חדש באתר: NotebookLM עם כל תכני הרב מיכאל אברהם

Q&A: Advice

Back to list  |  🌐 עברית  |  ℹ About
Originally published:
This is an English translation (via GPT-5.4). Read the original Hebrew version.

Advice

Question

Hello Rabbi,
I looked for a way to ask anonymously and got here.
This isn’t really a halakhic question so much as more a question from life experience.
I thought to myself that this is supposedly not a question for a yeshiva head but for a rebbe.
I come from a very strong Religious Zionist Torah-oriented home. I started dating for marriage some time ago. I met a woman who truly has every virtue, from a good family, and personality-wise she has everything. But in terms of instinct/desire I have a bit of a problem—meaning, I’m missing a feeling of excitement; the Rabbi understands what I mean.
I can’t really speak openly with my parents. But they noticed that something is bothering me and I think they understood what it was. We had a general conversation and they told me that the main thing is her personal qualities and the home that can be built, and that everything else will come with time. In my opinion she is considered good-looking; I’m not saying otherwise.
I’m very hesitant. I have no one to talk to.
There are two issues here. One is whether it’s right for me to listen to what my parents are saying. My parents are very special, thoughtful, idealistic, and good people, and I respect them a lot. They don’t just say things casually. On the other hand, I’m not sure I’m like them in terms of feelings, priorities, and willingness to take risks.
The second issue is whether it’s fair to the woman, and whether I should or ought to tell her what I’m feeling. It’s hard for me to know exactly what she feels, because speaking explicitly about this isn’t really so relevant right now, and you have to figure things out from all kinds of hints. I’m trying to project enthusiasm even though my heart is very troubled, and maybe it’s like that for her too. I don’t feel that I can start a life with concealment.
General advice?
Thank you very much!

Answer

Hello,
First of all, I don’t think it’s a good idea to hide things. Express real feelings, not fake ones. People can sense when you’re pretending, and I believe it comes out one way or another, and can only confuse things. Of course, don’t express it in words, because that could be hurtful. But your body language and expressions should be authentic.
Second, the bond between spouses changes after marriage. The romantic fire settles into a more steady and moderate state, and that’s normal and perfectly fine. After marriage this becomes a relationship that includes commitment and children (if and when there are any). In that sense, even if there isn’t romantic intensity at this stage, in my opinion that shouldn’t really worry you. Love is built over time into its stable form, and if that stable state starts earlier, that’s not terrible. In this respect, character, personal qualities, and compatibility matter no less than love. Sometimes you expect too much (influenced by stories and fairy tales, movies, etc.), and so you end up disappointed.
From a third angle, if the problem is not the romantic intensity (love) but sexual attraction, then that may indeed be some kind of problem. It doesn’t seem to me all that critical (unless there is actual repulsion; then it would be best to cut it off), but it is definitely not a negligible parameter.
I don’t know how many women you’ve already met, or how many dates the two of you have had. Sometimes the connection to her personality (as distinct from appearance) develops as the relationship continues, and that overshadows appearance (after marriage, in my opinion, appearance is almost unimportant). I also don’t know how old you are, or how pressured you feel.
You have several options: 1. Keep trying and see where this develops (but authentically and without deceiving. Even if that may lead her to break it off, that’s the price. A bit of a blow to the ego, but not terrible). Sometimes as the relationship continues, inhibitions loosen and then you meet her in a fuller and more accurate way. 2. Take a break for some period of time to see what each of you feels, and then decide how to proceed (in such a situation, in my opinion, you should gently explain the situation to her—that is, put things on the table. You can say that you don’t see any flaw in her and that she looks good and has an excellent personality, but that something in the chemistry hasn’t quite formed, and you yourself are undecided and need to think. Listen to what she says. Sometimes she’ll respond in a way from which you can also learn something). 3. End the relationship and try someone else. All in all, there are plenty of fish in the sea, and you can keep trying, and with time and experience you’ll learn what you can expect and be more realistic about your feelings (as I said, sometimes you expect too much and so you’re disappointed). There are situations in which, after learning from experience, you may discover that she actually is the one you would want to live with, and then there may be room to try to come back. It sounds problematic, but it happens quite often. There is also a combination of the last two options—meaning, to end the relationship not definitively but only in order to think and check, and meanwhile also try going out with others. That isn’t highly recommended (ethically or practically), but it’s not impossible and not necessarily improper.
The decision among these options depends on your situation (age, how many previous attempts, and how many dates there have already been in this relationship).
By the way, I’m not sure it wouldn’t be worthwhile for you to talk with your parents about the matter and hear what they say. You don’t have to accept what they say, but it’s definitely worth listening. I assume they are good people who love you and have experience, and presumably they’re not stupid either. That’s what you need from good advisors, isn’t it?

Discussion on Answer

Lonely Yeshiva Guy (2021-08-19)

Thank you very much, Rabbi!
I’m thinking about what you wrote.

Leave a Reply

Back to top button