Q. Dear Rabbi. I'm an Yeshiva Bochur about to get Be'H engaged to a great Bais Yaakov Girl who is the daughter of a Cohen. Although, I will Iy'H spend some time after our wedding learning, I'm planing to go soon after into business. Since my Kalah is a Bas Cohen and I know that such a girl should marry a Talmid Chacham which I'm not, is this an issue?
A. Shulchan Aruch (E.H. 2: 8) following Talmud Pesachim (49a) rules that an Am Ha'aretz or ignoramus should not marry the daughter of a Cohen as such a marriage is destined to not being successful. Rather only a Talmid Chacham should take her as a wife.
Some Poskim maintain that in our days this Halacha does not apply anymore (Pischei Teshuvos ibid. quoting Chavas Yoir 70 and others). However, many Poskim disagree.
Tzemach Tzedek (11), Maharam Shik (6) and others maintain that to be considered a Talmid Chacham for this purpose it suffices if he knows one single tractate of the Talmud. Some maintain that even one of the small tractates suffices. (Such as Masseches Kalah).
Horav Shlomo Miller's Shlit'a opinion is that for this purpose it is sufficient if a person has a love to learn Torah.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Dovid Pam, Horav Aharon Miller and Horav Chanoch Ehrentreu Shlit'a.
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