Biblical religion seems obviously patrilineal and not matrilineal.
(10) There came out among the Israelites a man whose mother was Israelite and whose father was Egyptian. And a fight broke out in the camp between that son-of-an-Israelite-woman and a certain Israelite man.
What then are the Biblical sources for matrilineal descent?
(4) If his master gave him [a Hebrew indentured-servant] a wife, and she has borne him children, the wife and her children shall belong to the master, and he shall leave alone.
(3) You shall not intermarry with them: do not give your daughter to his son or take his daughter for your son. (4) For he will turn your [grand-]son away from Me to worship other gods, and יהוה’s anger will blaze forth against you, promptly wiping you out.
For Ezra and Nehemiah, there was no tolerance of assimilation or even acculturation. Neither was tenable. Assimilation was destructive to Jewish continuity, while acculturation would impose new cultural features on the Jews who returned to Judah, especially if differences in language – and presumably values and social norms – were to persist. Instead, Ezra and Nehemiah called for the reestablishment of the status quo, with a call for greater adherence to Torah laws. However, under Ezra and Nehemiah, there was now a much stricter rule against intermarriage that went well beyond earlier intermarriage prohibitions with specific groups mentioned in the Torah. P. 95
So dramatic were Ezra's edicts that they marked the effective switch from patrilineal to matrilineal descent as the means of defining Jewish identity. P. 97
ARTHUR J. WOLAK JEWISH BIBLE QUARTERLY 94 Vol. 40, No. 2, 2012
Why don't we just follow what it says in the Torah / Tanach?
Who are the Karaites?
“The Karaites are a Jewish sect which does not recognize the authority of the post-Biblical tradition incorporated in the Talmud and in the latter Rabbinic works.”‘
The main hallmark of the Karaites is their rejection authority of the Oral Law and the belief in the necessity of direct, independent, and critical study of the Bible. A “Karaite” reads the Mikra (the Pentateuch) and recognizes the Scriptures as the exclusive source of religious law.
In Karaite Judaism, the burden of interpretation rests on the individual and not a central authority.
They formed in opposition to the "Rabbanites" who accepted the Oral Torah as Divine.
It's worth looking at this whole very interesting source sheet put together by Rabbi Dina Rosenberg, but for the sake of this conversation it's especially important to notice that:
-
Karaites follow patrilineal descent
- Many in the Orthodox community refused to acknowledge Karaites as Jews; however, a 1984 teshuva of the Conservative movement established the Egyptian Karaites as Jews who were eligible for membership in their synagogues
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Karaites qualify for the Law of Return in Israel and their marriages and conversions are recognized under their own religious court system in Israel
(א) משֶׁה קִבֵּל תּוֹרָה מִסִּינַי, וּמְסָרָהּ לִיהוֹשֻׁעַ, וִיהוֹשֻׁעַ לִזְקֵנִים, וּזְקֵנִים לִנְבִיאִים, וּנְבִיאִים מְסָרוּהָ לְאַנְשֵׁי כְנֶסֶת הַגְּדוֹלָה. הֵם אָמְרוּ שְׁלשָׁה דְבָרִים, הֱווּ מְתוּנִים בַּדִּין, וְהַעֲמִידוּ תַלְמִידִים הַרְבֵּה, וַעֲשׂוּ סְיָג לַתּוֹרָה:
(1) Moses received the Torah at Sinai and transmitted it to Joshua, Joshua to the elders, and the elders to the prophets, and the prophets to the Men of the Great Assembly. They said three things: Be patient in [the administration of] justice, raise many disciples and make a fence round the Torah.
OK, so if we are going to identify as normative Rabbanite Jews, let's look at Rabbinic sources too.
What does the Mishnah (the oldest stratum of Rabbinite Judaism) add to the conversation about patrilineal and matrilineal status?
To understand this discussion we need to know: what's a mamzer?
https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/84588?lang=bi
וְכָל מִי שֶׁאֵין לָהּ לֹא עָלָיו וְלֹא עַל אֲחֵרִים קִדּוּשִׁין, הַוָּלָד כְּמוֹתָהּ. וְאֵיזֶה? זֶה וְלַד שִׁפְחָה וְנָכְרִית:
And any woman who can not contract kiddushin with that particular person or with others, the child follows her status. And what case is this? The child issue of a female slave or a gentile woman.
(יב) כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁיֵּשׁ קִדּוּשִׁין וְאֵין עֲבֵרָה, הַוָּלָד הוֹלֵךְ אַחַר הַזָּכָר.
וְאֵיזֶה? זוֹ כֹהֶנֶת, לְוִיָּה וְיִשְׂרְאֵלִית שֶׁנִּשְּׂאוּ לְכֹהֵן וּלְלֵוִי וּלְיִשְׂרָאֵל.
וְכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁיֵּשׁ קִדּוּשִׁין וְיֵשׁ עֲבֵרָה, הַוָּלָד הוֹלֵךְ אַחַר הַפָּגוּם. וְאֵיזוֹ? זוֹ אַלְמָנָה לְכֹהֵן גָּדוֹל, גְּרוּשָׁה וַחֲלוּצָה לְכֹהֵן הֶדְיוֹט, מַמְזֶרֶת וּנְתִינָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, בַּת יִשְׂרָאֵל לְמַמְזֵר וּלְנָתִין.
וְכָל מִי שֶׁאֵין לָהּ עָלָיו קִדּוּשִׁין אֲבָל יֶשׁ לָהּ עַל אֲחֵרִים קִדּוּשִׁין, הַוָּלָד מַמְזֵר. וְאֵיזֶה? זֶה הַבָּא עַל אַחַת מִכָּל הָעֲרָיוֹת שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה.
וְכָל מִי שֶׁאֵין לָהּ לֹא עָלָיו וְלֹא עַל אֲחֵרִים קִדּוּשִׁין, הַוָּלָד כְּמוֹתָהּ. וְאֵיזֶה? זֶה וְלַד שִׁפְחָה וְנָכְרִית:
(12) There is a principle with regard to the halakhot of lineage: Any case where there is betrothal, i.e., where the betrothal takes effect, and the marriage involves no transgression by Torah law, the lineage of the offspring follows the male, his father. And in which case is this applicable? For example, this is the case with regard to the daughter of a priest; or the daughter of a Levite; or the daughter of an Israelite, who married a priest, a Levite, or an Israelite. In all these cases the child’s lineage is established by his father’s family.
And any case where there is a valid betrothal and yet there is a transgression, the offspring follows the flawed parent. And in which case is this applicable? For example, this is the case of a widow who is married to a High Priest, or a divorced woman or a ḥalutza who is married to a common priest, or a mamzeret or a Gibeonite woman who is married to an Israelite, or an Israelite woman who is married to a mamzer or to a Gibeonite. In these situations the child inherits the status of the blemished parent.
And in any case where a woman cannot join in betrothal with a particular man, as the betrothal does not take effect, but she can join in betrothal with others, i.e., the woman is considered a member of the Jewish people and can marry other Jews, in these cases the offspring is a mamzer. And in which case is this applicable? This is one who engages in intercourse with any one of those with whom relations are forbidden that are written in the Torah. [ie incest; arguably marrying certain specific foreigners].
And in any case where a woman cannot join in betrothal with him or with others, the offspring is like her. He is not considered his father’s son at all, but has the same status as his mother. And in which case is this applicable? This is the offspring of a (Canaanite?) maidservant or a gentile woman, as her child is a slave or a gentile like her. If he converts, he is not a mamzer.
Commentary to Mishnah Kiddushin 3:12, by Joshua Kulp (a contemporary Conservative rabbi)
This last section is where we see the famed “matrilineal principle.” We should note that it is incomplete. The mishnah states that the child of a non-Jewish woman or a slave is not Jewish or is a slave, but it does not specifically address the status of the child of a Jewish mother and non-Jewish father. (My emphasis).
This mishnah begins discussing a subject which will be covered throughout the remainder of Kiddushin: lineage. We have already encountered throughout Seder Nashim [the Mishnah's tractate on Women] many different genealogical statuses: priests, Levites, Israelites, converts, mamzerim, natinim and more. Our mishnah discusses how these lineages are transmitted from generation to generation, namely the issue of whom the child’s lineage follows, that of the father or that of the mother.
We should note that lineage was probably the most important factor in choosing a spouse in the ancient Jewish world and probably was a key factor in the entire ancient world. Indeed until the modern period many matches between young men and women were made based on lineage. Lineage largely determined a person’s social standing. It is sometimes hard to relate to this value for those of us living in 20-21st century America, a country where societal standing is perhaps less based on lineage than almost any nation throughout history.
The final clause of our mishnah contains the famous principle of “matrilineal descent:” that the “Jewishness” of the child follows the mother and not the father. This principle is surprising since ancient Jewish society was clearly patriarchal. Men were almost always the heads of their households, the woman would typically leave her family to enter the man’s house, men had custody and overall responsibility for their children etc. Furthermore, it seems quite clear that the Bible operates on the principle of “patrilineal descent.” Throughout the Tanakh men marry women of foreign descent and the women assimilate into their husband’s culture and homes (or notoriously fail to assimilate). The same is true of Second Temple literature such as the later books of the Bible, Josephus and Philo.
How the matrilineal principle came to dominate rabbinic halakhah and literature is a mystery. There are a few places in rabbinic literature with a hint of a patrilineal principle, but there are few of them and they are usually rejected. A good discussion of these issues can be found in Shaye Cohen’s excellent book, "The Beginnings of Jewishness."
