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From: martillo@mit-athena.UUCP (Joaquim Martillo)
Newsgroups: net.religion.jewish
Subject: Re: Hypocrisy--or, who is a mamzer?
Message-ID: <100@mit-athena.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 3-Mar-85 02:03:01 EST
Article-I.D.: mit-athe.100
Posted: Sun Mar  3 02:03:01 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 5-Mar-85 02:31:03 EST
References: <22536@lanl.ARPA>, <3780016@csd2.UUCP>
Organization: MIT Project Athena
Lines: 26

Questions  of  tohorat  hamishpahah  notwithstanding, there is a serious
double standard in  checking  into  the  background  of  Ethiopians  and
Indians  when Reform has already existed among Ashkenazim for almost two
hundred years which means many for many generations of Ashkenazim  there
is  already  a  question  whether  divorces have been halakically proper
especially when in comparison to Ethiopians and Indians Ashkenazi sexual
morality  is  particulary  low.   Divorce  is  practically unknown among
Ethiopians and Indians but has been quite common  among  Ashkenazim  for
the past couple of centuries.  Already in the nineteenth century Sefardi
hakamim were forbidding Sefardim from marrying Ashkenazim for  precisely
these reasons.  While there is no question about halakic problems in the
case of Ethiopians, Ashkenazim should not be adjudicating these problems
unless  they  are  willing to apply the same standard to themselves.  My
mother's family tends to consider Ashkenazim presumptive mamzerim.  This
is  not  so  unreasonable.  Consider all those religious German Jews who
grew up in Washington Heights.  Many  had  their  origin  in  Frankfurt.
Before Hirsch came to Frankfurt there was no Jewish practice whatsoever.
During that timeperiod I consider it very likely that there were several
improper divorces followed by new marriages.

I also tend to consider the authority of Ashkenazi rabbis under a shadow
because 99% of Ashkenazim would not know a Jewish idea if it ran up  and
bit them.

Basically,  the  Sefardi  rabbinate  should  be  adjudicating the Jewish
status of Ethoipians, Indians and Ashkenazim.