אָמַר, שְׁלֹשָׁה סִימָנִים יֵשׁ בְּאוּמָּה זוֹ: הָרַחְמָנִים, וְהַבַּיְישָׁנִין, וְגוֹמְלֵי חֲסָדִים. רַחְמָנִים — דִּכְתִיב: ״וְנָתַן לְךָ רַחֲמִים וְרִחַמְךָ וְהִרְבֶּךָ״. בַּיְישָׁנִין — דִּכְתִיב: ״בַּעֲבוּר תִּהְיֶה יִרְאָתוֹ עַל פְּנֵיכֶם״. גּוֹמְלֵי חֲסָדִים — דִּכְתִיב: ״לְמַעַן אֲשֶׁר יְצַוֶּה אֶת בָּנָיו וְאֶת בֵּיתוֹ וְגוֹ׳״. כֹּל שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ שְׁלֹשָׁה סִימָנִים הַלָּלוּ — רָאוּי לְהִדָּבֵק בְּאוּמָּה זוֹ.
David said: There are three distinguishing marks of this nation, the Jewish people. They are merciful, they are shamefaced, and they perform acts of kindness.
They are merciful, as it is written: “And He will give you mercy, and have mercy upon you and multiply you” (Deuteronomy 13:18); not only will God have mercy upon you, but He will bestow the attribute of mercy upon you.
They are shamefaced, as it is written: “And that His fear shall be upon your faces” (Exodus 20:17), and the fear that is on one’s face is his shame.
They perform acts of kindness, as it is written: “For I have known him, to the end that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of the Lord, to practice righteousness and justice” (Genesis 18:19), i.e., to perform acts of kindness.
Whoever has these three distinguishing marks is fit to cleave to this nation. Those who lack these qualities, however, are unfit to be part of the Jewish people. When David saw the cruelty of the Gibeonites, he decreed that they may never enter into the congregation of Israel.
They are merciful, as it is written: “And He will give you mercy, and have mercy upon you and multiply you” (Deuteronomy 13:18); not only will God have mercy upon you, but He will bestow the attribute of mercy upon you.
They are shamefaced, as it is written: “And that His fear shall be upon your faces” (Exodus 20:17), and the fear that is on one’s face is his shame.
They perform acts of kindness, as it is written: “For I have known him, to the end that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of the Lord, to practice righteousness and justice” (Genesis 18:19), i.e., to perform acts of kindness.
Whoever has these three distinguishing marks is fit to cleave to this nation. Those who lack these qualities, however, are unfit to be part of the Jewish people. When David saw the cruelty of the Gibeonites, he decreed that they may never enter into the congregation of Israel.
וְהָיָ֣ה ׀ עֵ֣קֶב תִּשְׁמְע֗וּן אֵ֤ת הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים֙ הָאֵ֔לֶּה וּשְׁמַרְתֶּ֥ם וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם אֹתָ֑ם וְשָׁמַר֩ יהוה אֱלֹהֶ֜יךָ לְךָ֗ אֶֽת־הַבְּרִית֙ וְאֶת־הַחֶ֔סֶד אֲשֶׁ֥ר נִשְׁבַּ֖ע לַאֲבֹתֶֽיךָ׃
And if you do obey these rules and observe them carefully, your God יהוה will maintain faithfully for you the covenant made on oath with your fathers:
כְּתִיב וַיִּתְּנֵם יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא חוֹטְבֵי עֵצִים וְשׁוֹאֲבֵי מַיִם לָעֵדָה. נִיחָא לָעֵדָה. וּלְמִזְבַּח יְי. אֶלָּא שֶׁתְּלָיָין יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בריפן. אָמַר. אֲנִי [לֹא] מַרְחִיקָן וְלֹא מְקָרְבָן. אֶלָּא מִי שֶׁעָתִיד לִבְנוֹת בֵּית הַבְּחִירָה דְּאֶתדַּעְתּוֹ לְקָרֵב יְקָרֵב וְאֶת דַּעְתּוֹ לְרַחֵק יְרַחֵק. וּבָא דָוִד וְרִיחֲקָן. וְהַגִּבְעוֹנִים לֹא מִבְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הֵמָּה. וְלָמָּה רִיחֲקָן. עַל שֵׁם וַיְהִי רָעָב בִּימֵי דָוִד שָׁלשׁ שָׁנִים וגו׳. אָמַר דָּוִד. בָּעֲוֹן שְׁלֹשָׁה דְבָרִים גְּשָׁמִים נֶעֱצָרִין. עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וְגִילּוּי עֲרָיוֹת וּשְׁפִיכוּת דָּמִים. עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה דִּכְתִיב פֶּן יִפְתֶּה לְבַבְכֶם וְסָמִיךְ לֵיהּ וְעָצַר אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם. גִּילּוּי עֲרָיוֹת דִּכְתִיב וַיִּמָּנְעוּ רְבִיבִים וּמַלְקוֹשׁ לֹא הָיָה וּמֵצַח אִשָּׁה זוֹנָה הָיָה לָךְ. שְׁפִיכוּת דָּמִים שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר כִּי הַדָּם הוּא יַחֲנִיף אֶת הָאָרֶץ. וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים. אַף פּוֹסְקֵי צְדָקָה בָּרַבִּים וְאֵינָן נוֹתְנִין. דִּכְתִיב נְשִׂיאִים וְרוּחַ וְגֶשֶׁם אָיִין אִישׁ מִתְהַלֵּל בְּמַתַּת שָׁקֶר. בָּדַק דָּוִד בְּכָל דְּרָכָיו וְלֹא מָצָא אֶחָד מֵהֶן. הִתְחִיל שׁוֹאֵל בְּאוּרִים וְתוּמִּים. הָדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וַיְבַקֵּשׁ דָּוִד אֶת פְּנֵי יְי. אָמַר רִבִּי לָעְזָר. כְּתִיב בַּקְּשׁוּ יְי כָּל עַנְוֵי אָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר מִשְׁפָּטוֹ פָּעָלוּ וגו׳. וַיֹּאמֶר יְי עַל שָׁאוּל וְעַל בֵּית הַדָּמִים עַל אֲשֶׁר הֵמִית אֶת הַגִּבְעוֹנִים. עַל שָׁאוּל. שֶׁלֹּא עֲשִׂיתֶם עִמּוֹ חֶסֶד. וְעַל בֵּית הַדָּמִים עַל אֲשֶׁר הֵמִית אֶת הַגִּבְעוֹנִים. שָׁלַח דָּוִד וּקְרָאָן. אָמַר לָהֶם. מַה לָכֶם וּלְבֵית שָׁאוּל. אָמְרוּ לוֹ. עַל יְדֵי שֶׁהֵמִית מִמֶּנּוּ שִׁבְעָה אֲנָשִׁים שְׁנֵי חוֹטְבֵי עֵצִים וּשְׁנֵי שׁוֹאֲבֵי מַיִם וְסוֹפֵר וַחַזָּן וְשַׁמָּשׁ. אֲמַר לוֹן. וּמַה תּוּן בְּעוּן. אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ. יוּתַּן לָנוּ שִׁבְעָה אֲנָשִׁים… וְהוֹקַעֲנוּם לַיהוה בְּגִבְעוֹן. אֲמַר לוֹן. וּמָה הֲנָיָיה יֵשׁ לְכוֹן אִין אִינּוּן מִתְקַטְּלִין. סְבוּ לְכוֹן כְּסַף וּדְהַב. אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ. אֵין לָנוּ כֶּסֶף וְזָהָב עִם שָׁאוּל וְעִם בֵּיתוֹ. אָמַר. דִּילְמָא בְּהַתִּין אִילֵּין מִן אִילֵּין. הֲוָה נְסִיב כָּל חַד וְחַד מִינּוֹן וּמְפַיֵיס לֵיהּ קוֹמֵי נַפְשֵׁיהּ וְהוּא לָא מְקַבֵּל עֲלוֹי. הָדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב אֵין [לָנוּ] כֶּסֶף וְזָהָב. אֵין לִי כְתִיב. בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה אָמַר דָּוִד. שָׁלֹשׁ מַתָּנוֹת טוֹבוֹת נָתַן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל. בּוֹיְישָׁנִין וְרַחֲמָנִין וְגוֹמְלֵי חֲסָדִים. בּוֹיְישָׁנִין דִּכְתִיב לְבַעֲבוּר תִּהְיֶה יִרְאָתוֹ עַל פְּנֵיכֶם וגו׳. רַחֲמָנִין דִּכְתִיב וְנָתַן לְךָ רַחֲמִים וְרִחַמְךָ וְהִרְבֶּךָ. גּוֹמְלֵי חֲסָדִים דִּכְתִיב וְשָׁמַר יְי אֱלֹהֶיךָ לְךָ אֶת הַבְּרִית וְאֶת הַחֶסֶד. וְאֵילּוּ אֵין בָּהֶן אַחַת מֵהֶן וְרִיחֲקָן. וְהַגִּבְעוֹנִים לֹא מִבְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הֵמָּה. וְאַף עֶזְרָא בָא וְרִיחֲקָן. וְהַנְּתִינִים הָיוּ יוֹשְׁבִין בָּעוֹפֶל וְצִיחָה וְגִישְׁפָּה מִן הַנְּתִינִים. וְאף לְעָתִיד הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְרַחֲקָן. דִּכְתִיב וְהָעוֹבֵד הָעִיר יַעַבְדוּהוּ מִכֹּל שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. יַאֲבִידוּהוּ מִכָּל שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל.