The Talmud (aka the Gemara) is a the result of a few hundred years of discussion of the Mishnah. There were two redactions of this discussion: one in Palestine after 200-300 hundred years (this one, also known as the Jerusalem Talmud or Talmud Yerushalmi) is shorter and generally less authoritative); the other in Babylon a couple hundred years later.
The latter is known as the Babylonian Talmud or Talmud Bavli.
What does the Talmud add to the conversation about patrilineal and matrilineal status?
תַּנִּי. גּוֹי וְעֶבֶד הַבָּא עַל בַּת יִשְׂרָאֵל הַווְלָד מַמְזֵר. רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן. אֵין הַווְלָד מַמְזֵר. שֶׁאֵין מַמְזֵר אֶלָּא מֵאִשָּׁה שֶׁהִיא אֲסוּרָה עָלָיו אִיסּוּר עֶרְוָה וְחַייָבִין עָלֶיהָ כָרֵת. וּשְׁנֵיהֶם מִקְרָא אֶחָד דָּֽרְשׁוּ. לֹא יִקַּח אִישׁ אֶת אֵשֶׁת אָבִיו וגו׳. רִבִּי מֵאִיר דָּרַשׁ. מָה אֵשֶׁת אָבִיו מְיוּחֶדֶת שֶׁאֵין לוֹ עָלֶיהָ קִידּוּשִׁין. אֲבָל יֵשׁ לָהּ קִידּוּשִין עַל אֲחֵרִים וְהַווְלָד מַמְזֵר. אַף כָּל־שֶׁאֵין לָהּ עָלָיו קִידּוּשִׁין הַווְלָד מַמְזֵר. רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יְהוּדָה דָּרַשׁ. מָה אֵשֶׁת אָבִיו מְיוּחֶדֶת שֶׁאֵין לָהּ עָלָיו קִידּוּשִׁין. אֲבָל אִם יֵשׁ לָהּ קִידּוּשִין עַל אֲחֵרִים הַווְלָד מַמְזֵר. יָצָא גּוֹי וְעֶבֶד שֶׁאֵין לָהּ עָלָיו וְלֹא עַל אֲחֵרִים קִידּשִׁין.
הָתִיב רִבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר אַבָּא עַל הַהִיא תַנָּייָא קַדְמָייָא. הֲרֵי יְבָמָה שֶׁזִּינָת הֲרֵי אֵין לָהּ עָלָיו וְלֹא עַל אֲחֵרִים קִידּוּשִׁין וְהַווְלָד כָּשֵׁר. רִבִּי יַנַּאי בְשֵׁם רִבִּי. גּוֹי וְעֶבֶד שֶׁבָּאוּ עַל בַּת יִשְׂרָאֵל הַווְלָד מַמְזֵר. רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן וְרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ תְּרֵיהוֹן אָֽמְרִין. הַווְלָד מַמְזֵר.
רִבִּי יַעֲקֹב בַּר אָחָא רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בַּר אַבָּא רִבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי בְשֵׁם רִבִּי יַנַּאי בְרִבִּי. הַווְלָד אֵינוֹ כָשֵׁר וְלֹא פָסוּל אֶלָּא מְזוּהָם.
רִבִּי יוֹנָתָן סְלַק עִם רִבִּי יוּדָה נְשִׂייָא לְחַמְתָּא דְגָדֵר. הוֹרֵי תַמָּן. הַװְלָד כָּשֵׁר. אָמַר רִבִּי זְעִירָא. הָהֵין װְלָד כָּל־מַה דְהוּא אֲזִיל הוּא מִתְעַלֶּה. רִבִּי עֲבַד בְּרֵיהּ מְזוּהָם. בַּר בְּרֵיהּ עַבְדֵּיהּ כָּשֵׁר. הוֹרֵי רִבִּי בָּא בַּר זַבְדָּא בִּמְקוֹם כָּל־רַבָּנִין. הַווְלָד כָּשֵׁר. רִבִּי בֵּיבָי אָמַר קוֹמֵי רִבִּי זְעִירָא בְשֵׁם רִבִּי חֲנִינָה. הַווְלָד כָּשֵׁר. אָמַר רִבִּי זְעִירָא. אִין מִן הָדָא אֵין לְמֵידִין מַעֲשֶׂה מֵהֲבָרָה. אָמַר רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה. אֲנָא יָדַע רֹאשָׁהּ וְסוֹפָהּ. רִבִּי חָמָא בַּר חֲנִינָה הֲוָא אֲזִיל מִיסּוּק לְחַמְתָּה דְגָדֵר. אֲתַא לְגַבֵּי אָבָוֹי אֲמַר לֵיהּ. הַב דַּעְתָּךְ דְּאִית תַּמָּן מִן אִינּוּן פְּסוּלַייָא דְּלָא תִפְגַּע בְּהוֹן.
