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<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" color=#000000 size=2
face=Arial>From: Eli Turkel via Avodah
<avodah@lists.aishdas.org><BR>"<BR><BR>> The specific problem was
marrying Canaanites. Yosef married an Egyptian,<BR>> and Moshe a
Midianite.<BR><BR>[1] Esav seems to be crticized for marrying in the family of
Ishmael. What was<BR>wrong with that?<BR><BR><BR>[Email #2.]<BR><BR>> No, it
was zera kodesh, not mixing with the cursed seed of Kenaan,<BR><BR>[2] Who did
the sons of Yaakov marry? Even if he had daughters one cant marry
a<BR>sister.<BR><BR>-- <BR>Eli Turkel<BR><BR></FONT></FONT></DIV>
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<DIV>>>>>></DIV>
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<DIV>[1] The problem, as Rashi says, is that he only married her to blow smoke
in his parents' eyes, as proven by the fact that he did not divorce the
idol-worshipping wives his parents hated! He just added another one to the
harem.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>[2] The same medrash that says the 12 shevatim were born with twin sisters
says or implies that they married each other's twins. They kept /most/ of
the Torah but strictly speaking were only obligated to keep Noahide law which
permits brother-sister marriages, esp if they are from different mothers.</DIV>
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<DIV>A simple reading of the text OTOH would imply that they married local
women, Canaanite women. Some probably married relatives from Aram or
local relatives. Undoubtedly there were many cousins, esp if girls from
the Yishmael and Esav lines are allowed, and why wouldn't they be?</DIV>
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<DIV>Once there was a "three-fold cord" of Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yakov, the
dangers of the subsequent generations marrying Canaanite women and being
influenced by them were not as great. The survival of the clan as a
separate, G-d-fearing clan was now assured.</DIV>
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<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff></FONT><BR><FONT color=#0000ff><STRONG>--Toby
Katz<BR>t613k@aol.com</STRONG></FONT><FONT lang=0 color=#ffffff size=2
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PTSIZE="10"><BR><STRONG>=============</STRONG><BR><BR><BR>-------------------------------------------------------------------
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