It is written: At that moment Joshua dedicated them as hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation. One understands “for the congregation.” But “for the Eternal’s altar”? But Joshua kept them in limbo. He said, I shall [neither] exclude nor include them. But he who sometime in the future will build the Temple, if he wants to include he may include, if he wants to exclude he may exclude. David came and excluded them as it is said: But the Gibeonites are not part of the Children of Israel. Why did he exclude them? Because there was a famine in David’s time, three years year after year. David said, for three sins the rains are locked away: Foreign worship, incest and adultery, and murder. Foreign worship, as it is written: Beware, lest you be seduced and next to it, He locks the sky up. Incest and adultery, as it is written Rain-showers were withheld, there was no late rain, for you had the forehead of a whoring woman. Murder, as it is written: Because blood will distort the Land. Some say, also those who publicly promise money for welfare but do not pay, as it is written: Clouds and wind but no rain means the man who boasts with lying gifts. David checked on all his ways and did not find any of them. He turned to ask the Urim and Tummim. That is what is written: David asked before the Eternal. Rebbi Eleazar said, it is written: Ask the Eternal, all the meek of the Land, who execute His Law, etc. The Eternal said, because of Saul and the House of blood-guilt, for he had killed the Gibeonites. Because of Saul, whom you did not grant the last favor, and because of the House of blood-guilt, for he had killed the Gibeonites. David sent and called them. He asked them, what is between you and the House of Saul? They told him, because he killed seven of our men, two hewers of wood, two drawers of water, a scribe, a religious leader, and a beadle. He asked them, what do you want now? They said to him, May there be given to us seven men … and we shall hang them before the Eternal in Gibeon. He said to them, what use is it to you that they be killed? Take silver and gold for yourselves! But they answered, there is no silver or gold for us from Saul and his house. He said, maybe they are afraid one of the other; he dealt which each of them separately, trying to mollify him by himself, but nobody accepted it. That is what is written, there is no silver or gold for us, it is written for me. At this moment, David said that the Holy One gave three good gifts to Israel: They are decent, merciful, and charitable. Decent, for it is written: that His fear be on your faces. Merciful, for it is written: He gave you mercy, had mercy on you and increased you. Charitable, for it is written: The Eternal, your God, kept for you covenant and charity. But these, nothing of this is found in them; he excluded them: But the Gibeonites are not of the Children of Israel. And Ezra also excluded them, as it is said: And the dedicated ones dwelt in the Ophel; Ziha and Gishpa were of the dedicated ones. Also in the future, the Holy One, praise to Him, will exclude them as it is written: The city worker will cultivate it, from all tribes of Israel. He will eliminate them from all tribes of Israel.
כל המשפחות בחזקת כשרות ומותר לישא מהם לכתחילה ואעפ"כ אם ראית ב' משפחות שמתגרות זו בזו תמיד (או ב' בני אדם שמתגרים זה בזה) בפ"י יוחסין) או ראית משפחה שהיא בעלת מצה ומריבה תמיד או ראית איש שהוא מרבה מריבה עם הכל ועז פנים ביותר חוששין להם וראוי להתרחק מהם שאלו סימני פסלות הם וכן כל הפוסל אחרים תמיד כגון שנותן שמץ במשפחות או ביחידים ואומר עליהם שהם ממזרים חוששין לו שמא ממזר הוא ואם אומר להם שהם עבדים חוששין לו שמא עבד הוא שכל הפוסל במומו פוסל וכן מי שיש בו עזות פנים ואכזריות ושונא את הבריות ואינו גומל להם חסד חוששין לו ביותר שמא גבעוני הוא:
Any family with the presumption of a good lineage and he's permitted to marry her a priori. Nevertheless, if you see two families that always irritate one another [Isserless: or two individuals that irritate one another]or you see a family that are upholders of mitzvot and argue always or you see a man that argues disputes with everyone and especially brazen, then we should suspect their lineage and it is fitting to distance oneself from them b/c these are disqualifying characteristics. Similar a person who always invalidates others, for example he puts a stain on the lineage of families or on individuals and he says about them, that that they are mamzerim then we suspect him of being a mamzer. And if he says that they are slaves then we suspect that he is a slave. And all who invalidates others, that blemish (actually) invalidates him. And likewise he who is brazen, cruel, and hates others and he doesn't show them loving kindness we suspect him the most, lest he is gibionite (see Mishnah Torah, Isuri Biya 19:17).