It was stated [in the mishnaic period]: “If a Gentile or a slave had intercourse with a Jewish woman, the child is a mamzer; Rebbi Simeon ben Jehudah says in the name of Rebbi Simeon: the child is not a mamzer, for a mamzer is only from a woman forbidden to him by an incest prohibition for which the penalty is karet, extirpation.” Both of them explained the same verse, “Nobody may take his father’s wife, etc.” (Deut 23:1)
Rebbi Meïr explains: Since his father’s wife is special in that he cannot have preliminary marriage with her, but she could have preliminary marriage with others, and the child is a mamzer, so in all cases in which she cannot have preliminary marriage with him [which includes non-Jews and slaves], the child is a mamzer.
Rebbi Simeon ben Jehudah explains: Since his father’s wife is special in that she cannot have preliminary marriage with him, but she could have preliminary marriage with others, and the child is a mamzer; this excludes the Gentile and the slave who cannot contract preliminary marriage with her or with others. [ie the prohibition is not to do with her status].
Rebbi Samuel bar Abba questions that first Tanna: The levirite sister-in-law who whored cannot have preliminary marriage with him or with others, but the child is kosher!
Rebbi Yannai in the name of Rebbi: If a Gentile (or a slave) had intercourse with a Jewish woman, the child is a mamzer.
Rebbi Joḥanan and Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish both say, the child is a mamzer.
Rebbi Jacob bar Aḥa, Rebbi Simeon bar Abba, Rebbi Joshua ben Levi, in the name of Rebbi (Yannai ben) Rebbi: The child is neither kosher nor disqualified [pasul] but dirtied [mezuham].
Rebbi Jonathan went with Rebbi Jehudah Neśia to the hot springs of Gadara. There, he instructed: The child is kosher.
Rebbi Ze‘ira said, This child improves as time goes by! Rebbi declared the child dirtied, his grandson declared him qualified. Rebbi Abba bar Zavda instructed in the name of all rabbis: The child is kosher. Rebbi Bevai said before Rebbi Ze‘ira in the name of Rebbi Ḥanina: The child is qualified. Rebbi Ze‘ira said, if it is from that, one does not learn from a declaration. Rebbi Ḥizqiah said, I know the story from beginning to end. Rebbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina went up to the hot springs of Gadara. He visited his father who said to him: Be careful, because there are those who are disqualified [pasul], lest you injure them.
אַף עַל גַּב דְּרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יְהוּדָה אָמַר מִשּׁוּם רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַי. גּוֹי וְעֶבֶד שֶׁבָּאוּ עַל בַּת יִשְׂרָאֵל הַװְלָד כָּשֵׁר. מוֹדֶה שֶׁאִם הָֽיְתָה נְקֵיבָה שֶׁהִיא פְסוּלָה מִן הַכְּהוּנָּה. אַף עַל גַּב דְּרִבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אָמַר. הַבָּא עַל אֲחוֹתוֹ הַװְלָד כָּשֵׁר. מוֹדֶה שֶׁאִם הָֽיְתָה נְקֵיבָה שֶׁהִיא פְסוּלָה מִן הַכְּהוּנָּה.
חַד בַּר נַשׁ אָתָא לְגַבֵּיהּ דּרַב. אָמַר לֵיהּ. בְּנִין דִּילֵידַתֵיהּ אִימֵּיהּ מִן אֲרָמַאי. אָמַר לֵיהּ. כָּשֵׁר. אָמַר לֵיהּ רַב חָמָא בַר גּוּרְיָא. הֵן דְּעַיְמָךְ מַגְלֵיךְ עַד דְּאָתֵי שְׁמוּאֵל וִיִפְסָלִינָךְ. אַף עַל גַּב דְּרַב אָמַר. גּוֹי וְעֶבֶד שֶׁבָּאוּ עַל בַּת יִשְׂרָאֵל הַווְלָד כָּשֵׁר. מוֹדֶה שֶׁאִם הָֽיְתָה נְקֵיבָה שֶׁפְּסוּלָה מִן הַכְּהוּנָּה.
Even though Rebbi Simeon ben Jehudah said in the name of Rebbi Simeon: If a Gentile or a slave came to a daughter of Israel, the child is kosher; they agree that if she was female, she is blemished for the priesthood [i.e. not 100% kosher / normal status - therefore a kohen shouldn't marry her]. Even though Rebbi Joshua said, the child of him who sleeps with his sister is kosher [!!], he agrees that if the child was female she would be blemished for the priesthood.
A man came to Rav and said, Since the children of this man’s mother are from an Aramean [what is their status]? He said, kosher. Rav Ḥama bar Guria said to him, Let your feet carry you away before Samuel comes and declares you blemished [pasul].
Even though Rav said, if a Gentile or a slave came to a daughter of Israel, the child is kosher, he agrees that if it was a female, she would be blemished for the priesthood.
