[Avodah] establishing mamzerut

[Arie Folger]

RMB wrote:
> Not really applicable. You put it that lehatir agunah, being able to
> raise a 1:1000 doubt is enough to permit.

Nonononono. A 1 in a 999 doubt is too great to allow us to permit the 'agunah. 
Only when the error rate drops below 1/1000 do we have the necessary 
certainty to allow her. That level is definitely enough to create trouble for 
possible mamzerim.

In fact, most dinim wouldn't consider 1/1000 to be a doubt at all. Just in the 
case of defining definite evidence (when 'edut isn't available) for 'igun are 
we so strict.

> IOW, by agunah we're saying that the test is accurate more often than
> one in a thoudand. By mamzeirus would we have to say it isn't wrong even
> one time in a thousand. Very different claims.

eheh. I fear that this is a misunderstanding. One cannot permit a married 
woman to marry because there is a 1/1000 chance that we proved her husband 
died. It's the opposite, when there is less than 1/1000 uncertainty, only 
then do we accept evidence as definite (muvhak).


Arie Folger