Translation:Mishnah/Seder Nashim/Tractate Kiddushin/Chapter 4

Mishnah 1

Ten pedigrees emigrated from Babylonia [to Israel]:

Priestly, Levitical, [Ordinary] Jewish,

Invalidated Priestly, Converted, Freed,

Mamzeric, Nathinitic, Silent Ones and Foundlings.

Priestly, Levitical and [Ordinary] Jewish

are permitted to mingle with each other [in marriage];

Levitical, [Ordinary] Jewish, Invalidated Priestly, Converted and Freed

are permitted to mingle with each other;

Converted, Freed, Mamzeric, Nathinitic, Silent Ones and Foundlings

are permitted to mingle with each other.

Mishnah 2

These are the Silent Ones:

any who knows his mother, but does not know his father.

[These are the] Foundlings:

any who was gathered in from the market,

and does not know either his father or his mother.

Abba Shaul would call the Silent Ones "Checked Ones."

Mishnah 3

Any who are forbidden to mingle with the community [in marriage],

are permitted to mingle with each other.

Rabbi Yehuda forbids [this].

Rabbi Elazar says:

definite ones with definite ones

are permitted;

definite ones with uncertain ones,

uncertain ones with definite ones,

and uncertain ones with uncertain ones,

are forbidden.

And these are the uncertain ones:

Silent Ones, Foundlings, and Cuthites.

Mishnah 4

One who marries a woman who is Priestly

needs to investigate her [regarding] four mothers, which are eight —

her mother, and her mother's mother,

her mother's father's mother, and her mother,

her father's mother, and her mother,

her father's father's mother, and her mother.

Levites and [ordinary] Jew[s] add on to these another one.

Mishnah 5

We do not check

neither from the altar and above,

nor from the platform and above,

nor from the Sanhedrin and above.

Anyone whose fathers were known to be officers of the masses, [or] appointees over charity

may marry into the priesthood,

and we do not need to check after them.

Rabbi Yosi says:

Even one who was signed as a witness in the old archives of Zippori.

Rabbi Hanina son of Antigonos says:

Even one who was written in the king's roster.

Mishnah 6

The daughter of a male invalidated priest

is unfit [to marry into] the priesthood, forever.

An [ordinary] Jew who married an invalidated priestly female —

his daughter is fit;

And an invalidated priest who married the daughter of an [ordinary] Jew —

his daughter is unfit [to marry into] the priesthood.

Rabbi Yehuda says:

The daughter of a male convert is like the daughter of a male invalidated priest.

Mishnah 7

Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov says:

An [ordinary] Jew who married a female convert —

his daughter is fit to [marry into] the priesthood;

and a male convert who married the daughter of an [ordinary] Jew —

his daughter is fit to [marry into] the priesthood.

But a male convert who married a female convert —

his daughter is unfit to [marry into] the priesthood.

It is the same for converts and for freed servants,

even until ten generations,

until their mother is a Jew.

Rabbi Yosi says:

Even a male convert who married a female convert —

his daughter is fit to [marry into] the priesthood.

Mishnah 8

One who says, "This son of mine is a mamzer,"

is not believed.

Even if both [parents] say regarding a fetus which is in her womb, "It is a mamzer,"

they are not believed.

Rabbi Yehuda says:

They are believed.

Mishnah 9

One who gave authority to his agent to betroth his daughter [to another man],

and he himself went and betrothed her —

If his preceded, his betrothal is [a valid] betrothal,

and if his agent's preceded, [the agent's] betrothal is [a valid] betrothal,

[If] it is not known [which preceded] —

Both of [the potential grooms] give a bill of divorce.

And if they wish, one gives a bill of divorce and one brings [her] in [to marriage].

Similarly, a woman who gave authority to her agent to betroth her [to another man],

and she herself went and betrothed herself —

If hers preceded, her betrothal is [a valid] betrothal,

and if her agent's preceded, his betrothal is [a valid] betrothal,

[If] it is not known [which preceded] —

Both of [the potential grooms] give a bill of divorce.

And if they wish, one gives a bill of divorce and one brings [her] in [to marriage].

Mishnah 10

One who goes, he and his wife, overseas,

and he comes [back] [with] his wife and his sons, and says,

"The wife that went with me overseas,

this is she, and these are her sons" —

he does not need to bring a proof,

neither for the wife or for the sons.

"... she died, and these are her sons" —

he brings a proof for the sons,

but does not bring a proof for the wife.

[One who comes back from overseas and says,]

"I married a wife overseas,

this is she and these are her sons" —

he brings a proof for the wife,

but does not bring a proof for the sons.

"... she died, and these are her sons" —

he brings a proof for the wife and for the sons.

Mishnah 11

A man may not be secluded with two women,

but a woman may be secluded with two men.

Rabbi Shimon says:

Even a man may be secluded with two women.

And when his wife is with him, he may sleep with them in an inn,

because his wife is with him.

A person may be secluded with his mother or with his daughter,

and may sleep with them in bodily contact.

When they grow up,

this one should sleep in his cover, and this one should sleep in his cover.

Mishnah 12

A bachelor should not practice pedagogy,

and a woman should not practice pedagogy.

Rabbi Elazar says:

Even one who does not have a wife with him should not practice pedagogy.

Mishnah 13

Rabbi Yehuda says:

A bachelor should not pasture animals,

and two bachelors should not sleep in one cloth.

The sages permit [these things].

Anyone who deals with women, should not be secluded with women.

A person should not teach his son a profession that [involves being] among women.

Rabbi Meir says:

A person should always teach his son a clean and easy profession,

and should pray to the One Whom wealth and possessions are His;

for there is no profession which does not have within it poverty and wealth;

for poverty is not from the profession and wealth is not from the profession,

but rather all is according to his merit.

Rabbi Shimon son of Elazar says:

Have you seen in your lifetime a wild animal or bird that has a profession?

But they support themselves without trouble;

and were they not created only to attend me,

while I was created to attend my Creator —

is it not logical that I should support myself without trouble?

But rather I have made wicked my actions,

and been deprived of my support.

Abba Guryan of Tzaidan says in the name of Abba Gurya:

and a person should not teach his son to be

a donkey-driver, a camel-driver, a barber, a sailor, a storekeeper, or a shepherd,

for their profession is a thieves' profession.

Rabbi Yehuda says in his own name:

Donkey-drivers are mostly wicked,

and camel-drivers are mostly honest,

sailors are mostly pious.

The best of doctors goes to Gehenna,

and the most honest butchers are the partner of Amalek.

Rabbi Nehorai says:

I leave aside all professions in the world,

and I teach my son only Torah;

for a person eats of its reward in this world,

and the principal endures in the world to come.

And all other professions are not so —

when a person comes into sickness, or into old age, or into suffering,

and is not able to be involved in his work, he dies in hunger.

But the Torah is not so —

but rather it guards him from all evil in his youth,

and gives him finality and hope in his old age;

In his youth what does it say?

"And those who hope in God shall renew their strength."

In his old age what does it say?

"They shall still produce in ripe old age."

Similarly it says about Avraham our Father, peace be upon him —

"And Avraham was old ... and God blessed Avraham in everything."

We find that Avraham our Father performed the whole entire Torah before it had been given,

as it says, "By reason that Avraham listened to my voice,

and kept my safekeeping, my commandments, my statutes and teachings."