Q&A: "Reflections for Singles" – The Solution
"Reflections for Singles" – The Solution
Question
Does the Rabbi know the topic of a concubine? And if so, does the Rabbi think this is a realistic solution for unmarried young men out of necessity, such as yeshiva students? (I mean, of course, from a halakhic standpoint and not an institutional one; where I study they’d throw me out just for asking the question…) That is, a friendly/romantic relationship between a young man and a young woman without any formal commitment (a concubine, in secular terms). This was already proposed by the Yaavetz, and I’m interested in your opinion.
Many thanks in advance,
an unhappy single man.
Answer
No. There was a discussion about this in Akdamot (following Zvi Zohar’s article), and in my view there is no permission for it, and it also does not fit the definition of a concubine. See there.
Discussion on Answer
That’s one of the responses I mentioned above.
There is a wonderful response article by Rabbi Shmuel Ariel on the subject.