Q&A: Civil Marriage
Civil Marriage
Question
Are you in favor of civil marriage?
Answer
Do you mean in favor of legal authorization in Israel for civil marriage? I am of course in favor of everyone marrying according to Jewish law, but as a citizen (including a religious citizen) in Israel, I support separation of religion and state, and in particular recognition of civil marriage. I oppose coercion of any kind, especially since this coercion is not helpful in any way. It only causes more and more people not to marry through the Rabbinate, or not to marry at all. The more important question is civil divorce, and here too I am in favor.
Discussion on Answer
Correction.
“As a result, those who keep Jewish law would have to maintain a genealogy record”
“A situation of civil marriage would not add mamzerim in Israel”
Yes and yes. But it would not cause an increase, because if there is no marriage, there is no divorce, and no mamzerut.
I understand that in the Rabbi’s view, civil marriage does not require a get. Could the Rabbi direct me to some article on the subject?
I had thought that the marriage is valid by Torah law, because they live together and “a person does not make his sexual relations promiscuous.”
I would be happy if the Rabbi could refer me to a good article on the subject.
A person who marries in a civil marriage certainly does make his sexual relations promiscuous. The proof is that he does not betroth his partner, but lives with her without kiddushin.
See, for example, here:
http://www.daat.ac.il/daat/kitveyet/sinay/nisueen-4.htm
Is the Rabbi also in favor of civil divorce even if in the end it will cause an increase in mamzerim in Israel? And as a result, those who keep Jewish law would have to maintain a genealogy record?
Or is it the Rabbi’s view that a situation of civil marriage would add mamzerim in Israel?