[Avodah] how to fix a mamzer

[Micha Berger via Avodah]

On Wed, May 18, 2016 at 09:32:58PM -0700, Adar Jacob wrote:
: As I recall, maybe about 20 years ago, talmiday hachamim were bruiting
: it about that we should NOT check individuals but assume botel b'rov
: for immigrants to Israel or any group of Jews.

This isn't an issue of rov. There is a gezeiras hakasuv that kivan
shenitma, nitma -- a family in which the mamzeirus got forgotten must
be left that way. One is *prohibited* against digging up lost claims
of mamzeirus.

I think of it in similar terms to how an afflicted person isn't a
metzorah until the kohein says so. Here too, the biological parentage
is the primary factor in determining mamzeirus, but apparently not
the only one. We must also be aware of that parentage. And if hot, the
person isn't halachically a mamzer and we wrong him by finding out his
biological state and making him subject to the strictures.

It is only a foundling (asufi) or someone who can't identify who his
father is (shetuqi) who are *derabbanan* held under doubt. (De'oraisa,
only a definite mamzer is assur.)

Not cases of needing to dig up history of people who think they're kosher.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             Today is the 26th day, which is
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