Marriage
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A Kohen Marrying a Convert
Can a Kohein marry a convert? The Rambam discusses this prohibition in Hilchos Issurei Biah 18:3. All agree that it is a Torah prohibition, but there is disagreement as to its source. See the Raavad there, and the various commentaries…
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The Child of an Unmarried Jewish Woman
If an unmarried Jewish woman has a child, is the child illegitimate (a MAMZER)? A child born out of wedlock to a single Jewish woman is not usually a MAMZER. A child is not a MAMZER unless it is born…
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The Intermarriage Threat
Why are Jews so opposed to marrying non-Jews? The rate of intermarriage in Jewish communities outside Israel is very high, and intermarriage usually leads to loss of Jewish identity — if not immediately, then after a generation or two. These…
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Yibum and Chalitzah
What are Yibbum ("levirate marriage" to a brother’s widow) and Chalitzah ("pulling off the shoe")? According to Torah law, if a married man dies childless, one of his brothers must marry his widow. Any of the brothers can do this,…
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Matrilineal Descent
What is the source of the law that a child is Jewish only if its mother is Jewish? The statement that Jewish identity is determined by the mother is found in the Mishnah (Kiddushin 3:12), which says that the child…
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The Jewish View on Marriage
Is there a verse that sums up the Jewish view about marriage? It is not good for man to be alone (Gen.2:18). The Talmud (Yevamos 63a) says that a man who is without a woman isn’t fully a man.
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The Essential Parts of a Wedding Ceremony
What are the essential parts of a wedding ceremony? The only essential thing is the ceremony itself, consisting of two parts, eirusin (“betrothal”) and nisuin (“marriage”), which are always done together nowadays. Tenoim (antenuptial agreements) are also customary, but nowadays…