Question:
Why is one’s Jewish status determined by the mother and not the father?
Thank you.
Answer:
This rule is expounded from various Biblical verses, explained in the Talmud, Yevamos 23a. As with all laws of the Torah the rule itself is clear and straightforward, received from Sinai with all the laws of the Torah. The reason why G-d chose to establish it this way is more open for interpretation and there is no one conclusive answer. It would seem that the Torah hinges a person’s Jewishness on being formed and created in the womb of a Jewish mother.
Rashi says that if a Jewess-mother and a nonJew-father would bear a son, such a son must be converted (Vayiqra 24:10), Mitsri-Ger.
בתוך בני ישראל: מלמד שנתגייר:
And Torah says that if a Jew-father and a nonJewess-mother would bear a son, such a son must be converted too (D’varim 23:8), Edomi-Ger.
Is that mean, that a Jew must have a Jewess-mother and a Jew-father both?
See the commentary of the Ramban there [Nachmanadies] that in fact a child of a Jewish mother does not require conversion and the intent of the Toras Kohanim is that this child accepted the Jewish religion as his faith and joined the covenant at Sinai
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