שִׁפְחָה. דִּכְתִיב הָאִשָּׁה וִילָדֶיהָ תִּהְיֶה לַאדוֹנֶיהָ. נָכְרִית. רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַי. כְּתִיב לֹא תִּתְחַתֵּן בָּם בִּתְּךָ לֹא תִתֵּן לִבְנוֹ. וּכְתִיב כִּי יָסִיר אֶת בִּנְךָ מֵאַחֲרַי. בִּנְךָ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵלִית קָרוּי בִּנְךָ. וְאֵין בִּנְךְ מִן הַגּוֹיָה קָרוּי בִּנְךָ אֶלָּא בְּנָהּ.
A slave woman: “The woman and her children shall belong to her owner.” (Ex 21:4) A Gentile woman. Rebbi Joḥanan [said] in the name of Rebbi Simeon ben Ioḥai, it is written [Deut 7:3-4]: “You shall not conclude marriage with them, your daughter you shall not give to his son”. And it is written: “For he [your non-Jewish son-in-law] will divert your [grand-]son from following Me.” Your [grand-]son from a Jewish woman is called your son; but your [grand-]son from a Gentile woman is not called your son but her son.
יעקב איש כפר גבורייא אזל לצור אתון שאלון ליה מהו מיגזור ברה דארמייתא בשבתא. וסבר למישרי להון מן הדא (במדבר א) ויתיילדו על משפחותם לבית אבותם. שמע רבי חגיי אמר ייתי וילקי. אמר ליה מהיכן את מלקיני. אמר ליה מן הדין (עזרא י) ועתה נכרות ברית להוציא כל הנשים הנכריות והנולד מהן וגו'. אמר ליה ומן הקבלה את מלקיני?! אמר ליה "וכתורה יעשה". אמר ליה מן הדין אוריתא אמר ליה מן ההיא דאמר רבי יוחנן בשם רבי שמעון בן יוחי לא תתחתן בם וכו'. א"ל חבוט חבוטך דהיא טבא בקלטה:
Jacob of the city of Naburaya went to Tyre. They came and asked him, "What [is the law with regard to] circumcising the son of a gentile woman [born of a Jewish father] on the Sabbath?" [Jacob] thought to permit them [to do so] on the basis of this [verse]: "And they declared their pedigrees after their families, by their fathers' houses" (Numbers 1:18). R. Haggi heard [and] said, "Let him come and be flogged." [Jacob] said to [R. Haggi], "On what basis do you flog me?" [R. Haggi said to him, "From this [verse]: 'And now let us make a covenant to put away all the foreign wives and such as are born of them' (Ezra 10:3)." [Jacob] said to [R. Haggi], "And would you flog me on the basis of the [prophetic] tradition?" [R. Haggi] said to him, " '… and let it be done according to the Torah' (Ezra 10:3.)" [Jacob] said to [R. Haggi], "From which law?" [ R. Haggi] said to him, "From that which R. Yoḥanan declared in the name of R. Simeon ben Yoḥai, 'Thou shalt not make marriage with them…. nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. For he will turn thy son from following Me, that they may serve other gods.' (Deuteronomy 7:3-4)." [Jacob] said to R. Haggi, "Flog me with your lashes for that is better than death."
אֲמַר לֵיהּ אַבָּיֵי: מַאי חָזֵית דְּסָמְכַתְּ אַדְּרַב דִּימִי — סְמוֹךְ אַדְּרָבִין! דְּכִי אֲתָא רָבִין, אָמַר: רַבִּי נָתָן וְרַבִּי יְהוּדָה הַנָּשִׂיא מוֹרוּ בַּהּ לְהֶיתֵּירָא. וּמַאן רַבִּי יְהוּדָה הַנָּשִׂיא — רַבִּי.
וְאַף רַב מוֹרֵה בַּהּ [לְ]הֶיתֵּירָא. דְּהָהוּא דַּאֲתָא לְקַמֵּיהּ דְּרַב, אֲמַר לֵיהּ: גּוֹי וְעֶבֶד הַבָּא עַל בַּת יִשְׂרָאֵל, מַהוּ? אָמַר לֵיהּ: הַוָּלָד כָּשֵׁר.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ: הַב לִי בְּרַתָּךְ. לָא יָהֵיבְנָא לָךְ. אָמַר שִׁימִי בַּר חִיָּיא לְרַב, אָמְרִי אִינָשֵׁי: גַּמְלָא בְּמָדַי אַקַּבָּא רָקְדָא. הָא קַבָּא, וְהָא גַּמְלָא, וְהָא מָדַי — וְלָא רָקְדָא! אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אִי נִיהְוֵי כִּיהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן נוּן — לָא יָהֵיבְנָא לֵיהּ בְּרַתִּי. אָמַר לֵיהּ: אִי הֲוָה כִּיהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן נוּן, אִי מָר לָא יָהֵיב לֵיהּ — אַחֲרִינֵי יָהֲבִי לֵיהּ, הַאי אִי מָר לָא יָהֵיב לֵיהּ — אַחֲרִינֵי לָא יָהֲבִי לֵיהּ. לָא הֲוָה קָאָזֵיל מִקַּמֵּיהּ. יְהֵיב בֵּיהּ עֵינֵיהּ וּשְׁכֵיב.
