Regulations on Whom the High Priest May Marry
About This Entry
This mishnah elaborates on the biblical laws regarding women the high priest may and may not marry (Leviticus 21:7–15).
A high priest shall not marry a widow, whether she became a widow after a betrothal or after a marriage. He shall not marry one who has reached puberty. [ . . . ] [A priest who] betrothed a widow and was subsequently appointed high priest may bring her into marriage. It once happened with Joshua ben Gamla that he betrothed Martha the daughter of Boethus,1 and the king appointed him high priest, and he brought her into marriage. [ . . . ]
Adapted from the translation of Joshua Kulp.
Notes
[See “Martha bat Boethus.”—Ed.]
Credits
m. Yevamot 6:4, adapted from Mishnah Yomit, trans. Joshua Kulp, www.sefaria.org. Originally from https://learn.conservativeyeshiva.org. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) License.
Published in: The Posen Library of Jewish Culture and Civilization, vol. 2: Emerging Judaism.
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