Lmaanachai

Thanks for all the responses, and to any of the people (if there were) who took me seriously. There was a lot of constructive criticism, and I would like to respond to it.

The serious issues were 1) Many Kehilos (Chasidim) marry younger, how could we make a takkana only affecting the Litvish Kehilla 2) What authority do our Rabbonim have to make a takkana of this scale 3) How could one make a takkana that would challila cause a fitting shidduch to be broken.

The answer to the first and second issue were, yes we do have Rabbonim, and yes they could make rules affecting only Litvishe. The answer to the third issue is that the Takkana would be a few months from when it is signed. No one already engaged would be affected.

For all those posting about “Rabbis waving magic wands” the truth is that Rabbonim have whatever authority they take, so long as they believe the broader Tzibbur will support them. The only way any solution to a problem like this can be made will be by a Tzibbur following Takkanos Rabbonim make, and Rabbonim feeling the Tzibbur will support them in those Takkanos.

Many readers wondered why not advocate for boys to be married earlier. I believe this is a great idea already being worked on by many people. I would love it for to be implemented. I just feel that cutting the suggested few months or year off of an average boy’s age will at best mitigate some of the future crisis and will in no way solve our current one.

In addition, there were those who questioned the numbers I posted or felt we need more shadchanim. For anyone who hasn’t noticed the stacks of girls resumes, and the lineups in families with girls waiting in shidduchim, I wish you much peace and happiness under the rock you are living under. For anyone who acknowledges that there are a few thousand more girls than boys and still believes that this crisis can be solved by having more shadchanim or some other solution, I admire your creative mathematical abilities.