What is the status of the male offspring of a marriage between two non-shomer shabbos, ignorant parents where the father considers himself a kohen due to the fact that his father was a cohen, but he himself is unaware of his marriage restrictions. At the the same time, the mother of the sons may or may not be a zonah, since this information at the moment is unspecified. Are they challulim, kohanim, or something else?
Answer:
When it comes to a halachic question concerning the offspring – for instance a son who wishes to duchan, or who wishes to marry a divorcee – then the matters you mention will need to be researched as follows:
1. Is there any objective proof of kehunah?
2. Is the person or his family muchzak as kohanim?
3. Has anything been verified concerning the mother being classified as a zonah?
Only after clarifying these issues can a decision be given.
Best wishes.
Kavod HaRav:
In my case:
1. My paternal grandfather and grandmother told me all my life that my grandfather is a kohen and his father (my great-grandfather) was a kohen. Additionally there is a notation of hands outspread for birkat kohanim or the inscription “hakohen” on my grandfather’s matseva. I believe my great-grandfathers family comes from Mintz which had a large jewish population.
2. I am muchzak as a Kohen in brooklyn and among our entire family in the US and Israel.
3. I have never been told explicitly that my mother had relations with the goy however my strong assumption is that there were actual relations.
I hope this information helps.
With much appreciation for all the time and effort spent on this question.
Thank you
If you do not know that your mother had relations with a non-Jew, and as you note there is no problem of muchzakus etc., you can continue to act as a Kohen, and of course it is forbidden to marry a divorcee.
The reason for this is that there is a chazakah of a person’s father, which can avail even where there is a question concerning the mother’s kashrus. See for this matter Shev Shemaasa 2:18 concerning using the chazakah for means of mamzerus, and the same will apparently apply here for Kehunah.
Of course, if you would actually know that there were relations the halachah would change.
Best wishes.
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