## Kiddushin Daf 69b

###### Kiddushin 69b:1
[Kiddushin 69b:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kiddushin/r/69b:1)

״דִּבְרֵי רִיבֹת בִּשְׁעָרֶיךָ וְקַמְתָּ וְעָלִיתָ״, אֶלָּא אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל גְּבוֹהָה מִכׇּל אֲרָצוֹת מְנָלַן? דִּכְתִיב: ״לָכֵן הִנֵּה יָמִים בָּאִים נְאֻם ה׳ וְלֹא יֹאמְרוּ עוֹד חַי ה׳ אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱלָה אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם. כִּי אִם חַי ה׳ אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱלָה וַאֲשֶׁר הֵבִיא אֶת זֶרַע בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאֶרֶץ צָפוֹנָה וּמִכֹּל הָאֲרָצוֹת אֲשֶׁר הִדַּחְתִּים שָׁם״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**“Matters of controversy within your gates, and you shall arise and go up** to the place that the Lord, your God, shall choose” (Deuteronomy 17:8), indicating that the Temple, the place that God chose, is higher than all other cities in Eretz Yisrael. **But from where do we** derive the claim **that Eretz Yisrael is higher than all** other **lands?** The Gemara answers: **As it is written: “Therefore behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when they shall no more say: As the Lord lives, Who brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt, but: As the Lord lives, Who brought up and Who led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all the countries where I had driven them”** (Jeremiah 23:7–8). The phrase “Who brought up” indicates that Eretz Yisrael is higher than all the other lands from where God will bring the Jewish people.


###### Kiddushin 69b:2
[Kiddushin 69b:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kiddushin/r/69b:2)

מַאי אִירְיָא דְּתָנֵי ״עָלוּ מִבָּבֶל״? נִתְנֵי ״עָלוּ לְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל״! מְסַיַּיע לֵיהּ לְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, דְּאָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: לֹא עָלָה עֶזְרָא מִבָּבֶל עַד שֶׁעֲשָׂאָהּ כְּסוֹלֶת נְקִיָּה וְעָלָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: If that is what the mishna wants to teach, **why does** the *tanna* **specifically teach: Ascended from Babylonia? Let him teach: Ascended to Eretz Yisrael.** The Gemara answers that the wording of the mishna **supports** the opinion of **Rabbi Elazar, as Rabbi Elazar says: Ezra did not ascend from Babylonia until he made it like fine flour,** free of bran, i.e., he ensured that the lineage of those remaining was unsullied, and selected all of those in Babylonia who were of questionable lineage, **and** then **he ascended** with them to Eretz Yisrael.


###### Kiddushin 69b:3
[Kiddushin 69b:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kiddushin/r/69b:3)

אִיתְּמַר אַבָּיֵי אָמַר: ״עָלוּ״ – מֵאֵילֵיהֶם, תְּנַן. וְרָבָא אָמַר: ״הֶעֱלוּם״ תְּנַן. וְקָמִיפַּלְגִי בִּדְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, דְּאָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: לֹא עָלָה עֶזְרָא מִבָּבֶל עַד שֶׁעֲשָׂאָהּ כְּסוֹלֶת נְקִיָּה וְעָלָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ It **was stated** that *amora’im* had a dispute with regard to this matter. **Abaye said: We learned** in the mishna that there were ten categories of lineage among the Jews who **ascended,** meaning that they ascended **of their own** accord. **And Rava said: We learned:** Ezra **brought them up,** against their will. The Gemara explains: **And they disagree about** the statement **of Rabbi Elazar, as Rabbi Elazar says: Ezra did not ascend from Babylonia until he made it like fine flour, and** only then **he ascended.**


###### Kiddushin 69b:4
[Kiddushin 69b:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kiddushin/r/69b:4)

אַבָּיֵי – לֵית לֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר. רָבָא – אִית לֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר. אִיבָּעֵית אֵימָא: דְּכוּלֵּי עָלְמָא אִית לְהוּ דְּרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, וְהָכָא בְּהָא קָא מִיפַּלְגִי: מָר סָבַר: אַפְרוֹשֵׁי אַפְרוֹשִׁינְהוּ וּמִנַּפְשַׁיְיהוּ סְלִיקוּ, וּמָר סָבַר: בְּעַל כֻּרְחַיְיהוּ אַסּוֹקִינְהוּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Abaye does not** accept the statement **of Rabbi Elazar,** since he maintains that they ascended of their own free will, whereas **Rava does accept** the statement **of Rabbi Elazar.** Or, **if you wish, say that everyone accepts** the statement **of Rabbi Elazar, and here they disagree with regard to this:** One **Sage,** Abaye, **holds** that Ezra first **separated** the members of the community with flawed lineage, **and** they subsequently **ascended** to Eretz Yisrael out **of their own desire. And** one **Sage,** Rava, **holds** that **he brought them up against their will.**


