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Professor Karl Skorecki of the Technion in Haifa, along with other important scientists worldwide, have proven that approximately 40% of Ashkenazi Jews in Europe are descendants of four Jewish women who migrated with their families to parts of Europe where Jews previously had not lived, more than 1,200 years ago. One can find "footprints" of links to these "matriarchs" in the gene pool today. Let us quickly explain how.
All people receive DNA both from their mother and from their father, and this genetic information is found in the nucleus of all of a body’s cells. A small group of genes, which is different from the rest of the human genome, is not found within the nucleus but "resides" nearby in the cell’s mitochondria. It is called mtDNA. A female’s egg is the largest cell in the human body, and a male’s sperm is the smallest. The mtDNA is in the egg itself but only in the tail of the sperm. In the reproductive process, the embryo receives mtDNA only from the mother, not the father. Thus, the aforementioned four Jewish matriarchs passed on this part of their genetic codes through their daughters to their Jewish offspring many generations later, "untainted" by their male spouses codes. (A male has mtDNA from his matriarchal chain, but he does not pass it on.)
In the framework of supporting the efforts of diaspora rabbis and the Bemareh Habazak responsa project, a European rabbi from one of our "learning groups" asked us the following question: "A woman came to me, wanting to join the community with her children, claiming that she is Jewish. She says she is the granddaughter of a Holocaust survivor, who swore when she left the camp that she would have no connection with Judaism or Jews. She married a non-Jewish man and made sure her children would marry non-Jews. Her daughter’s daughter has presented us with an mtDNA analysis proving genetically that she is a descendant of one of the four founding women of the Ashkenazic communities of Europe."
Can we rely on these results halachically? When this question first reached us, we realized that this idea has the potential to be very significant for many olim who cannot prove their Jewish lineage. After this discussion of the scientific background, we will deal with halachic analysis next week. Let us just stress at this point that no aspersions whatsoever can be cast on someone who lacks a link to these four women. Most Jews in the world do not have the gene code in question, so not having it does not at all preclude Judaism.
In the meantime, we wish our readers and all of Klal Yisrael a happy Chanuka with an abundance of light.
Rabbis in Midrash
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D'varim Judaism’s Social Vision
Re’eh
Giving is more than an act of generosity—it is an essential part of human dignity that belongs to everyone, rich and poor alike. The ultimate goal of help is to empower others to stand on their own.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 9 - "Seeing is Believing" (parag. 21-30)
These paragraphs elaborate on the theme that seeing and knowing is better than any attempt to prove logically, and begins explaining the difference between Israel and gentiles.
Ein Aya Various Universal Stages of the Geula Process
Rav Kook examines the various stages of redemption, explaining how (in addition to the obvious oft-mentioned stages of ingathering the exiles, reviving the Hebrew language, army, state etc.) the messianic dream of world prosperity, the State of Israel and world unity can and are realistically and logically gradually coming true.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
How do we know that the "claim" of mass revelation to 2,000,000 witnesses at Mt. Sinai is really true? This important class answers all of the questions skeptics ask about this claim of the Kuzari.
Ein Aya Armies Still Necessary for Balance & the War Against Wars
Rav Kook explains why the world was originally divided into the various seemingly contradicting ideologies and cultures, in order to develop each one respectively. Swords or armies symbolize how each respective ideology defends themselves, as well as deters their opposing ideologies and cultures. On the other hand, the messianic era will be one of peace, and Rav Kook explains the transition to that stage, which mankind is already undergoing.
