Talmud Bavli
Talmud Bavli

Commentary for Kiddushin 139:6

ולא יכלו להגיד בית אבותם וזרעם אם מישראל הם זה הוא אסופי שנאסף מן השוק כרוב אדון ואמר אמר רבי אבהו אמר אדון אני אמרתי יהיו ישראל לפני חשובים ככרוב והם שמו עצמם כנמר איכא דאמרי אמר רבי אבהו אמר אדון אע"פ ששמו עצמם כנמר הן חשובים לפני ככרוב

Cherub, Addon and Immer':<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' 'Addon immer', changing 'Immer' to 'Amar', means, 'The Lord (Adon) saith'.');"><sup>10</sup></span> R'Abbahu said: The Lord said: 'I said that Israel should be as precious to me as the cherub, whereas they made themselves like the leopard.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which is not particular to copulate with its own mate. So Israel, thereby producing mamzerim. The allusion to the deeds of Sodom is similar.');"><sup>11</sup></span> Others state, R'Abbahu said: The Lord said: 'Though they have made themselves like the leopard, yet they are as precious to me as a cherub.'

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.
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Daf Shevui to Kiddushin

This midrash plays on the word “Immer” which reminds the rabbis of the leopard. The leopard was not viewed favorably by the rabbis because they thought the leopardess would lie with other leopards she was not supposed to be mating with. I’m not sure why the rabbis expected monogamy from animals, but they seem to have pointed the figure at the leopard in particular.
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