About this episode
Today's daf is sponsored by Aviva Adler in loving memory of her father, Professor Joseph Kahane's 6th yahrzeit, Yosef ben Rachel v'Tzvi HaKohen. When Doeg the Edomite recommended to King Saul to look into David's lineage to disqualify him on account of his great grandmother Ruth, in the end, Yeter, the father of Amasa brought down a tradition he had learned from Shmuel that Moabite and Amonite women are permitted. There are two different tannaitic opinions explaining on what basis are the women excluded from the prohibition. Three different verses in Tehillim are explained to be connected to this incident as David is thanking God for saving him from those trying to attack his lineage and that of his grandson, Rechavam whose mother was Naama the Amonite. Ulla quotes Rabbi Yochanan as ruling that the daughter of a male convert from Amon is permitted to marry a kohen. According to who is this statement made? If it was said according to Rabbi Yehuda, he rules that the child of a convert is like the child of a chalal and is disqualified from marrying a kohen. If it was said according to Rabbi Yosi, he permitted the daughters of converts so it is obvious! In the end, they explain the case: if the child of a convert from Amon with a Jewish woman, which is a forbidden relationship and even according to Rabbi Yosi, one may have thought here that since the child was born from a forbidden union, perhaps she would be disqualified from marrying a kohen. Reish Lakish in fact holds that she is disqualified, but Rabbi Yochanan permits it. On what basis does Rabbi Yochanan permit it? He disagrees with Rabbi Zakkai on how to explain the words in the verse in Vayikra 21:14 that a kohen gadol can marry a virgin from his own people. What does "from his own people" refer to? Two different versions of Rabbi Yochanan's drasha are brought. There is an alternate version of his discussion and disagreement with Rabbi Zakkai. According to the second version, why would the child of an Egyptian convert with an Israelite be permitted to marry a kohen? What is the retort that the rabbis could have made to Rabbi Shimon's kal vachomer in the Mishna regarding the female Edomite and Egyptian converts?