The Jewish child : its history, folklore, biology, & sociology / by W.M. Feldman ; with an introduction by Sir James Crichton-Browne.
- William Moses Feldman
- Date:
- 1917
Licence: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)
Credit: The Jewish child : its history, folklore, biology, & sociology / by W.M. Feldman ; with an introduction by Sir James Crichton-Browne. Source: Wellcome Collection.
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![CHAP. П.] Heredity and Eugenics 21 It is true that, according to the Talmud, marriages are made in heaveii, and forty days before a child is born its mate is decided upon/'^ yet in choosing a wife, says the Talmud in another place, one should see that there is no epilepsy or other hereditary taint in her family;^ for, as the Shulchan Axuch continues, one must beware lest similar illnesses occur in the ofíspring.^ The inheritance of mechanical dexterity is hinted in Gen. iv. 20-22 and Judg. xix. 22 (A.V.). It is advised that a man should marry into a good family,*^ for a girl with a good genealogical tree, even if she be poor or an orphan, is worthy to become the wife of a king.^ Who is rich ? asks the Talmud else¬ where. He whose wife's actions are comely, is the answer.® It is recommended that one should sell all one possesses in order to marry the daughter of a learned man; for the merits of the father endow the child with beauty, power, riches, wisdom, and old age.^ The apple does not fall far from the tree; the daughter of a learned man will have clever children, that of an ignoramus will have stupid children. If one cannot find the daughter of a learned man, one should look for the daughter of a prominent communal worker; and if that is impos¬ sible, the daughter of a teacher of children. But on no account should one marry the daughter of an ignoramus, for that is an abomination, and it is not permissible to partake of the wedding banquet of such a union.® ^ Sanhédrin 22a and Moed Elatan 18&. ^ Yebamoth 646. ® Eben Haézer ii. ; see further Deut. xxviii. 59, 60, and 2 Kings V. 27. * Baba Bathra 1096. ® Num. R. i. 5. ® Sabbath 256. Pessachim 49a and Ъ. ® /М., Ъ.](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b18023022_0054.JP2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
