Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version nyu B notes v1.5 12/10/84; site csd2.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!mhuxn!mhuxj!mhuxr!ulysses!allegra!bellcore!decvax!genrad!mit-eddie!godot!harvard!seismo!cmcl2!csd2!klahr From: klahr@csd2.UUCP Newsgroups: net.religion.jewish Subject: Re: Hypocrisy--or, who is a mamzer? Message-ID: <3780016@csd2.UUCP> Date: Thu, 28-Feb-85 12:37:00 EST Article-I.D.: csd2.3780016 Posted: Thu Feb 28 12:37:00 1985 Date-Received: Mon, 4-Mar-85 04:19:05 EST References: <22536@lanl.ARPA> Organization: New York University Lines: 36 :a Bill Peter's charge of "Ultra-Orthodox" racism vis a vi the Ethiopian Jews is instructive in illustrating the Halachic, not racist, nature of the current dispute between Orthodox religious authorities. As proof of the "racist motivations of the Ultra-Orthodox", Mr. Peters cites: 1. If the Orthodox leaders are worried about Mamzerim, why don't they require secularly circumcised Jews to be ritually circumcised before marriage? 2.If the Orthodox leaders are worried about Mamzerim, why don't they make sure that a prospective bbride/groom's parents practiced Taharas Mishpacha? I'm sorry Mr. Peters, but you're mixing apples and oranges!(or as we say in Hebrew, Mah inyan Shmitta aytzel Har Seenai!) While the laws of Family Purity(Taharas Mishpacha) and the religious circumcision procedure are both Halachic imperatives, NEITHER ONE'S ABSENCE MAKES AN INDIVIDUAL A MAMZER! THEREIS NO HALACHIC DISAGREEMENT ON THIS,EITHER! On the other hand, if a Jewish community has not been practicing a Halachically legitimate form of divorce, the child of a divorcee and her new husband would be Halachically considered a Mamzer. As far as the Ethiopian Jewish community is concerned, there are many factual and Halachic issues which must be ascertained- social and religious practices of the community, Halachic status of any single individual when doubts are raised about unknown lineages in the community as a whole, and many other questions. I don't mean to take sides on the issue, but I do think that a reasonable person should agree that raising the question of Mamzairus is legitimate, rather than a convenient issue to be used to slam those stereotypical "wild-eyed Ultra-Orthodox fanatics". Wishing a Good Shabbos to Bill Peters and everyone else, Pinchus Klahr Arpanet klahr@nyu-csd2 . wq d :wq