Gut Vucht to the Chavrei Hakollel:
When we check the Kallah are we checking her or her parents?
Maternal: 1. the Calla's Mother 2. The Cala's Maternal Grandmother. 3. Her Paternal Grandfather's mother, & 4. His Maternal Grandmother.
On the Paternal side of her mother it's 2 & 3 generations back, while on the maternal side it's 1 & 2 generations back.
Paternal: 1. The Cala's Paternal Grandmother(father's mother) 2. Father's maternal grandmother 3. Father's Paternal grandmother 4. Father's Great Grandmother.
going back to the 2nd & 3rd on the father's maternal side & 3rd & 4th on the father's paternal side.
Why are we not simply going back 4 generations across the board? I other words the calla's great great grandmothers going down?
If the Halacha is simply check back two generations of women from the challah on her mother and father's side then the mishna for clarity sake should say "We go back two generations of women across the board" that implies consistency. When detailing there is no uniformity.
.Avrahom, United States
Dear Avraham,
We check if the parent was known to be Pasul. The Ran explains that checking the parent is done better when checking also her mother. That's the idea behind the "pair" checking.
As far as the words used, "going back 2 generations of women" would not be clear enough since as you noticed the generations are not equal- the way the Mishna writes is the most correct and clear way.
All the best,
Reuven Weiner