Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site mit-athena.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!bellcore!decvax!mit-athena!martillo 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.