Shlomo HeMelech — Cutting the Baby in Half

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  • #2097786
    ujm
    Participant

    Why didn’t he instead simply order a DNA test?

    #2097818
    ☕️coffee addict
    Participant

    ממון המוטל בספק יחלקו

    #2097825
    smerel
    Participant

    Most poskim do not admit blood tests as evidence that a husband is not the father of his wife’s children and cause mamzerus issues. I have no idea where the fathers were (or weren’t) in the story but one of them probably objected. Particularly if you understand that the Posuk calling the women zonos is to be understood with the usual meaning.

    According to the other opinion mentioned in Chazal that they were mother in law and daughter in law pair , both husbands were dead and it was a question of the DIL doing Yibum. If so what would a DNA test have helped? Either way it would show relationship with the MIL . She was either the baby’s mother or grandmother. (the MIL was in fact the actual mother)

    #2097826
    Reb Eliezer
    Participant

    Why did he not discern from their argument who the real mother is? One said the live one is mine (indicating that she wants it), the dead is yours and the other did not say the same thing but the opposite, the dead is yours (indicating that if I cannot have it, you should not have it either) and the live one is mine. Obviously the first one is the real mother.
    There is an interesting story from the German author, Bertolt Brecht called The Chalk Circle. Two women claimed that an older girl belonged to them. The judge ruled to draw a circle and then place the girl in it. The two women will hold the girls hand on either side of the circle. The idea was that the real mother will pull stronger to pull her out of the circle. What really happened is that one of the women let go in order not to harm her by pulling her apart. The judge ruled that this was the real mother.

    #2097830
    n0mesorah
    Participant

    Why are you assuming that he forgot his login to the national yichus registry?

    #2097981
    Kuvult
    Participant

    It was about Yibum so there was a lot ridin on it. If it was declared hers she provided a son and she was free to remarry. If it Was her mother in laws. It is was her dead husband’s brother and she would have to wait 13 years til he was old enough to do Yibum to remarry

    #2098016
    RebYid613
    Participant

    Wrong he never cut them he “said he will” as a mashel

    #2098026
    motchah11
    Participant

    I saw in meforshim that Shlomoh Hamelech understood from the way they spoke (one saying “It is mine,” the other saying “It is not yours”) to whom the baby belonged, and did the test only to show the people there who the baby belonged to. I believe I saw this in the Maayanai Shel Torah some 40 years ago.

    #2098036
    akuperma
    Participant

    If there had been DNA tests, or even blood tests (assuming the father was known), the event wouldn’t have happened.

    In the case of a baby mix-up (they do happen, now and then), there is no halachic issue in using scientific testing (note, this would be “maternity” testing). For other matters such as paternity testing (to determine if the child is a mamzer) there would be issues. To determine Jewishness (Yichus), other than by confirming the mother-child relationship, it would be very problematic.

    #2098053
    Reb Eliezer
    Participant

    The Malbim describes that Shlomo Hamelech had an inkling from their argument.

    #2098060
    ☕️coffee addict
    Participant

    Do שדים have dna?

    #2098381
    GotAGoodPoint
    Participant

    he wanted to save the lab fee for doing the test.

    Seriously speaking, the ‘mother’ would just claim that the DNA test results were rigged, like the election results. He wanted to be able to prove it to the lady herself in front of everyone.

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