Abaye said to Rav Yosef: What did you see that you rely upon Rav Dimi and his tradition that Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi holds that the offspring of a gentile or a slave and a Jewish woman is a mamzer? Rely instead upon Ravin, as when Ravin came from Eretz Yisrael he said that Rabbi Natan and Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi both rule that the offspring is permitted to marry into the congregation of Israel. And who is the Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi referred to in Ravin’s report? It is the one who is simply referred to as Rabbi, the redactor of the Mishna, whose opinion is accepted as the halakha.
The Gemara notes: And even Rav rules that the offspring is permitted, as is evident from an incident involving a certain individual who came before Rav and said to him: With regard to the offspring of a gentile or a slave who engaged in intercourse with a Jewish woman, what is its halakhic status? Rav said to him: The lineage of the offspring is unflawed. The individual who asked the question was himself such a child, and he said to Rav: If so, give me your daughter in marriage. He said to him: I will not give her to you. Shimi bar Ḥiyya, Rav’s grandson, said to Rav: People often say that a camel in Medes can dance upon a small space that holds only a single kav of produce. However, clearly that is an exaggeration, since if one would go to Medes one could demonstrate that this is a space that holds a kav, and this is a camel, and this is Medes, and yet the camel is not dancing, i.e., the truth of a statement becomes apparent when it is put to the test. So too, it would appear that you do not truly believe in your ruling because when put to the test, you are unwilling to rely on it. He said to him: Even if he were as great as Joshua, son of Nun, I would not give him my daughter in marriage. My refusal to give her to him in marriage is not that I do not stand by my ruling; it is for other reasons. He said to him: If he were as great as Joshua, son of Nun, then even if the Master would not give him his daughter, others would still give him their daughters. However, with regard to this man, if the Master does not give him his daughter, others will not give him their daughters either out of fear of damaging the family lineage. Nevertheless, Rav remained unwilling to give his daughter to that individual. That individual would not go from standing before Rav and continued to plead with him. Rav placed his eyes upon him and he died.
רבי אחא שר הבירה ור' תנחום בריה דרבי חייא איש כפר עכו פרוק הנהו שבוייתא דאתו מארמון לטבריא הוה חדא דאעברא מעובד כוכבים ואתו לקמיה דר' אמי אמר להו ר' יוחנן ור' אלעזר ור' חנינא דאמרי עובד כוכבים ועבד הבא על בת ישראל הולד ממזר. אמר רב יוסף רבותא למחשב גברי הא רב ושמואל בבבל ורבי יהושע בן לוי ובר קפרא בארץ ישראל ואמרי לה חלופי בר קפרא ועיילי זקני דרום דאמרי עובד כוכבים ועבד הבא על בת ישראל הולד כשר
The Gemara cites a related incident: Rabbi Aḥa, lord of the capital, and Rabbi Tanḥum, son of Rabbi Ḥiyya, the man of Akko village, redeemed those captives who came from Armon to Tiberias. One of them had been impregnated by a gentile, and they came before Rabbi Ami to ask what the offspring’s status would be when born. He said to them that Rabbi Yoḥanan and Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Ḥanina all say: With regard to a gentile or a slave who engaged in intercourse with a Jewish woman, the offspring is a mamzer. Upon hearing this, Rav Yosef said: Is it so great to enumerate men? The fact that several great Sages held this opinion does not prove that their opinion is the accepted halakha. But there are Rav and Shmuel in Babylonia, and Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi and bar Kappara in Eretz Yisrael, and some say to remove bar Kappara from this list and insert instead the Elders of the South, who all say: With regard to a gentile or a slave who engaged in intercourse with a Jewish woman, the lineage of the offspring is unflawed, and he or she may marry into the congregation of Israel.
אמר רבא אמר קרא (במדבר כז, יא) ממשפחתו וירש אותה משפחת אב קרויה משפחה משפחת אם אינה קרויה משפחה דכתיב (במדבר א, ב) למשפחותם לבית אבותם
Rava said in response that the verse states: “Then you shall give his inheritance to his kinsman who is next to him of his family, and he shall inherit it” (Numbers 27:11), emphasizing that “kinsman” is referring specifically to someone who is of his family, and it is the father’s family that is called one’s family, while one’s mother’s family is not called one’s family. Proof for this is found in another verse, as it is written: “By their families, by their fathers’ houses” (Numbers 1:2).
