Susan Rosenfeld’s marriage wasn’t what you’d call romantic. She was thrown up against a wall, doused with a bucket of cold water in bed, and, toward the end, became her husband’s punching bag. “Since I wear long sleeves, no one really knew,” she says. Looking back, Ms. Rosenfeld regrets keeping the abuse a secret. But “in the Jewish community, you don’t call the police on your husband.”
In her mid-30s, Ms. Rosenfeld hopes to remarry and build a new life for herself. But as an Orthodox Jew, a civil divorce is not sufficient. For Ms. Rosenfeld to be officially released from her vows, her husband has to grant her a Jewish bill of divorce, called a get. The document, which certifies the termination of the marriage–the Aramaic text declares “you are hereby permitted to marry any man”–not only allows women to remarry, but ensures that future children will not be deemed mamzerim (bastards able to marry only other mamzerim).
Two years have passed and Ariel HaCohen, Ms. Rosenfeld’s husband, has refused to grant her the get. This makes Ms. Rosenfeld an aguna–literally, an anchored woman–trapped in a dead marriage.
Orthodox, not Conservative. Not the same.
Orthodox, not Conservative. Not the same.
If she converted to our side, of course, the unbeliever would be suffered to depart in peace.
Several years ago, I read about a man in Israel who had been in prison for something like eighteen years for refusing to issue his wife a get…sort of like an ecclesiastical contempt of court, which the Israeli government was willing to enforce through imprisonment. But as long as the husband was willing to do the time, neither the Government nor the rabbinic court could sever the marriage.
Kendall, remember what I sent you years ago?
This is another contemporary example of what was happening at the time of Moses and Jesus. Jesus always upheld divorce, not condemed it.
Jesus condemned the “putting away” that happens daily in orthodox Judaism. Remember your KJV “putting away” verses? This holds for Christians who seek to be like Jesus as well. The Greek and Hebrew words for “divorce” and “putting away” are entirely different. Tragic, yes, but divorce is often necesssary due to the hardness of human hearts.
As a priest, I’ve often discovered that canonical impediments usually existed in most couples that were divorced previously when I became their pastor or Spiritual Director. Our premarital preparation is verly deficient or we would be doing fewer marriage blessings.
Why would this woman ut up with this obvious injustice? She should change religions and find peace. Talk about style over substance; thank the Lord Jesus came and liberated us from this foolishness.
What I see as the main flaw in this case and the one referred above by #5, is that within the Hebraic Rabbinical Court, there is no mechanism such as the Tribunal within the RCC, which looks to find if there are legitimate, canonical reasons to declare a marriage null and void, with or without the cooperation of one party.
I can only pity this woman.
As for #7, IMO, your solution is a non-starter. Why should we expect a faith-filled person to deep six their faith in God, merely to satisfy their sexual urges?
From the article: “…the Jewish philosopher Maimonides justified flogging [to persuade the husband to grant the [i] get [/i] ]”
To bad she couldn’t have gotten her get while the gettin’ was good.