In addition to sdimbert’s correction of you regarding the bar-mitzvah issue…
While it’s true that the Jewish calendar is currently at the year 5760 (in less than one more month, it’ll be 5761), determining Jewish tribal ancestry wouldn’t go back more than 3600 years, as that’s the period in which those tribal ancestors were born. The number of the Jewish year refers to the time since creation of the world.
And, while it’s true that there’s no way to know for sure with most people (there are, I hear, some who are actually able to trace their ancestry back to the time of the Holy Temple, about 2000 years ago, which is good enough, since at that time, they were very careful about making sure people claiming to be Kohens and Levis were authentic, since they actually served in the Temple), unless there’s specific reason to doubt someone, it’s usually assumed they’re telling the truth. There ain’t that many perks to being a Kohen or Levi that you’ll get many pretenders.
Not to hijack the OP but…
What is Race? How does one define Race? Can it be quantified or qualified? Who is a “Caucasian”?
IMHO race does not exist. Nationalities, religions and cultures yes, but race no. Scientifically no one has even been able prove the existance of race as we commonly know it.
True. They’ve also been known to declare themselves Napoleon, Jesus or cantaloupe.
But the Tribes of Israel, especially Levi, which are the only remaining identified tribe, passes their tribe status down matrilineally. Unless accepted by the synagogue and their neighbours (who, until the 19th century usually had known a certain family for more than a dozen generations), their claim has no weight and cannot officially be passed along.
Chaim: there are PLENTY of perks to being a Cohen or a Levi! You get the first or second Aliyah.
Okay, maybe that’s not so much of a perk after all.
Yeah…and, unless there’s an unusually small number of Israelites in the minyan, no other (except Maftir). So if some other Kohen or Levi got that first or second Aliyah, you’re screwed until next week, whereas the Israelite who didn’t get the third might still get the fourth, fifth, etc…
Well, on Shabbos, at least.
IzzyR:
True, but not really for the purposes that apply today. If a new guy comes into synagogue and claims to be a Kohen, no one will tell the Gabbai not to give him the first Aliyah. I gave a guy who claims to be a Kohen (well, my maternal grandfather) five silver shekels for my firstborn son’s redemption, and he will have no obligation, once he grows up, to redeem himself (unless there’s specific reason to cast aspersion on my Kohen grandfather’s status). No one will stop a guy who claims to be a Kohen from blessing the congregation at the appropriate time in prayer. Etc., etc.
Matanos kehuna apply today. (Challah, even in chutz la’aretz).
As an aside: for some reason the Rappaport family is considered to have an especially strong status as cohanim. Some people are particular to redeem their first-born sons through a member of this family.
I know. But with all people considered automatically impure due to contact with a dead body, it can’t be eaten anyway, so we burn it. So the doubt as to the authenticity of a Kohen is a moot point at the moment…they wouldn’t be able to eat it (or Terumah) anyway.
And for other Matanos kehuna, such as redemption of the first born (both human children and animals) and the first shearings, the statement I made in my earlier posts applies.
I’m aware of that too…I think they have documentation tracing their lineage to a family of Kohanim at the time of the second Holy Temple. But, while some people are particularly careful to do that, it doesn’t invalidate the act when done with another person who claims to be a Kohen…unless, as I said, it can be proven retroactively that he wasn’t.
<< As an aside: for some reason the Rappaport family is considered to have an especially strong status as cohanim. Some people are particular to redeem their first-born sons through a member of this family. >>
I’d be curious to hear more about this. My wife’s father is a Rappaport (spelled differently, but what the heck) and once was told something similar: someone was looking for an “authentic” kohan, and knew that he was because of his last name. However, he was told this tracked back to the Rebbe of Oporto, not to Second Temple days; and somehow the Rebbe of Oporto was known as “authentic.”
I should also add that you’d have to give it to them anyway.
CKDextHavn,
It sounds like you are saying that the name Rappaport goes back to “Rebbe of Oporto”, not the lineage. BTW, I always heard that as “Rofeh Porto”; the doctor of Porto, not the “rebbe”.
Be that as it may, it would end up being a moot point. And the “children” thing is irrelevant, since the person handline the produce or dough is adult and impure, which will render the stuff unfit to eat even by a pure person.
Maybe, but it’s to eat the stuff that the doubt that renders them unfit. You don’t need to be a Kohen to burn it.