[Avodah] DNA testing

[Shoshana L. Boublil]

> Date: Sun, 29 Oct 2006 09:17:04 +0300
> From: "Eli Turkel" <eliturkel at gmail.com>
> Subject: [Avodah] DNA testing

> Strangely blood testing is more of a problem than DNA testing because of
> the gemara that various properties of the child come from each parent. 

Has anyone run a comparison between this G'mara and what we know about Mitochondrial DNA and the fact that there are indeed sources of DNA in the human body that are maternal alone?

Also, as R' Micha reminded me, there are factors that are inherited specifically via the Y chromozome, which are paternal alone.

For example, there is  a project in Israel attempting to check all the Kohanim for a specific Y chromozome related trait that is more prevalent among Kohanim.

Thus,
> if the blood comes from the mother it cannot be used to establish paternity.
 
> DNA is better since there are no gemaras that deny its validity.
> hence.

Unless we decide that "HaDam Hu HaNefesh" can be used to re-read this G'mara about the blood as discussing DNA.


Shoshana L. Boublil