Stubborn Husband Still Refuses to Give Wife a Get
In an unprecedented ruling, the Jerusalem Rabbinical Court has sentenced a divorce recalcitrant to an unlimited prison term – until he agrees to give his wife a “get”.
The man had already served a 10-year prison sentence, and yet was adamant not to grant his wife a divorce.
He was released from jail several days ago, after serving the most severe punishment the court is authorized to sentence a husband to for refusing to divorce his wife – 10 years in prison. He survived tough sanctions, including solitary confinement, but wouldn’t give in.
About two months ago, during a court session, the judges said they were under the impression that “the husband is encouraged by the fact that the 10-year prison term is about to end”.
They decided to place him in solitary confinement for the entire Passover holiday, including the Seder night – but that didn’t help either, and the man stuck to his refusal not to give his wife a divorce.
Enforcing Obedience
On the eve of his release, the woman asked that he be given another punishment, for fear that she would be chained to her marriage forever, but his lawyers argued that the court no longer had the authority to send him to jail and therefore he must be set free.
The judges – Rabbi Israel Yifrach, Rabbi Eliyahu Abergil and Rabbi Yosef Goldberg – stood by the woman and for the first time made use of a different law, which allows for the husband to be jailed for an unlimited period of time.
The law, “Forcing obedience,” authorizes all religious courts to enforce their rulings through a fine or unlimited prison term. The man was sent back to jail until he agrees to give his “chained” wife a divorce.
The use of this provision of law, enacted in 1981, is for the enforcement of the delivery of documents and upholding rulings on child visitations, and was never used before to force a husband to grant his wife a “get”. It was used for the first time in this case after the judges consulted the rabbinical courts’ legal advisor, Attorney Rabbi Shimon Yaakobi.
“We are about to see one gate locked in the face of the woman, following the end of the 10-year prison term,” the court said in its decision. “It’s only right that a woman held captive in marriage will have a gate of hope opened to be free of her husband’s burden…”
“When balancing between the basic rights of the husband and wife for dignity and freedom, the woman must be favored in this case, as she has the right of a peremptory rule on behalf of the court stating that the husband must be forced to grant her a divorce.”
halleluja!
womens rights at last!
anonymous
They should have a death penalty for not giving a GET. The men would then think a bit faster.
lubavitch rabbis approve of no get
Would be fun to name some Rabbis who did not help me get my get when they could have and were in a position to persuade. karma karma karma. there children will suffer for their crimes. i see it already in their childrens marriages. rabbis, you got to think! bt the way, the ex who didn’t give the get is a shliach. and i should have respect?
balchas
Those American men who refuse to grant their wives a Get should also be sentenced – even if they have to be extradicted to Israel
R. Gould
Prison is still too good for this Rasha, try the old fashioned method of beating him into submission, if that still doesn’t work send him to the arabs they could always lynch him.
#3......
#3……
I could have written your comment myself! KARMA is right! I went through similar and these “rabbis” whom so many people respect are dealing with their childrens divorces now!
what goes around, comes around! i lost all respect for these “rabbis” with my divorce, they knew i was right, i had evidence etc and yet, because i wasnt a man, i wasnt listened to, i was belittled, i was yelled at etc. karma karma karma! amen!