2,227. A Doubtful Chalalah

Hilchos Issurei Biah 19:9

If a kohein is intimate with a doubtful zonah, such as a woman whose status as a convert or a freed servant woman is in doubt, or if he’s intimate with a woman whose status as a divorcee is in doubt, or if a Kohein Gadol is intimate with a woman whose status as a widow is in doubt, the woman is ruled a doubtful chalalah and her children are doubtful chalalim.

Hilchos Issurei Biah 19:10

We see that there are three types of chalalim: a chalal under Biblical law, a chalal under rabbinic law, and a chalal out of doubt. A chalal out of doubt must observe both the stringencies that apply to a kohein and those that apply to regular Yisroelim (“Israelites”). He may not eat trumah but he may also not render himself ritually impure for the dead and he must marry a woman who is able to marry a kohein. If he eats trumah, renders himself ritually impure or marries a divorcee, he is given stripes for acting rebelliously. The same applies to a chalal under rabbinic law. A definite chalal under Biblical law, however, is like any non-kohein. He may marry a divorcee and may render himself ritually unclean for the dead as per Leviticus 21:1, “Speak to the kohanim, the sons of Aaron.” We see that the prohibitions only apply to Aaron’s sons when they’re kohanim.