Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site sfmag.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!mhuxn!mhuxm!sftig!sftri!sfmag!samet
From: samet@sfmag.UUCP (A.I.Samet)
Newsgroups: net.religion.jewish
Subject: Re: What is a mamzer?
Message-ID: <546@sfmag.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 8-Apr-85 19:00:12 EST
Article-I.D.: sfmag.546
Posted: Mon Apr  8 19:00:12 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 9-Apr-85 08:42:08 EST
References: <1028@topaz.ARPA> <530@sfmag.UUCP> <523@moscom.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Summit, NJ
Lines: 17

> > A mamzer is only permitted to marry another mamzer or a  convert.
> > In  either  case,  the progeny will be mamzerim. 
> 
> It had been my understanding that the children of a mamzer and a convert were
> accepted back into the Jewish community, that the special "yichus" of a
> convert was enough to overcome mamzerut.

This understanding is incorrect. The mamzerus(th)(t) sticks. But the
mamzer is basically  (except for marriage) accepted in the community
anyway, except that his status is kept known. Thus for instance, there 
was a custom to hold the bris of a mamzer outdoors, so that people would
remember the fact of mamzerus long afterwards.

			Yitzchok Samet


				Yitzchok Samet