-50
• Main Author: Zivotofsky, Ari Z
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Children; Children & youth; Clergy; Families & family life; Jewish law; Jewish people; Marriage; Sons
• ISSN: 0041-0608

Other potential sources for the prohibition of marrying a gentile are the story of Pinhas and Zimri (Numbers 25:6-8),6 Deuteronomy 23:18, and Malakhi 2:11-12.7 Whatever the source, intermarriage was clearly viewed by Hazal as scripture-based, and something to be avoided at all costs. Based on Numbers 1:18, he contemplated permitting it until Rav Haggai corrected him and flogged him for his obvious incompetence.11 Yaakov's position does not seem to be mentioned in the Bavli nor cited by any later authoritative source, and Yaakov, who also once absurdly ruled that fish require shehita, was clearly not presenting a legitimate position. In the course of the 1864 debate regarding circumcision of males born to Jewish fathers and non-Jewish mothers, Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch Kalischer (1795-1874) stated that although he considered them non-Jews he thought it was a mitzva to circumcise such children. Based on the simple reading of the text (see Metzudat David), and the only other occurrence of the phrase (Isaiah 6:13), it seems to clearly be referring to the Jewish individuals and not ascribing any holiness to the non-Jewish offspring.13 Rabbi Ben-Zion Meir Hai Uziel (1880-1953; Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel, 1939-1953) in several responsa written over seventy years ago, dealt with an issue still vexing the Israeli rabbinate: intermarried couples and their children making aliya under the Law of Return.