כָּל מִשְׁפָּחוֹת בְּחֶזְקַת כְּשֵׁרוֹת וּמֻתָּר לִשָּׂא מֵהֶן לְכַתְּחִלָּה. וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן אִם רָאִיתָ שְׁתֵּי מִשְׁפָּחוֹת שֶׁמִּתְגָּרוֹת זוֹ בָּזוֹ תָּמִיד אוֹ רָאִיתָ מִשְׁפָּחָה שֶׁהִיא בַּעֲלַת מַצָּה וּמְרִיבָה תָּמִיד. אוֹ רָאִיתָ אִישׁ שֶׁהוּא מַרְבֶּה מְרִיבָה עִם הַכּל וְעַז פָּנִים בְּיוֹתֵר. חוֹשְׁשִׁין לָהֶן וְרָאוּי לְהִתְרַחֵק מֵהֶן שֶׁאֵלּוּ סִימָנֵי פַּסְלוּת הֵם. וְכֵן הַפּוֹסֵל אֶת אֲחֵרִים תָּמִיד. כְּגוֹן שֶׁנּוֹתֵן שֶׁמֶץ בְּמִשְׁפָּחוֹת אוֹ בִּיחִידִים וְאוֹמֵר עֲלֵיהֶן שֶׁהֵן מַמְזֵרִים. חוֹשְׁשִׁין לוֹ שֶׁמָּא מַמְזֵר הוּא. וְאִם אָמַר לָהֶן שֶׁהֵם עֲבָדִים חוֹשְׁשִׁין לוֹ שֶׁמָּא עֶבֶד הוּא. שֶׁכָּל הַפּוֹסֵל בְּמוּמוֹ פּוֹסֵל. וְכֵן כָּל מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ עַזּוּת פָּנִים אוֹ אַכְזָרִיּוּת וְשׂוֹנֵא אֶת הַבְּרִיּוֹת וְאֵינוֹ גּוֹמֵל לָהֶם חֶסֶד חוֹשְׁשִׁין לוֹ בְּיוֹתֵר שֶׁמָּא גִּבְעוֹנִי הוּא. שֶׁסִּימָנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הָאֻמָּה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה בַּיְשָׁנִין רַחֲמָנִים וְגוֹמְלֵי חֲסָדִים. וּבַגִּבְעוֹנִים הוּא אוֹמֵר (שמואל ב כא ב) "וְהַגִּבְעֹנִים לֹא מִבְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הֵמָּה" לְפִי שֶׁהֵעֵזּוּ פְּנֵיהֶם וְלֹא נִתְפַּיְּסוּ וְלֹא רִחֲמוּ עַל בְּנֵי שָׁאוּל וְלֹא גָּמְלוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל חֶסֶד לִמְחל לִבְנֵי מַלְכָּם וְהֵם עָשׂוּ עִמָּהֶם חֶסֶד וְהֶחֱיוּם בַּתְּחִלָּה:
We operate under the presumption that all families are of acceptable lineage and it is permitted to marry their descendants as an initial and preferred option. Nevertheless, if you see two families continuously quarreling with each other, you see one family that is always involved with strife and controversy, or you see a person who frequently quarrels with people at large and is very insolent, we suspect [their lineage]. It is fitting to distance oneself from such people for these are disqualifying characteristics.
Similarly, a person who always slurs the lineage of others, casting aspersions on the ancestry of families or individuals, claiming that they are mamzerim, we are suspicious that he himself is a mamzer. Similarly, if he calls others servants, we suspect that he is a servant. For whoever denigrates others, denigrates them with a blemish that he himself possesses.
Similarly, whenever a person is characterized by insolence and cruelty, hating people and not showing kindness to them, we seriously suspect that he is a Gibeonite. For the distinguishing signs of the holy nation of Israel is that they are meek, merciful, and kind. With regard to the Gibeonites, [II Samuel 21:2] states: "The Gibeonites are not of the Jewish people." For they acted extremely brazenly and would not be appeased. They did not show mercy to the sons of [King] Saul, nor did they show kindness to the Jews to forgive the descendants of their king, while [the Jews] had shown them kindness and allowed them to live.
Similarly, a person who always slurs the lineage of others, casting aspersions on the ancestry of families or individuals, claiming that they are mamzerim, we are suspicious that he himself is a mamzer. Similarly, if he calls others servants, we suspect that he is a servant. For whoever denigrates others, denigrates them with a blemish that he himself possesses.
Similarly, whenever a person is characterized by insolence and cruelty, hating people and not showing kindness to them, we seriously suspect that he is a Gibeonite. For the distinguishing signs of the holy nation of Israel is that they are meek, merciful, and kind. With regard to the Gibeonites, [II Samuel 21:2] states: "The Gibeonites are not of the Jewish people." For they acted extremely brazenly and would not be appeased. They did not show mercy to the sons of [King] Saul, nor did they show kindness to the Jews to forgive the descendants of their king, while [the Jews] had shown them kindness and allowed them to live.