Medieval and Early Modern Rabbinic Sources
(ד) זֶה הַכְּלָל בֵּן הַבָּא מִן הָעֶבֶד אוֹ מִן הָעַכּוּ''ם אוֹ מִן הַשִּׁפְחָה אוֹ מִן בַּת עַכּוּ''ם הֲרֵי הוּא כְּאִמּוֹ וְאֵין מַשְׁגִּיחִין עַל הָאָב.
"This is the general rule: The status of an offspring from a gentile man or from a gentile woman is the same as his mother's; we disregard the father."
(ו) וְאֵלּוּ הֵן שֶׁאֵין לָהֶן חֵלֶק לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא אֶלָּא נִכְרָתִים וְאוֹבְדִין וְנִדּוֹנִין עַל גֹּדֶל רִשְׁעָם וְחַטָּאתָם לְעוֹלָם וּלְעוֹלְמֵי עוֹלָמִים. הַמִּינִים. וְהָאֶפִּיקוֹרוֹסִין. וְהַכּוֹפְרִים בַּתּוֹרָה. וְהַכּוֹפְרִים בִּתְחִיַּת הַמֵּתִים וּבְבִיאַת הַגּוֹאֵל. הַמּוֹרְדִים. וּמַחֲטִיאֵי הָרַבִּים. וְהַפּוֹרְשִׁין מִדַּרְכֵי צִבּוּר. וְהָעוֹשֶׂה עֲבֵרוֹת בְּיָד רָמָה בְּפַרְהֶסְיָא כִּיהוֹיָקִים. וְהַמּוֹסְרִים. וּמַטִּילֵי אֵימָה עַל הַצִּבּוּר שֶׁלֹּא לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם. וְשׁוֹפְכֵי דָּמִים. וּבַעֲלֵי לָשׁוֹן הָרַע. וְהַמּוֹשֵׁךְ עָרְלָתוֹ:
(ז) חֲמִשָּׁה הֵן הַנִּקְרָאִים מִינִים. הָאוֹמֵר שֶׁאֵין שָׁם אֱלוֹקַּ וְאֵין לָעוֹלָם מַנְהִיג. וְהָאוֹמֵר שֶׁיֵּשׁ שָׁם מַנְהִיג אֲבָל הֵן שְׁנַיִם אוֹ יוֹתֵר. וְהָאוֹמֵר שֶׁיֵּשׁ שָׁם רִבּוֹן אֶחָד אֲבָל שֶׁהוּא גּוּף וּבַעַל תְּמוּנָה. וְכֵן הָאוֹמֵר שֶׁאֵינוֹ לְבַדּוֹ הָרִאשׁוֹן וְצוּר לַכּל. וְכֵן הָעוֹבֵד כּוֹכָב אוֹ מַזָּל וְזוּלָתוֹ כְּדֵי לִהְיוֹת מֵלִיץ בֵּינוֹ וּבֵין רִבּוֹן הָעוֹלָמִים. כָּל אֶחָד מֵחֲמִשָּׁה אֵלּוּ הוּא מִין:
(ח) שְׁלֹשָׁה הֵן הַנִּקְרָאִים אֶפִּיקוֹרְסִין. הָאוֹמֵר שֶׁאֵין שָׁם נְבוּאָה כְּלָל וְאֵין שָׁם מַדָּע שֶׁמַּגִּיעַ מֵהַבּוֹרֵא לְלֵב בְּנֵי הָאָדָם. וְהַמַּכְחִישׁ נְבוּאָתוֹ שֶׁל משֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ. וְהָאוֹמֵר שֶׁאֵין הַבּוֹרֵא יוֹדֵעַ מַעֲשֵׂה בְּנֵי הָאָדָם. כָּל אֶחָד מִשְּׁלֹשָׁה אֵלּוּ הֵן אֶפִּיקוֹרוֹסִים. שְׁלֹשָׁה הֵן הַכּוֹפְרִים בַּתּוֹרָה. הָאוֹמֵר שֶׁאֵין הַתּוֹרָה מֵעִם ה' אֲפִלּוּ פָּסוּק אֶחָד אֲפִלּוּ תֵּבָה אַחַת אִם אָמַר משֶׁה אֲמָרוֹ מִפִּי עַצְמוֹ הֲרֵי זֶה כּוֹפֵר בַּתּוֹרָה. וְכֵן הַכּוֹפֵר בְּפֵרוּשָׁהּ וְהוּא תּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל פֶּה וְהַמַּכְחִישׁ מַגִּידֶיהָ כְּגוֹן צָדוֹק וּבַיְתּוֹס. וְהָאוֹמֵר שֶׁהַבּוֹרֵא הֶחֱלִיף מִצְוָה זוֹ בְּמִצְוָה אַחֶרֶת וּכְבָר בָּטְלָה תּוֹרָה זוֹ אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהִיא הָיְתָה מֵעִם ה' כְּגוֹן הָהַגְרִים. כָּל אֶחָד מִשְּׁלֹשָׁה אֵלּוּ כּוֹפֵר בַּתּוֹרָה:
(ט) שְׁנַיִם הֵם הַמּוּמָרִים מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל. הַמּוּמָר לַעֲבֵרָה אַחַת וְהַמּוּמָר לְכָל הַתּוֹרָה כֻּלָּהּ. מוּמָר לַעֲבֵרָה אַחַת זֶה שֶׁהֶחֱזִיק עַצְמוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת אוֹתָהּ עֲבֵרָה בְּזָדוֹן וְהֻרְגָּל וְנִתְפַּרְסֵם בָּהּ אֲפִלּוּ הָיְתָה מִן הַקַּלּוֹת כְּגוֹן שֶׁהֻחְזַק תָּמִיד לִלְבֹּשׁ שַׁעַטְנֵז אוֹ לְהַקִּיף פֵּאָה וְנִמְצָא כְּאִלּוּ בָּטְלָה מִצְוָה זוֹ מִן הָעוֹלָם אֶצְלוֹ הֲרֵי זֶה מוּמָר לְאוֹתוֹ דָּבָר וְהוּא שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה לְהַכְעִיס. מוּמָר לְכָל הַתּוֹרָה כֻּלָּהּ כְּגוֹן הַחוֹזְרִים לְדָתֵי הָעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁגּוֹזְרִין גְּזֵרָה וְיִדְבַּק בָּהֶם וְיֹאמַר מַה בֶּצַע לִי לְהִדַּבֵּק בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁהֵם שְׁפָלִים וְנִרְדָּפִים טוֹב לִי שֶׁאֶדַּבֵּק בְּאֵלּוּ שֶׁיָּדָם תַּקִּיפָה. הֲרֵי זֶה מוּמָר לְכָל הַתּוֹרָה כֻּלָּהּ:
