Yichus ( ''yḥws''), a
Hebrew
Hebrew (; ; ) is a Northwest Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Historically, it is one of the spoken languages of the Israelites and their longest-surviving descendants, the Jews and Samaritans. It was largely preserved ...
-based
Yiddish
Yiddish (, or , ''yidish'' or ''idish'', , ; , ''Yidish-Taytsh'', ) is a West Germanic language historically spoken by Ashkenazi Jews. It originated during the 9th century in Central Europe, providing the nascent Ashkenazi community with a ve ...
word meaning "lineage". In some past and present Jewish communities, good - meaning descent from a family of high reputation - is necessary for a person to be considered as a potential marriage partner.
Colloquially, the term refers to the chain of origin for a statement, creative work or object.
Etymology
first appeared in the Bible in the Book of Ezra.
It appears in and ), where the Hebrew root (yud-hey-sin) means "relation to" or "related to."
[ In the later rabbinic Hebrew, the last letter of the root changed from ]sin
In a religious context, sin is a transgression against divine law. Each culture has its own interpretation of what it means to commit a sin. While sins are generally considered actions, any thought, word, or act considered immoral, selfish, s ...
() to samekh (), though the pronunciation and meaning remained unchanged. The latter spelling (yud-hey-samech) appears frequently in rabbinic literature.
Although the word originated in Hebrew, the term is generally accepted as a Yiddish word that has flowed into Modern English. The Anglicized word has been transliterated as , , , and .
History
As far back as the Talmud
The Talmud (; he, , Talmūḏ) is the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law ('' halakha'') and Jewish theology. Until the advent of modernity, in nearly all Jewish communities, the Talmud was the ce ...
ic era, being son-in-law to someone widely respected was valued. Subsequently, even the of being son-in-law to the son-in-law and similar lineage links were valued.
From the 14th century onwards, was an important concern for Eastern European Jews.[ Good could refer to Torah scholarship or wealth, while bad resulted from the suspicion of illegitimate descent.][ However, many rabbis disapproved of the concept of , instead insisting on judging individuals based on their personal merits.][ "In Lithuania some Jewish families hid their (lineage)". There was a tension between on one hand, and "meritocratic leadership based on scholarship" on the other.][ Judgments of became one of the mechanisms which determined social hierarchies.][
From the 19th century, the significance of declined as more marriages were based on romantic love, and reformers criticized for leading to inbreeding within small circles of "acceptable" families.][ However, nowadays is still an important qualification for marriage in ]charedi
Haredi Judaism ( he, ', ; also spelled ''Charedi'' in English; plural ''Haredim'' or ''Charedim'') consists of groups within Orthodox Judaism that are characterized by their strict adherence to ''halakha'' (Jewish law) and traditions, in oppos ...
communities.
Yichus book
The family tree
A family tree, also called a genealogy or a pedigree chart, is a chart representing family relationships in a conventional tree structure. More detailed family trees, used in medicine and social work, are known as genograms.
Representations of ...
s, or pedigree charts, of Jewish families, listing genealogy
Genealogy () is the study of families, family history, and the tracing of their lineages. Genealogists use oral interviews, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kin ...
and family history records, have been identified with several names, among which are Yichus book, Yichus brief, and Yichus record.
To help a child trace lineage, some families would write a "Yichus book".
The focus of a Yichus brief (letter of relationship) is not as extensive as a Yichus Book[ whereas a Yichus book or Yichus record/"sefer yuchsin"/registry][ is community-oriented.
Some families also kept a separate "Register of Circumcisions".][
]
Types of yichus
Mechutan
Being the (מְחוּתָּן, father of one's child's spouse) of a notable person is sometimes considered important enough to include in a wedding invitation and in giving other credentials. Although primarily used for same generation relatives, it can be used beyond that generation.
Ben achar ben
Being a (literally son-after-son, i.e. patrilineal
Patrilineality, also known as the male line, the spear side or agnatic kinship, is a common kinship system in which an individual's family membership derives from and is recorded through their father's lineage. It generally involves the inheritan ...
) descendant is sometimes considered more notable than other forms of descent.
Family names
For various reasons, surnames/family names were changed, and sometimes reverted.[ Thus, Jewish family names have not always been a reliable indicator of ancestry. For example: certain family names, such as Cohen, are not as strongly indicative of being a ]Kohen
Kohen ( he, , ''kōhēn'', , "priest", pl. , ''kōhănīm'', , "priests") is the Hebrew word for " priest", used in reference to the Aaronic priesthood, also called Aaronites or Aaronides. Levitical priests or ''kohanim'' are traditionally ...
as Katz Katz or KATZ may refer to:
Fiction
* Katz Kobayashi, a character in Japanese anime
* "Katz", a 1947 Nelson Algren story in '' The Neon Wilderness''
* Katz, a character in ''Courage the Cowardly Dog''
Other uses
* Katz (surname)
* Katz, British C ...
.
References
External links
Dem Ganefs Yiches (The Thief's Lineage)
a 19th century song parodying the concept of yichus
{{Jewish life
Orthodox Judaism
Hebrew words and phrases
Yiddish words and phrases
Jewish marital law
Jewish life cycle
Genealogy
Family trees