This report
presents the opinions of the article's authors and various rabbis consulted by
the authors in regard to certain critical public issues within Jewish religious
law. Each individual should consult their own rabbinic advisor for his opinion
in these matters.
It is critical
that single Jewish men should be aware of the following in the event they ever
date any divorced Jewish women.
The major
Ashkenazi halachic authorities forbid even passively ostracizing a Jewish
husband to pressure him to divorce his wife, let alone actively harassing him.
Harassment, pressure, and defamation against a "divorced" woman's previous
husband by the various "Agunot" organizations may have occurred,
and can easily produce a PASUL or
at least questionable GET.
The children of
a women who remarries and gives birth after obtaining a halachically
questionable GET may have the status of MAMZERIM or SAFEK MAMZERIM. This status
is extremely tragic as these various MAMZERIM are forbidden by HALACHA to marry
most or ALL Jews !!!
Certain
politicized modern Orthodox
"rabbis" may attempt to claim that coerced GITTIN are halachically valid. But
IF
many or most authentic halachic authorities were to hold that the woman's GET from her
previous husband is invalid, a major tragedy could result for both the previously
"divorced' woman and her current "husband".
A man who
marries a divorced woman who was previously assisted by any "agunot"
organizations to obtain a GET from her previous husband may still be married to
that husband AL PI HALACHA! Should the
woman's GET from her previous husband be declared invalid by mainstream halachic
authorities, the woman and her current "husband" could both be declared adulterers,
and their children declared to be MAMZERIM. The current "husband" could be
ordered by a Bais Din to leave his wife, and their children could face a
terribly lonely life after being declared MAMZERIM !!!
Any single Jewish man considering marrying a divorced woman who was
previously assisted by any of the "Agunot" organizations must carefully
investigate the halachic validity of the woman's GET before marrying her.
The man must carefully determine the facts of the case, and make diligent
halachic inquiries to reliable and authentic halachic authorities who are
experts in GITTIN issues, who are not susceptible to political or financial
pressures, and who do not subscribe to feminist ideologies.
There is
today significant pressure by feminist groups upon many Orthodox rabbis, and
in particular upon pulpit rabbis. Many
pulpit rabbis, especially pulpit rabbis in large modern Orthodox shuls, cannot
be relied upon to provide non-politicized and halachically accurate advice when
GITTIN matters are involved !!!
Failure to
diligently and thoroughly investigate the circumstances of a woman's GET from a
previous husband could bring unspeakable tragedies upon the next Jewish man who
marries her!