2) AGADAH: THE LINEAGE OF PINCHAS
OPINION: The Gemara states that a person should make every effort to marry into a good family. Moshe Rabeinu, who married the daughter of Yisro, had a grandson who was an attendant ("Shamash") for Avodah Zarah. His brother, Aharon, on the other hand, who married the daughter of Aminadav, had a grandson, Pinchas, who defended the honor of Hash-m. The Gemara asks that Pinchas was also a descendant of Yisro, since his father, Elazar (the son of Aharon), married a daughter of "Puti'el," a reference to Yisro who used to "fatten (Pitem) Korbanos for Avodah Zarah." The Gemara suggests that "Puti'el" is not a reference to Yisro, but rather to Yosef, who fought ("Pitpet") against his Yetzer ha'Ra. The Gemara responds that it is apparent that "Puti'el" refers to Yisro from the fact that the Jewish people scorned Pinchas for killing a Nasi while his grandfather was "Puti'el" -- "the fattener." The Gemara answers that although it is true that Pinchas had a maternal grandparent from Yisro, but that grandparent's spouse was from Yosef.

How does the Gemara answer its question?

(a) The RASHBAM (DH Ela) explains that the Gemara means that Pinchas was quite removed from Yisro. The Gemara earlier mentions the fact that Pinchas was also descended from Yosef. This means that Elazar, the son of Aharon, married a woman who was the offspring of a marriage between a descendant of Yosef and a descendant of Yisro. It is possible that she was a third-generation descendant from a daughter of Yisro, which would make Pinchas a fourth-generation descendant. Accordingly, the Gemara's original statement that a person should marry into a good family still applies, because only the children or grandchildren of a bad family are deemed "at risk" to have a predisposition for evil. Generations which are further removed are not affected by the bad family of their ancestry.

(b) TOSFOS (DH Ela) gives a different explanation. He explains that the Gemara specifically says that Pinchas' relation to Yisro was through a maternal grandparent. The Gemara means that only when the father is the product of a marriage from a bad family is there potential for a negative effect on the children.

The MAHARSHA takes issue with these explanations. If the Gemara's answer is as the Rashbam explains it, then why does the Gemara need to mention that one grandparent was from Yosef? It should answer merely that the grandparent from Yisro was too far removed to have any negative effect on Pinchas! Similarly, according to Tosfos' explanation, why does the Gemara not merely say that Pinchas was from a bad family only through his mother?

(c) The MAHARSHA therefore explains that the Gemara intentionally emphasizes that although Pinchas had one maternal grandparent from Yisro, the spouse of that grandparent was from Yosef. The Gemara means that when, in a marriage, one spouse comes from a good family and the other from a bad family, the effects of each family cancel each other out, and the new family (the marriage) is considered neutral. Accordingly, Pinchas' mother's side was neutral, while his father's side, that of Aharon ha'Kohen, was exceptional. Such a marriage was considered a proper and praiseworthy match, and an excellent beginning for raising a Tzadik, as the Gemara states. Although Moshe Rabeinu was a great Tzadik, his partner in marriage was Tziporah, the daughter of Yisro. Accordingly, Moshe's grandson, Yehonasan, had a father who was deemed "neutral." However, his mother might not have been from a good family, which would tip the scale towards having a bad child. This is why the Gemara goes out of its way to show that Pinchas' maternal grandparents were split between Yosef and Yisro. (See IYUN YAKOV who agrees with the Maharsha's explanation, but also defends the explanations of the Rashbam and Tosfos.)

The Maharsha concludes with an important point. Lineage alone does not dictate whether the children will be Tzadikim or Resha'im. Lineage is merely one factor among many other factors. (Y. Montrose)