Dear Jew in the City- Are Orthodox Jews allowed to marry their cousins? Thanks, P.J. Dear P.J.- Thanks for your question. Before I discuss the Torah’s viewpoint, I’d like to debunk some misconceptions about “cousin marriage,” AKA consanguinity. From the fact that you asked the question, I infer that you are either looking for […]
Dear Jew in the City, Do Orthodox Jews Have Arranged Marriages? Does Jewish law allow this? Thank you, Alex Dear Alex – First, another question: What does “arranged marriage” mean? For that matter, what does “allowed” mean? Let’s assume “arranged marriage” doesn’t just mean a blind date. Does it mean two sets of parents agree […]
Dear Jew in the City, I was told by a Jewish educator that my role as a wife is to defer to my husband because Chava came from a part of Adam and was supposed to be his helper. Is this actually based on Torah sources? -SG Dear SG- In a sense, yes, it’s […]
Dear Jew in the City- What are the halachic requirements of attraction in a prospective marriage? Sincerely, R.G. Dear R.G.- Thanks for your question. Let’s discuss two types of “attraction” – emotional attraction (which we’ll call “love”) and physical attraction (which, for the sake of literary balance, we’ll cynically refer to as “lust”). Let’s address […]
Dear Rebbetzin Chaya- Mazal Tov! I’m engaged. My parents are totally freaking out that this wedding will not be what they are used to. How can I get them into the idea of a traditional Jewish wedding? What parts are most important and what parts are either skippable or can happen quietly so they aren’t […]
Dear JITC- So I’m pretty newly religious, I just finished college, and I think I am ready to start dating and get married. The one thing that I am concerned about, all the frum people I know date for such a short time! How am I going to know that he’s the one that fast? […]