###### Kiddushin 69b:5
[Kiddushin 69b:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kiddushin/r/69b:5)

בִּשְׁלָמָא לְמַאן דְּאָמַר: ״עָלוּ״, הַיְינוּ דְּאָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר שְׁמוּאֵל: כֹּל אֲרָצוֹת עִיסָּה לְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל עִיסָּה לְבָבֶל. אֶלָּא לְמַאן דְּאָמַר: ״הֶעֱלוּם״, מִידָּע יַדְעִינְהוּ! נְהִי דְּיָדְעִי לְהָהוּא דָּרָא, לְדָרָא אַחֲרִינֵי לָא יָדְעִי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **Granted, according to the one who says** that the mishna means that **they ascended** of their own accord, without any distinction between the types of people who came, **this is** the reason **that Rav Yehuda says** that **Shmuel says:** The lineage of residents of **all lands is muddled** compared **to** that of **Eretz Yisrael, and** the lineage of residents of **Eretz Yisrael is muddled** compared **to** that of **Babylonia.** As the people came of their own accord, there was a lack of oversight concerning who married whom. **But according to the one who says** that **he brought them up,** and Ezra identified and selected all those who came with him, the Sages of the time **knew** the lineage of all who came and would have been careful not to allow any forbidden marriages, so why is the lineage of residents of Eretz Yisrael considered to be muddled compared to that of Babylonia? The Gemara answers: **Though** the status of those who came **was known to that generation, it was not known to other** later **generations.**


###### Kiddushin 69b:6
[Kiddushin 69b:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kiddushin/r/69b:6)

בִּשְׁלָמָא לְמַאן דְּאָמַר ״עָלוּ״, הַיְינוּ דִּכְתִיב: ״וָאֶקְבְּצֵם אֶל הַנָּהָר הַבָּא עַל אַחֲוָה וַנַּחֲנֶה שָׁם יָמִים שְׁלֹשָׁה וָאָבִינָה בָעָם וּבַכֹּהֲנִים וּמִבְּנֵי לֵוִי לֹא מָצָאתִי שָׁם״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks another question: **Granted, according to the one who says** that **they ascended** of their own accord, **this is** the meaning of the verse **that is written** in the book of Ezra: **“And I gathered them together to the river that runs to Ahava, and we camped there for three days; and I viewed the people and the priests, and found there none of the sons of Levi”** (Ezra 8:15), as it was necessary for Ezra to clarify the identity of the people traveling to Eretz Yisrael.


###### Kiddushin 69b:7
[Kiddushin 69b:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kiddushin/r/69b:7)

אֶלָּא לְמַאן דְּאָמַר ״הֶעֱלוּם״, הָא מִיזְהָר זְהִירִי? נְהִי דְּאִיזְּהוּר בִּפְסוּלִים, בִּכְשֵׁירִים לָא אִיזְדְּהוּר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**But according to the one who says** that **he brought them up, they were careful** to classify the lineage of the people before they left for Eretz Yisrael, so why was it necessary for him to clarify the matter by the riverside? The Gemara answers: **Though they were careful with regard to** people of **flawed** lineage before they left for Eretz Yisrael, **with regard to** people of **unflawed** lineage **they were not careful** to clarify the precise lineage of each of them earlier, and they did this by the riverside.


###### Kiddushin 69b:8
[Kiddushin 69b:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kiddushin/r/69b:8)

כָּהֲנֵי לְוִיֵּי וְיִשְׂרְאֵלֵי. מְנָלַן דִּסְלִיקוּ? דִּכְתִיב: ״וַיֵּשְׁבוּ הַכֹּהֲנִים וְהַלְוִיִּם וּמִן הָעָם וְהַמְשֹׁרְרִים וְהַשּׁוֹעֲרִים וְהַנְּתִינִים בְּעָרֵיהֶם וְכׇל יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּעָרֵיהֶם״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The mishna included in its list of types of lineage **priests, Levites, and Israelites.** The Gemara asks: **From where do we** derive **that they ascended?** The Gemara answers: **As it is written: “So the priests, and the Levites, and some of the people, and the singers, and the gatekeepers, and the Gibeonites dwelt in their cities, and all of Israel in their cities”** (Ezra 2:70). The verse specifies priests, Levites, and all of Israel.