(6) The following are the people who have no share in the World to Come, but are cut off and lost and judged for the magnitude of their wickedness and sins forever and ever: Sectarians (minim); Heretics (apikorsin - from epicurean); Deniers of Torah; Deniers of Resurrection; [Deniers] of the coming of the Messiah; Apostates; those who lead the masses into sin; those who separate from the community; those who separate from the ways of the community; those who sin with a high hand in public like Jehoiakim; Collaborators [with the government]; those who bring fear upon the community but not for the sake of Heaven; Murderers; Gossipers; and those who reverse their circumcision.
(7) There are five [types] who are called "sectrarians" (minnim): One who says that there is no god and no director of the world. One who says that there is a director, but there are two or more. One who says that there is one master but that he has a body and a being with a form. And similarly one who says that He is not the first alone and creator of all. And similarly one who worships a star or constellation, and similar things, in order to intercede between him and the Master of Worlds. Any one of these five is considered a "min" - sectarian.
(8) There are three that are called "heretics" (apikorsin): One who says that there is no such thing as prophecy and there is no such thing as information that is passed from the Creator to the heart of man. And one who denies the prophecy of Moses, our teacher. And one who says that the Creator does not know man's actions. Any one of these is considered an "apikores" - heretic. Three are deniers of the Torah: One who say that the Torah is not from God, even one verse, even one letter, if he says that Moses said it on his own, that is denying the Torah. And similarly, one who denies the interpretation of the Torah, that is the Oral Torah, and denies its imparters, such as Tzaddok and Beothius. And one who says that the Creator switched this commandment for another one, and that the Torah has been voided, although it is from God, such as the Haggarites (Arabs). Any one of these is a denier of the Torah.
(9) There are two that are Jewish apostates: One who rebels against a single mitzvah, and one who rebels against the entire Torah. Someone who rebels against a single mitzvah – this is a person who accustoms himself to do a certain sin intentionally and becomes notorious for it, even if it were one of the minor sins, such as wearing sha’atnez or shaving the corners [of one’s beard], so that it is as if, for him, that mitzvah has been erased from the world. Such a person has rebelled against that particular thing, meaning that he does it spitefully. Someone who rebels against the entire Torah – such as those who return to the religion of idolaters during a time of oppression, and cling to them and say: How does it benefit me to cling to Israel who are lowly and pursued? It is better for me to cling to those whose hands are forceful. Such a person has rebelled against the entire Torah.
(יט) גּוֹי וְעֶבֶד שֶׁבָּאוּ עַל הַמַּמְזֶרֶת, הַוָּלָד מַמְזֵר. וְאִם בָּאוּ עַל בַּת יִשְׂרָאֵל, בֵּין פְּנוּיָה בֵּין אֵשֶׁת אִישׁ, הַוָּלָד כָּשֵׁר, וּפָגוּם לִכְהֻנָּה:
(19) If a non-Jew or a slave cohabit with a female mamzer, the offspring is a mamzer. If they cohabit with a Jewish woman, whether she is single or married, the offspring is permitted [to marry into the congregation], but is considered damaged with regard to marrying a kohen.