Despite the growing popularity among secular couples to seek out a Rabbanei Tzohar rav to perform their wedding, these couple will now be compelled to deal directly with the state’s rabbanut, the agents of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel. According to rabbonim affiliated with Tzohar, Minister of Religious Services (Shas) Yaakov Margi has put an end to the arrangement permitting Tzohar rabbonim to perform weddings, stating the minister was motivated by monetary and political considerations.
YWN-Israel reported in September 2011 that the Chief Rabbinate was growing increasingly concerned over the 3,000 weddings performed by Tzohar annually, since they do so without charge and while rabbonim employed by religious councils are not supposed to take fees, they do except “donations” which result in significant income for them, income that is being lost since Tzohar came on the scene. Nevertheless, back in September, the state signaled it was becoming more lenient towards Tzohar, but it appears this was not its intention.
For Tzohar, it is a matter of working L’Shem Shomayim towards spreading yiddishkheit and many secular of modern couples find the Tzohar rabbonim a welcome change from dealing directly with the Rabbinate.
Tzohar director Rabbi David Stav explains that Margi was determined to shut down their operation, and towards achieving his goal he recently enforced adherence to an outdated regulation which compels single people to register for marriage in the city of residence, that of the bride or groom, compelling them to go to the local religious council, not Tzohar.
If one telephones Tzohar to arrange a wedding, the new recording states “If you are calling about a wedding, we regret to inform you that Tzohar can no longer perform marriages because Minister of Religious Affairs Yaakov Margi had decided so. Your direct contact with the minister may help to change this reality”.
Ministry of Religious Affairs official insist the minister is not seeking to prevent Rabbanei Tzohar from marrying anyone, but quite the contrary. The ministry points out that the law demands one opens a marriage file in one’s city of residence…”
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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4 Responses
Is there a basis in halacha for the government deciding who can and can not be the מסדר קידושין? Halacha requires a huppah, kiddushin, a kesubah, etc. – but a government licensed bureaucrat? Where in the Shulhan Arukh is there a requirement of paying a fee to to state as a condition for marriage?
The worst that will happen if people choose someone unqualified to set up the marriage ceremony is the marriage will be void – which might not be such a bad things since hilonim are known for the sorts of behavior that would create ממזרים if (and only if) there marriages are valid.
1. As long as its YOUR yichus marrying children of these weddings its ok.
#2, then kal vachomer you shouldn’t marry baalei teshuva or their children, since their parents or grandparents could have had reform, conservative, or secular civil weddings.
Since Yichus problems only arise if a wedding is kosher and the person afterwards cheats, knowing some ancestor had a treff wedding is a reassurance that they aren’t a mamzer (which is the only halachic basis for a yichus issue). This leads to an interesting paradox since if you are very strict on what is needed to get married (demanding intent to be married by halacha, not merely following a ceremony) you can be liberal on yichus matters – but if you are liberal on waht constitutes a marriage (leading to accepting the validity of marriages involving non-Orthodox Jews) you will soon be at a point where all non-Orthodox Jews have to be regarded as probably mamzerim.