About this episode
Today's daf is dedicated by Deborah Hoffman-Wade "in grateful appreciation for my 90-year-old mother, Geraldine Hoffman, who gave birth to me 69 years ago today. She continues to be a blessing!" What is the status of a child born to a non-Jewish father or Canaanite slave and Jewish mother? Is the child a mamzer? Is the child not a mamzer, but disqualified from marrying a kohen? There were different opinions regarding this issue. Rabbi Yochanan said that all agree that the child is a mamzer. To who is he referring when he said "all agree"? First the Gemara suggests Rabbi Shimon Hatimni. But after a question was raised, Rav Yosef explains that it is Rabbi Yehuda Hanasi who ruled that the child is a mamzer. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi who permitted this child, held that the child could not marry a kohen. Abaye challenges Rav Yosef by bringing a different tradition regarding Rabbi Yehuda Hanasi in which he rules leniently. A case was brought regarding a female captive who was pregnant. Rabbi Ami wanted to declare the child a mamzer based on the opinions of Rabbi Yochanan, Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Chanina, but Rav Yosef countered him by saying: If you are holding that way because you have a lot of rabbis who say that, I can provide a longer list of rabbis who disagree - Rav and Shmuel in Babylonia and Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi and Bar Kapara in Israel. However, Rav Yosef corrected Rabbi Ami by saying we rule the child is a mamzer because Rabbi Yehuda Hanasi ruled that way. Even though Rav did permit such a child to marry a Jew, a certain person (who was born from a non-Jewish father came before Rav and after hearing Rav's ruling to permit, he asked to marry Rav's daughter. But Rav would not agree to this. Rav was criticized for this as he was not willing to act on his word; however, Rav stood strong and explained why he was unwilling. Rav got upset at the one who asked him the question and caused his death. If someone is a half slave/half free man and has a child with a Jewish woman, what is the status of the child? This question was asked to Raba and he answered that the child is not a mamzer. Rav Yosef questioned this by stating that it must be based on Rav Yehuda who rules that a child of a slave and a Jewish woman is not a mamzer, but Rav Yehuda said elsewhere that the child of a half slave/half free man has no solution (meaning, the child is a mamzer). How can the contradiction be resolved? If a slave/gentile has relations with a married woman, is it treated like a married woman (i.e. child is a mamzer) or is there no issue of "married woman" status in relations with a gentile/slave? This is a subject of debate among different rabbis. Rava permitted Rav Meri the son of Rachel and a gentile (who later converted) to be an official in Babylonia as he considered him fully Jewish as it follows the mother. A gentile woman immersed in the mikveh by the slave of Rabbi Chiya bar Ami for purposes of nidda, but Rav Yosef said that it can count for her conversion as well. A few other similar cases are brought.