2007-12-20 08:53:44 · 8 answers · asked by M. 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
A Cohen is a priest in Judaism
2007-12-20 08:57:15 · update #1
The issue here is what she was BEFORE she was a Jew. A woman on whom there is any suspicion cannot marry a Kohen. So, for this reason a Kohen cannot marry a divorcee either, or a woman who had sexual relations with a non-Jew before they met the Kohen.
For a Kohen Gadol (the high priest) the requirements are even stricter- they have to marry a virgin and a widow is added to the list of people he cannot marry. (An ordinary Kohen can marry a widow and has to perform yibum or chalitza if his brother dies childless- nowadays all these situations result in chalitza as we do not do yibum).
2007-12-20 20:16:10 · answer #1 · answered by allonyoav 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
A divorced woman is equal to all other Jews, yet she cannot marry a cohen either....
A cohen can marry a woman who was never married before, or a widow.
A daughter of converts CAN marry a cohen!
2007-12-20 17:24:45 · answer #2 · answered by kismet 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
For the historical background you can go to
http://judaism.about.com/library/3_askrabbi_c/bl_cohen.htm
(I got it doing a search for cohen marriage.)
For a Hasidic orthodox view, go to www.chabad.org and click on ask the rabbi -- middle of the screen -- scroll down to it. I don't know if there's an already-prepared answer, or if you would have to wait for one.
2007-12-20 17:03:26 · answer #3 · answered by MarianariaBibliotecaria 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Neither can a born Jewish woman whose husband dies, leaving her a widow, she cannot marry a Kohen.
Neither can a born Jewish woman who gets divorced, she cannot marry a Kohen.
There are many, MANY laws concerning who can marry a Kohen, and under what circumstances. These laws apply to both born Jewish women and converts as well.
P.S. Kismet, a Kohen cannot marry a widow, even if she was born a Jew. This is mainly in the event that a Kohen would desire a married woman, and might possibly be blinded by his desire and have her husband killed in order to marry her. Really! That's the reasoning behind this law.
2007-12-20 17:00:17 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 2⤋
I think Levites were prohibited from marrying outside their tribe because of tribal inheritances.
(Conventional thought is that "Cohen" is a last name that retains a memory of the Kohath clan of preists.)
2007-12-20 16:58:45 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Considered by who? By all? Surely you recognize that you know little about Judaism.
2007-12-20 16:58:47 · answer #6 · answered by Fred 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
because nobody knows what a cohen is....
2007-12-20 16:56:25 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 5⤋
Who says they can't??
2007-12-20 16:55:51 · answer #8 · answered by judithia 5 · 0⤊ 5⤋