Marriage and Dating
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Physical Contact Prior to Marriage
I know that Jewish law places strict limitations on physical contact between men and women who are not married. Nevertheless, I firmly believe that person cannot fully get to know someone else without any physical contact. So how do Jews…
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“Divination” to Identify Spouse
About 1 year ago I went on a date with this amazing Jewish guy. Right away, he made such a great impression on me — simply the best guy I ever went out with. Soon, though, I had to leave…
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Remarriage to Original Spouse
Why is it forbidden for a woman to remarry an ex-husband after having married someone else for period of time? Answer: Rabbi S.R. Hirsch (Deuteronomy 24:4) observes that there can be nothing legally wrong or immoral with either the first…
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The Linguistic Root of Holiness
In your post entitled Marriage Ceremony, I was rather surprised by the following line: “The Torah requires that when a man wishes to marry, he must first sanctify the woman to himself in front of two witnesses: the ceremony called…
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Marriage Ceremony
Can you please give me some background information, and an overview, of the Jewish marriage ceremony? According to Jewish Tradition, before the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai, once a man and woman decided to get married, moved into…
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Polygamy for Men, But Not for Women
Why is it that in the Jewish history, a man was allowed to marry a few wives (e.g. our Patriach Jacob), and the women were severely punished if they had committed adultery? I am not saying that adultery is right,…
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Reaffirming Marriage Vows
Can a married couple reaffirm their vows under a chuppah for a second time? There isn’t any form of reaffirming vows in the Jewish tradition. Once a couple is married, they remain so unless they divorce or one party dies,…
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Matchmakers
Do Orthodox Jews still use a matchmaker (Shadchan) in determining who marries whom? I have heard that matchmakers usually sort people of similar backgrounds for a match; while converts and Jews who are new to observance often get stuck with…
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Having Faith and Keeping Calm While Single
I am a 33 year old, single woman. I really want to find the right person and settle down. But it is taking time — a lot of time. I am having an extremely hard time staying calm and having…