Talmud Bavli
Talmud Bavli

Commentary for Kiddushin 140:7

רב מתנה לא חזייה לנהרדעא תליסר שני ההוא יומא אתא אמר ליה דכיר מר מאי אמר שמואל כי קאי חדא כרעא אגודא וחדא כרעא במברא א"ל הכי אמר שמואל כל דאמר מדבית חשמונאי מלכא קאתינא עבדא הוא דלא אישתיור מינייהו אלא ההיא רביתא דסלקא לאיגרא ורמיא קלא ואמרה כל דאמר מבית חשמונאי אנא עבדא הוא

to him, 'Do you remember what Samuel said when he stood with one foot on the bank and one foot on the bridge? '<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Or 'on the ferry-boat'.');"><sup>7</sup></span> - 'Thus said Samuel', he replied: 'He who claims, "I am descended from the royal house of the Hasmoneans", is a slave, because there remained of them only one maiden who ascended a roof, lifted up her voice and cried out', "Whoever says I am descended from the house of the Hasmoneans is a slave"; then she fell from the roof and died.' So he<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Rab Judah's litigant.');"><sup>8</sup></span>

Daf Shevui to Kiddushin

R. Matanah conveniently comes to Nehardea that very day for the first time in thirteen years. Shmuel jogs his memory and R. Matanah remembers Shmuel indeed ruling that whoever claims that he is from the Hasmonean house is a slave. The last remaining Hasmonean committed suicide. In this story, Herod kills all of the members of the Hasmonean household and claims their throne. Herod, according to that rabbinic tradition, is descended from a slave. So even if one can trace his/her lineage to Herod, his rule is not the authentic Hasmonean rule. He is a usurper.
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