###### Kiddushin 69b:9
[Kiddushin 69b:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kiddushin/r/69b:9)

חֲלָלֵי גֵּירֵי וַחֲרוֹרֵי. חֲלָלֵי מְנָלַן? דְּתַנְיָא, רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר: גְּדוֹלָה חֲזָקָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וּמִבְּנֵי הַכֹּהֲנִים בְּנֵי חֳבַיָּה בְּנֵי הַקּוֹץ בְּנֵי בַרְזִלַּי אֲשֶׁר לָקַח מִבְּנוֹת בַּרְזִלַּי הַגִּלְעָדִי אִשָּׁה וַיִּקָּרֵא עַל שְׁמָם. אֵלֶּה בִּקְשׁוּ כְתָבָם הַמִּתְיַחְשִׂים וְלֹא נִמְצָאוּ וַיְגֹאֲלוּ מִן הַכְּהֻנָּה. וַיֹּאמֶר הַתִּרְשָׁתָא לָהֶם אֲשֶׁר לֹא יֹאכְלוּ מִקֹּדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים עַד עֲמֹד כֹּהֵן לְאוּרִים וּלְתֻמִּים״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The mishna further states that ***ḥalalim*, converts, and emancipated slaves** ascended from Babylonia. The Gemara clarifies: **From where do we** derive that ***ḥalalim*** ascended? The Gemara answers: **As it is taught** in a *baraita* that **Rabbi Yosei says: Great** is the importance of **a presumptive status, as it is stated: “And of the children of the priests: The children of Habaiah, the children of Hakkoz, the children of Barzillai, who took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called after their name. These sought the registry of their genealogy, but it was not found. Therefore, they were deemed polluted and put out from the priesthood. And the Tirshatha said to them that they should not eat of the offerings of the most sacred order until there arose a priest with the *Urim VeTummim*”** (Ezra 2:61–63).


###### Kiddushin 69b:10
[Kiddushin 69b:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kiddushin/r/69b:10)

וְאָמַר לָהֶם: הֲרֵי אַתֶּם בְּחֶזְקַתְכֶם. בַּמֶּה הֱיִיתֶם אוֹכְלִים בַּגּוֹלָה, בְּקׇדְשֵׁי הַגְּבוּל? אַף כָּאן נָמֵי, בְּקׇדְשֵׁי הַגְּבוּל.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The *baraita* continues: This shows that there was uncertainty whether specific descendants of priests were fit for the priesthood or were *ḥalalim*, **and** Ezra **said to them: You have** retained **your presumptive status.** In other words, despite their failure to provide proof that they were fit priests, they maintained their prior status. Ezra said: **Of what** priestly gifts **did you partake** when you were **in exile?** You partook only **of the consecrated** gifts of **the boundaries,** i.e., from *teruma*, which may be eaten anywhere. **Here too,** in Eretz Yisrael, you may partake only **of the consecrated** gifts of **the boundaries.** You may not, however, partake of anything that must be eaten inside Jerusalem, as indicated by the verse “They should not eat of the offerings of the most sacred order.” In any event, since the verse writes that they were “put out from the priesthood,” it can be seen that there were *ḥalalim* who came with Ezra to Eretz Yisrael.


###### Kiddushin 69b:11
[Kiddushin 69b:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kiddushin/r/69b:11)

וּלְמַאן דְּאָמַר: מַעֲלִים מִתְּרוּמָה לְיוּחֲסִין? הָנֵי דַּאֲכוּל בִּתְרוּמָה אָתוּ לְאַסּוֹקִינְהוּ! שָׁאנֵי הָתָם, דְּרִיעַ חֶזְקָתַיְיהוּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **And according to the one who says** that **one elevates** a priest **to lineage,** i.e., one attributes the lineage of a priest to an individual on the basis of observing him partaking of ***teruma*,** how could they be allowed to partake of *teruma*? **Those who partake of *teruma* will** subsequently **be elevated** to the full status of priests. The Gemara answers: **There it is different, as their presumptive status had been weakened.** Since they did not partake of offerings, as did all other priests, all knew that they were not regular priests.


###### Kiddushin 69b:12
[Kiddushin 69b:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kiddushin/r/69b:12)

וְאֶלָּא מַאי גְּדוֹלָה חֲזָקָה? דְּמֵעִיקָּרָא אֲכוּל בִּתְרוּמָה דְרַבָּנַן, וּלְבַסּוֹף אֲכוּל בִּתְרוּמָה דְאוֹרָיְיתָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **But** if so, **what** is the meaning of Rabbi Yosei’s claim that **great** is **a presumptive status?** They received nothing extra by virtue of this presumption. The Gemara responds: They have gained in **that initially they would partake of *teruma*** only of Babylonian produce, which is *teruma* **by rabbinic law, and afterward they would partake of** produce that is ***teruma* by Torah law.** The separation of *teruma* in Eretz Yisrael is a Torah obligation, and the produce is fully consecrated.


