wkp@lanl.ARPA (03/01/85)
[This posting got garbled up on the way to the Press. Sorry.]
Subject: Re: Hypocrisy--or, who is a mamzer?
Newsgroups: net.religion.jewish
References: <22536@lanl.ARPA> <3780016@csd2.UUCP>
In replying to my posting, Pinchus Klahr not only got my last name wrong, but
completely misrepresented my position. I did not maintain that lack of a
religious circumcision made a Jew a mamzer. Mr. Klahr, before you respond to
any of my articles, please get the facts straight. Thanks!
In Asher Schechter's response, he made two points which I would like to see
discussed.
1. Can any one quote the sources for what I thought to be a halachic
principle that a Jew who had a cirmcumcision incorrectly done had to
have it redone? The only thing I could find was from the Shulchan Aruch
stating that "the mohel should be versed in the laws of milah" (163:1).
Since most secular circumcisions are done via gentiles (or nowadays,
machines), I view this as an incomplete brit milah, and thus invalid.
The Lubavitchers that I prayed 5 years with also agree to this principle.
(I believe that their view was that such a Jew was therefore not part
of the covenant, and HAD TO UNDERGO A RITUAL BRIT MILAH (the shedding
of blood from the foreskin, etc.). Since the Lubavitchers are part of
the Theocratic Politicos calling for a ritual immersion for the
Ethiopians, my charge of hypocrisy still stands.
2. Again, it was my understanding that a Jew born of a Jewess not
following Taharat Mishpachah was a mamzer. Can someone give me
sources for this? I remember reading it in a yeshiva class; also
Martillo mentioned it once on the net. (My talmud is in Jerusalem).
Thanks in advance to anybody who can help.
---
bill peter {ihnp4,seismo}!cmcl2!lanl!wkp
"Ben Azzai said, 'Do not be scornful of any person and do not be
disdainful of anything, for there is no person without his hour
and no thing without its place.'"
---martillo@mit-athena.UUCP (Joaquim Martillo) (03/03/85)
I do not remember ever stating that a child born of a woman not following tohorat hamishpahah was a momzer. I do remember reading it in an article by someone on the net I considered knowledgeable. I do believe I stated once the (lone) opinion of Yehudah haTeimani (?) that the child of a Jewish woman and a non-Jewish man is a momzer. Yehoyaqim Martillo