Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall
Monday, November 14, 2022
לא תקח אשה לבני
because he is in the freezer
Even if the freezer תקנה might have been a noble idea when it started. (Mori V’Rabi holds it’s wrong to force Bachurim to be עובר על דברי חז”ל) However, by now it undoubtedly is part of the cause for adding to the misery of the thousands of parents who have daughters to marry off.
Widening the age gap an additional 4-5 months creates hundreds of Agunos, girls who will never get married.
Every Shadchan for Yeshivish families will tell you that in his/her inventory there are at least 4-5 times as many girls than boys.
Narrowing the age gap between boys & girls, will increase the Shadchan’s inventory of boys and will enable more girls to get married.
IMAGINE If all the Bachurim stuck in the freezer were released right at the beginning of the Zman and added to the inventory of the Shadchanim how it will improve the situation.
The מהרש”א explains the Gemoro (Shabbos 31) that לאחר מאה ועשרים one of the first questions one will be asked is ? עסקת בפריה ורביה It doesn’t say קיימת but עסקת because one will be asked if he was busy helping others get married.
All those who want to be able to answer כן,עסקתי בפריה ורביה should get involved in helping to solve the catastrophic Shidduch crisis.