When Exactly is a Marriage Over?
One of the most common and dangerous misconceptions regarding Jewish divorce is that the husband alone has the power to decide when a marriage is over. In actuality, nothing could be farther from the truth, at least in the eyes of halacha. The rabbis had a profound grasp of human nature and understood that a […]
Mandating the Gett in the Absence of the Husband
During the High Holidays, the synagogue transforms from a place of worship to the heavenly court. Instead of just offering prayers, we suddenly find ourselves standing in judgment before God, our merits weighed against our sins. There is no lawyer to defend us in this court, nor any higher court of appeals. God takes on […]
The Broken Beit Din System: A Reflection on Powerlessness
Without the power of real enforcement, a judge’s ruling is little more than advice to be accepted or dismissed as one chooses.