Half Jewish

Jewish Law makes it clear that we follow matrilineal descent. A person is considered a Halachic Jew if his mother is a Jew. There is no such thing as being half Jewish when it comes to identifying who is a Jew.

There is an exception to this rule that applied in the days when it was acceptable to possess what is defined as “slaves.” They were not exactly slaves as we might think. They were considered more like live-in help.

It was possible to have both Hebrew and Canaanite servants living in one’s home. The Hebrew variety were usually there because of financial difficulties and sometimes as a form of rehabilitation for becoming a thief.

The Canaanite variety were only allowed to live with a Jewish family if they took upon themselves the same Mitzvot that a woman was to keep. They immersed in a Mikva and the men were circumcised. If they were freed, they were instantly considered full fledged Jews.

The example of being half Jewish could occur if the שפחה כנענית was owned by two Jews. If one owner freed her, she would be considered half Jewish and half slave.

She would be in a very bad predicament. She could not marry a Jew because she’s still part Shifcha. And she can’t marry another slave or even a Hebrew slave because of her Jewish status.

The second owner would be highly encouraged to free her as well, to get her out of her limbo status. But until this is done, she is technically half Jewish, even according to Halacha.