One of the things I find really abhorrent is abuse of power. When I hear about agunah cases like this, I have a hard time comprehending why someone would abuse power to spite and ruin another person's life. It really tears at my heart.
Agreed! The nerve some people by exploiting the halakha in order to get what they want!!! Why can't the beis din issue a takanah to prevent potential agunas?
While I hear the frustration and agree that it's terrible, asking for a systematic fix to an individual-centered problem won't always make the problem go away.
As a point of fact, wherever there is power there is potential to abuse it, and unfortunately that leads to having cases of people abusing power. Attempting to re-balance power may also lead to abuse of the redistributed power. Who should hold the power? Beit Din? The man? The woman? All are human, and none are immune to the potential for abuse of power (again, this phenomenon is most unfortunate, but a fact of life).
Whomever holds it must be responsible with it. Which is why I find any abuse of power abhorrent. It is a flagrant flaunting of fundamental responsibility for selfish purpose.
@Ish Yehudi: I loved your follow-up comment to the post. Very well said.
@Observant Observer: Happens to be, although there isn't an outright takanah per se, there has been a prenup sort of contract drawn up that fines the husband for withholding a get. On one of the posts at the site linked above the author mentions it in a comment.
Agreed! The nerve some people by exploiting the halakha in order to get what they want!!! Why can't the beis din issue a takanah to prevent potential agunas?
ReplyDeleteWhile I hear the frustration and agree that it's terrible, asking for a systematic fix to an individual-centered problem won't always make the problem go away.
DeleteAs a point of fact, wherever there is power there is potential to abuse it, and unfortunately that leads to having cases of people abusing power. Attempting to re-balance power may also lead to abuse of the redistributed power. Who should hold the power? Beit Din? The man? The woman? All are human, and none are immune to the potential for abuse of power (again, this phenomenon is most unfortunate, but a fact of life).
Whomever holds it must be responsible with it. Which is why I find any abuse of power abhorrent. It is a flagrant flaunting of fundamental responsibility for selfish purpose.
@Ish Yehudi: I loved your follow-up comment to the post. Very well said.
ReplyDelete@Observant Observer: Happens to be, although there isn't an outright takanah per se, there has been a prenup sort of contract drawn up that fines the husband for withholding a get. On one of the posts at the site linked above the author mentions it in a comment.