Talmud Bavli
Talmud Bavli

Commentary for Kiddushin 139:5

אלא מהכא (נחמיה ז, סא) ואלה העולים מתל מלח תל חרשא כרוב אדון ואמר ולא יכלו להגיד בית אבותם וזרעם אם מישראל הם תל מלח אלו בני אדם שדומים מעשיהם למעשה סדום שנהפכה לתל מלח תל חרשא זה שקורא אבא ואמו משתקתו

refers to those people whose deeds were like those of Sodom, which was turned into a salt heap: 'Tel-harsha,'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'heap of silence'.');"><sup>8</sup></span> to those who cry out 'Father,'and their mothers silence them;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Because they do not know their fathers - there are called shethuki in the MISHNAH:');"><sup>9</sup></span> but they could not shew their fathers' houses, nor their seed [i.e., their mothers], whether they were of Israel - this refers to foundlings, gathered in from the streets.'

Daf Shevui to Kiddushin

The rabbis offer creative interpretations of who these people were. The first category were people whose deeds were like those of Sodom who acted licentiously. These people are assumed to be mamzerim. The other categories are people who do not know their lineages. These two are listed in the mishnah about who came up with Ezra.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Previous VerseFull ChapterNext Verse