Talmud Bavli
Talmud Bavli

Commentary for Kiddushin 140:16

אמר רבי חמא בר חנינא כשהקדוש ברוך הוא

R'Hama B'R'Hanina said: When the Holy One, blessed be He, causes His divine Presence to rest, it is only upon families of pure birth in Israel, for it is said: At that time, saith the Lord, will I be the God of all the families of Israel<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Jer. XXXI, 1.');"><sup>27</sup></span> - not unto all Israel, but unto 'all the families of Israel', is said<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The limitation must exclude those of questionable birth.');"><sup>28</sup></span> - and they shall be my people. Rabbah son of R'Huna said: This is the extra advantage which Israel possesses over proselytes.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'which is between Israel and proselytes.'');"><sup>29</sup></span> For in respect to Israel it written, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ezek. XXXVII, 27; i.e., God calls them first, and they accept the call.');"><sup>30</sup></span> whereas of proselytes it is written, for who is he that hath boldness to approach unto me? Saith the Lord. And ye shall be my people', and I will be your God.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Jer. XXX, 21f; i.e., they must first call upon God, Who willingly accepts them. There is no spirit of exclusiveness in this: God first appeared unto Israel; thereafter, He is ready to accept all who call upon Him.');"><sup>31</sup></span> R'Helbo said: Proselytes are as injurious to Israel as a scab, for it is said: And the stranger shall join himself with them, and they shall cleave [we-nispehu] to the house of Jacob.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Isa. XIV, 1.');"><sup>32</sup></span> Here it is written: 'wenispehu'; whilst elsewhere it is written. [This is the law for all manner of plague of leprosy.] and for rising, or for a scab [sappahath].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XIV, 55. We-nispehu is thus connected with sappahath, and the former verse is translated: and they shall be as a scab to the house of Jacob. - Rashi states: because their lax observance of precepts sets a bad example to true born Jews. Tosaf. suggests the reverse: proselytes are more observant, and expose the laxity of other Jews! Cf. infra p. 387.');"><sup>33</sup></span> R'Hama B'Hanina said: When the Holy One, blessed be He,

Daf Shevui to Kiddushin

God is portrayed here as sorting out the proper lineage of Israel—who married women fit for them and who did not. When God does this, the first tribe to be sorted out will be the Levites.
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