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Jan 5, 2010

Interesting Psak from Rav Elyashiv: Don't sell your kidney.. for marriage

While Rav Elyashiv has previously said that halachically it should be ok to take money for offering one's kidney for transplant, because everyone involved in the transfer makes money off it except for the donor and there is no reason why he should not when everybody else does, has now paskened that one cannot sell one's kidney for the purpose of raising money in order to be able to deal with all the expenses of marrying off a daughter, largely the expense of buying the apartment.

Mishpacha newspaper reported that an Avreich came to Rav Elyashiv to ask the question, and Ravb Elyashiv was shocked and answered that it is not allowed, but one should find ways to minimize the expenses so it does not get out of hand, rather than look for creative ways to come up with the money.

I am assuming the guy asking the question was serious - you don't go over to the gadol hador and ask him a question as a joke. And that is the saddest part of it. The situation of people feeling such pressure to buy apartments they cannot afford has gotten so strong, that people are seriously considering selling organs to fund this peer pressure.

6 comments:

  1. Maybe it's a sign that that way of life is coming to an end?

    Mark

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'm not sure which part I find more scary...
    1) That the demand for a dowry is so strong that someone would think of doing this.
    2) That they felt that they had to ask at all.
    3)That the social pressure is that out of line with the economics of the community.

    ReplyDelete
  3. talk about things costing an arm and a leg (i had to do it, sorry)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Surely, not working or at least not having received serious job training has something to do with his situation...

    ReplyDelete
  5. Of course he had to ask the shaila - otherwise he'd be in a real pickle when it came time for the next daughter's wedding.

    ReplyDelete
  6. This is a very sad commentary on the stae of affairs.

    This mentality produces people who can't afford to ffed their family but will spend 30+ NIS a kilo for holier chicken (and can't tell you what's better about it).

    This also produces "keeping up with the Goldbergs" in dress,silver chasson/kalla gifts,5,000 NIS linen packages, etc.

    A herd mentality for a community that can ill afford these social pressures and many issues they cause.

    Something is wrong at the core and will only change when the leaders (rabbonim, roshei yeshiva and kollel) will take a stand and buck the trends.

    ReplyDelete

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