R. Yaakov bar Acha learned a teaching (about converts of Tadmur).

R. Chanina and R. Yehoshua ben Levi disagreed - one said that they are Kasher and one said that we accept them but they are not Kasher (because of the concern that they are Mamzerim). The one who said that they are Kasher says that we accept them but the one who said that we accept them does not say that they are Kasher.

R. Yosa bei R. Bun: Rav and Shmuel disagreed - one said that the land of Bavel continues until the River Yizak and the other said until the River Yoeni.

Rav Yehudah: Between the rivers (the Euphrates and the Tigris) is considered to be like the Diaspora for genealogy.

R. Chanina ben Berokah citing Rav Yehudah: For the people of Misha, we are only concerned about them being Chalalim (but not Mamzerim) - as the Kohanim there were not careful to avoid marrying divorcees.

In Bavel they say: Misha is dead (they cannot marry regular Jews as they are certainly Mamzerim); Madai are sick (as they are doubtful Mamzerim); Ilem and Gevuyei are deathly ill (most there are Pesulim); Chavilah Yamah is the best of Bavel (i.e. with the finest genealogy) and Gavavya and Tzareraya are the best of Chavil Yamah.

R. Yaakov bar Acha citing R. Yoshiyah: According to R. Shimon, the 11th generation of Mamzer is Kasher (as he understood that the pasuk only prohibits the 10th generation, as he does not expound the Gezeirah Shavah from Amoni and Moavi to permanently prohibit them, using the word 'asiri'.

Beraisa (R. Elazar bei R. Shimon): In the 11th generation of a Mamzer, the males are prohibited and the females are permitted.

R. Shmuel son of R. Yosi bei R. Bun: R. Elazar bei R. Shimon follows the opinion of R. Meir - just as R. Meir holds that when learning a Gezeirah Shavah the context of the source case is also transferred through it - so R. Elazar follows this view. Therefore, just as in the source of the Gezeirah Shavah, which is the prohibition of a convert of Amon and Moav from marrying a regular Jew, only the males but not the females are prohibited; so too (in the 11th generation of) a Mamzer, only the males but not the females are prohibited.

Question: If so, even immediately, a female Mamzer (mamzeres) should be permitted?

Answer: The Gezeirah Shavah only teaches after the 10th generation (as before this, the pasuk explicitly prohibits all Mamzerim).

Question to R. Eliezer: What is the law pertaining to an 11th generation Mamzer?

Answer (R. Eliezer): Even if you bring a 3rd generation Mamzer, I will permit him!

Why did R. Eliezer say this? Because (heaven will ensure that) they will not live long enough to have descendants.

R. Eliezer follows the view of R. Chaninah who said that every 60 or 70 years, Hash-m brings disease to the world and destroys the Mamzerim, also taking with them Kasher people so that their sin should not be publicized.

This is also similar to R. Levi's statement in the name of R. Shimon ben Lakish - the pasuk states (Vayikra 6, 18), "...in the place that the Olah offering is slaughtered, the sin offering is slaughtered, before Hashem'' - this is done so that sins should not be publicized.

The pasuk states (Yishayahu 31, 2), "and He is also wise and He has brought bad'' - surely good should come if He is wise? Rather, this teaches you that even when Hash-m brings bad to the world, He does it with wisdom.

The pasuk (ibid) states, "...He has not retracted his words, He will rise up against the house of evildoers and against the help of those that sin''.

Rav Huna said that a Mamzer will not live more than 30 days.

When R. Zeira came here (to Eretz Yisrael), he heard people saying about a certain man that he is a Mamzer and about a certain woman that she is a Mamzeres.

R. Zeira: How could this be? What about R. Huna's statement that a Mamzer will not live for 30 days?

R. Yaakov bar Acha to R. Zeira: I was with you when R. Aba said that R. Huna said in the name of Rav that this is only true when his status is not known, but if it is known, he will live longer.

R. Yosa citing R. Yochanan: Even in the future, Hash-m will only purify the Pesulim of the tribe of Levi.

What is his source? The pasuk states (Malachi 3, 3), "He will sit, smelting and purifying silver and he will purify the children of Levi and refine them etc.'' R. Zeira said - Like a man who drinks from a clean cup (Hash-m will specifically purify the Leviim as they are the vessels who perform the service in the Temple.)

R. Hoshiyah: Should we lose out just because we are not Leviim?!