Matrilineal Descent and Pidyon HaBen

Question

Matrilineal descent: If a mother is Jewish, then her child is Jewish. Patrilineal descent: That determines whether a person is Kohen, Levi, or Yisrael (Israel). Correct?

What happens if the father is Israel and the mother is a bat Kohen (daughter of a Kohen)?

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Answers

  1. The Just Ask! - AskTheRabbi.org Team

    Yes, that is correct.

    Nothing happens if the father is Israel and the mother is a daughter of a Kohen. The child always follows his father when it comes to Tribal affiliation. That means that the child will be a Yisrael despite the fact that his mother is the daughter of a Kohen. The only thing that being a Bat Kohen (or a Bat Levi) changes is that a firstborn son does not have a Pidyon haBen (redemption).

    Best wishes from the AskTheRabbi.org Team