###### Kiddushin 69b:13
[Kiddushin 69b:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kiddushin/r/69b:13)

וְאִיבָּעֵית אֵימָא: לְעוֹלָם הַשְׁתָּא נָמֵי בִּדְרַבָּנַן – אֲכוּל, בִּדְאוֹרָיְיתָא – לָא אֲכוּל, וְכִי מַסְּקִינַן מִתְּרוּמָה לְיוּחֲסִין – מִדְּאוֹרָיְיתָא, מִדְּרַבָּנַן לָא מַסְּקִינַן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara offers an additional defense of the opinion that one elevates a priest to lineage based on observing him partake of *teruma*: **And if you wish, say: Actually, now also,** in Eretz Yisrael, **they would partake** only **of** produce that is *teruma* **by rabbinic law,** such as vegetables, while **they would not partake of** produce that is *teruma* **by Torah law,** such as grains. **And when we elevate** a priest **to lineage** on the basis of observing him partake of ***teruma*,** that is only when he was observed partaking of produce that is *teruma* **by Torah law,** but if someone partakes of produce that is *teruma* **by rabbinic law, we do not elevate** him. Therefore, they could continue partaking of *teruma* based on their presumptive status, and there is no concern that they might be elevated to the status of full-fledged priests.


###### Kiddushin 69b:14
[Kiddushin 69b:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kiddushin/r/69b:14)

אִי הָכִי, מַאי גְּדוֹלָה חֲזָקָה? דְּמֵעִיקָּרָא לֵיכָּא לְמִיגְזַר מִשּׁוּם תְּרוּמָה דְאוֹרָיְיתָא, לְבַסּוֹף – אַף עַל גַּב דְּאִיכָּא לְמִיגְזַר מִשּׁוּם תְּרוּמָה דְאוֹרָיְיתָא, בִּדְרַבָּנַן – אֲכוּל, בִּדְאוֹרָיְיתָא – לָא אֲכוּל.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **If so,** the question remains: **What** is meant by the phrase: **Great** is **a presumptive status?** The Gemara answers: It means **that initially, there was no** reason **to decree** and prohibit them from partaking of produce that was *teruma* by rabbinic law **due to** the possibility that they may partake of produce that is ***teruma* by Torah law,** as there was no produce that was *teruma* by Torah law in Babylonia. **Afterward,** when they came to Eretz Yisrael, **although there was reason to decree** and prohibit them from partaking of produce that was *teruma* by rabbinic law **due to** the possibility that they may partake of produce that was ***teruma* by Torah law,** as that kind of *teruma* was also present, their presumptive status was nevertheless strong enough to allow them to continue **to partake of** produce that was ***teruma* by rabbinic law,** although they could **not eat** produce that is ***teruma* by Torah law.**


###### Kiddushin 69b:15
[Kiddushin 69b:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kiddushin/r/69b:15)

וְהָכְתִיב ״וַיֹּאמֶר הַתִּרְשָׁתָא לָהֶם אֲשֶׁר לֹא יֹאכְלוּ מִקֹּדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים״ – בְּקֹדֶשׁ הַקָּדָשִׁים הוּא דְּלֹא יֹאכְל[וּ], הָא כֹּל מִידֵּי נֵיכוֹל!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **But isn’t it written: “And the Tirshatha said to them that they should not eat of the offerings of the most sacred order [*kodesh hakodashim*]”** (Ezra 2:63)? This indicates that **it is from the offerings of the most sacred order that they may not eat, but anything** else, i.e., offerings not of the most sacred order, **they may eat,** including produce that is *teruma* by Torah law.


###### Kiddushin 69b:16
[Kiddushin 69b:16](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kiddushin/r/69b:16)

הָכִי קָאָמַר: לָא מִידֵּי דְּמִיקְּרֵי קֹדֶשׁ, וְלָא מִידֵּי דְּמִיקְּרֵי קָדָשִׁים. לָא מִידֵּי דְּמִיקְּרֵי קֹדֶשׁ – דִּכְתִיב: ״וְכׇל זָר לֹא יֹאכַל קֹדֶשׁ״, וְלָא מִידֵּי דְּמִיקְּרֵי קָדָשִׁים, דְּאָמַר קְרָא ״וּבַת כֹּהֵן כִּי תִהְיֶה לְאִישׁ זָר הִיא בִּתְרוּמַת הַקֳּדָשִׁים לֹא תֹאכֵל״, וְאָמַר מָר: ״בַּמּוּרָם מִן הַקֳּדָשִׁים

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara answers: **This** is what the Tirshatha **is saying:** They may **not** partake of **anything that is called sacred [*kodesh*], nor anything that is called most sacred [*kodashim*].** The Gemara clarifies. The words **not anything that is called sacred** are referring to *teruma*, **as it is written** with regard to *teruma*: **“No non-priest may eat of the sacred”** (Leviticus 22:10). And the words **nor anything that is called most sacred** are referring to offerings, **as the verse states: “And a daughter of a priest, if she is married to a non-priest, she may not eat of that which is set apart from the sacred things”** (Leviticus 22:12). **And the Master says:** What is the meaning of “that which is set apart from the sacred things”? It means **from** the portions **separated from the offerings,** i.e., the breast and thigh of a peace-offering,