"12For some are eunuchs because they were born that way [EUNUCH OF THE SUN]; others were made that way by men; and others have renounced marriage[c]because of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it."
Source: Matthew 19:12
Two Types of Eunuchs
"The two types of eunuchs undoubtedly represent a standard categorization. According to the rabbis there were two sorts of eunuchs, those of human device and those of nature's making (cf. m. Zab. 2.1; m. Yeb. 8.4; b. Yeb. 75a, 79b). The first type was spoken of as being seris adam, literally 'eunuch of man.' The second type was spoken of as being seris hamma, literally 'eunuch of the sun', that is, from the first seeing of the sun, a eunuch by birth (b. Yeb. 79b, 80a; cf. Eusebius, H.E. 7.32).
"The 'eunuch of the sun' was one who had been born with defective male organs or one who had otherwise been rendered impotent by circumstances of his birth."
Source: Matthew 19-28 by Davies, Dale C. Allison
Identification of Eunuch of the Sun in the Yebamoth
For the Amoraim rabbis who composed the Gemara, or commentative, sections of Yebamoth, the identification of a "eunuch of the sun" presented a problem. It is interesting that in their musings as to possible means of identifying a "eunuch of the sun," none of the rabbis suggested looking for defects in the reproductive organs. Instead, they looked for absence of pubic hair at the age of twenty (expressly one of the signs of puberty in Roman law), absence of froth in urine, watery semen, urine which does not ferment, absence of steam from the body after a winter bath, and finally a voice which is so abnormal that one cannot distinguish whether it is that of a man or a woman. Many of these characteristics, if not all, seem to reflect an Aristotelian coolness in the eunuch's body.
This interesting hypothesis is complicated by what the rabbis said was the cause of natural eunuchism, namely that during pregnancy the natural eunuch's mother drank strong beer and baked bread at noon. In other words, it was an excess of heat during gestation that caused the eunuchism. Nashim and the Yebamoth
Nashim (Hebrew: נשים) ("Women" or "Wives") is the third order of the Mishnah (also of the Tosefta and Talmud), containing the laws related to women and family life. Of the six orders of the Mishna, it is the second shortest.
Nashim consists of 7 tractates:
Yebamoth: (יבמות, "Levirate marriage"); (or Yebamot or Yevamot), referring to the mandated marriage of a widow to her brother-in-law, deals with the Jewish law of levirate marriage (Deut. 25:5-10) and other topics, such as the status of minors. It consists of 16 chapters.
Natural Eunuchs in Roman Law: "Not Diseased or Defective"
Roman jurist Ulpian states in Lex Julia et Papia, Book 1 (Digest 21.1.6.2)"Ulpian says (D 21.1.6.2): "To me it appears the better view that a eunuch is not diseased or defective, but healthy, just like a man who has one testicle, who is also able to procreate."
Therefore Ulpian is saying that the usefulness, or capability, of a eunuch is not destroyed by his being a eunuch: he is able to procreate. How can this be, we ask today? Eunuchs, as we all know, are made unable to procreate by their emasculation.
Paulus (D 21.1.7) clarifies: "If, on the other hand, someone is a eunuch in such a way that he is missing a necessary part of his body, even internally, then he is diseased.
So the reproductive ability of the unqualified form of eunuch is not destroyed because he is not missing any necessary parts of his body. If it were impossible for a eunuch to produce a child because of a bodily characteristic, even a naturally-occurring one like an anatomical birth defect, then that would clearly constitute a disease under this section. But Ulpian says a eunuch is not diseased, but healthy. Apparently, eunuch status must be an issue of the mind, featuring no disabling anatomical defect and therefore having no legally relevant consequences."(Read More) about 'The Ancient Roman and Talmudic Definition of Natural Eunuchs'
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