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Mar 5, 2012
Knesset Supports Ben 18 L'Chuppa
Yesterday the ministerial committee passed a vote on a proposed law adjusting the minimum age at which a person can get married. Now that the ministerial committee has passed it, the proposal will go to the Knesset to be voted upon.
The proposal adjusts the minimum age at which a person can marry. The law currently says 17, and has been that way for decades. Typically, the people marrying at that age are taken advantage of and are frequently abused. This has been considered, for a long time, as a prime spot for the ability to abuse young women. As well, studies show much higher divorce rates among such young marriages, as well as instances of violence in the family. Many attempts to adjust this over the years have failed, but a cross-panel of parliamentarians are working to get the adjustment passed this time. The proposal would bump the minimum age up to 18.
As now, the court would be allowed to be petitioned in a case of need, for whatever reason including religious need, and would have the power to approve marriage at a younger age. Currently, I have heard a number of instances in which parents gave their children permission to marry at the age of 16 and the courts often accept that - that would still be allowed to happen.
This adjustment is looked at problem in the anti-religious sense, as many among the ultra-orthodox, especially among the chassidim and even more so among the leaders of the chassidim, tend to marry very young - even as young as 16. The proposal allows for this as if the parents want their 16 year old daughter to marry, the family court would be able to allow it (as they currently do)..
What happened to ben 18 l'chuppa? I guess if people aren't keeping it from the older side - commonly waiting much longer to marry, then they don't need to keep it from the younger side either - marry much younger than 18...
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The proposal adjusts the minimum age at which a person can marry. The law currently says 17, and has been that way for decades. Typically, the people marrying at that age are taken advantage of and are frequently abused. This has been considered, for a long time, as a prime spot for the ability to abuse young women. As well, studies show much higher divorce rates among such young marriages, as well as instances of violence in the family. Many attempts to adjust this over the years have failed, but a cross-panel of parliamentarians are working to get the adjustment passed this time. The proposal would bump the minimum age up to 18.
As now, the court would be allowed to be petitioned in a case of need, for whatever reason including religious need, and would have the power to approve marriage at a younger age. Currently, I have heard a number of instances in which parents gave their children permission to marry at the age of 16 and the courts often accept that - that would still be allowed to happen.
This adjustment is looked at problem in the anti-religious sense, as many among the ultra-orthodox, especially among the chassidim and even more so among the leaders of the chassidim, tend to marry very young - even as young as 16. The proposal allows for this as if the parents want their 16 year old daughter to marry, the family court would be able to allow it (as they currently do)..
What happened to ben 18 l'chuppa? I guess if people aren't keeping it from the older side - commonly waiting much longer to marry, then they don't need to keep it from the younger side either - marry much younger than 18...
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And shame on Shas MK Meshulam Nahari who said in the meeting to MK Hershkovitz (who supports the move) "Doesn't it bother you that a girl goes round with a boyfriend and doesn't get married?". This attitude is only one step away from family honor killings.
ReplyDeleteIf they buy into בן שמונה עשרה לחופה, they'd also have to buy into בן מאה כאלו מת ועבר ובטל מן העולם, and they're clearly not willing to do that.
ReplyDelete1. As far as I know, "בן שמונה עזרה לחופה" is intended for boys; the Torah gives a father permission to marry off his daughter from as young as age 3, and if I am not mistaken, the Gemara in Kiddushin actually encourages him to marry her off (while she is still under 12), though you should check that up.
ReplyDelete(I am not supporting getting married young, just saying that countering the chassidic practice from the mishna in Avos/Avot is incorrect.)
2. Rafi S: While I do not support that attitude, it has *nothing at all* to do with family honor killings. Please take a step back and take a deep breath. You are entitled to disagree with the attitude of expecting non-religious Jews to agree with the Torah, but comparing it to family honor killings is another attitude entirely.