Many years ago, there were serious Agunah issues. They were not Agunahs because a husband sunk in a ship and nobody was positive he was dead, which is the traditional Agunah. They were people whose husbands were alive and well and hoping to maintain a good marriage. But for some reason, the women did not like their husbands, and refused to be with them. They insisted on a GET, and the husbands resisted. Many people tried to settle things but nothing worked. I got involved, and both of these marriages were ended, but that is not the main news. The main news is that the marriages were ended with absolutely no rancor on any side. Big rabbonim and askonim were involved. The husbands had their opportunities to be heard, and finally, things worked out and there was a GET. The entire community was involved. The husbands knew it and everyone knew it. But it was handled with consideration for every side, and they appreciated it.
It was not an easy thing, and after it was over, I was sick for a while. But it was worth it. Because everything was done peacefully and everyone involved left with a good name, Some of them involved remarried, and as far as I know are happy.
In those days, what became the Agunah movement began. I heard about it and called up the heads of the Agunah movement, which were two women: The Boss and her assistant. I suggested to them that they work with rabbis to arrange divorces when necessary. The assistant agreed. But the Boss refused. She said to me, "I don't want to work with rabbis. I want to force rabbis to change the halacha of divorce." I was stunned. I asked her, "Do you really think you can force rabbis to violate the laws of the Torah because of your Agunah movement?" But that is exactly what she said. And that is exactly what she decided to do, and that is what succeeded. Today there is a flourishing Agunah movement that violates the Torah constantly. It produces mamzerim, married women remarrying without a proper GET, and lately, produces women who just walk out on their husbands without any kind of GET, and remarry, simply because they are somewhat disappointed in their husbands! The Boss won! Rackman invented a permission for any woman to remarry because a husband who does not give a GET shows he is a bad husband and the marriage to him is nullified. There is absolutely no proof of this in the Torah, and the Shulchan Aruch and the poskim are full of the opposite. But that is the situation today. And that situation is producing mamzerim right and left. And for mamzerim, there are no solutions.
Rackman was the first of the evil rabbis, but not the last. The enormous pressure of The Boss and her followers became a mighty movement. Today, a woman who wants a GET has many ways to get it,ways that defy the Torah and produce mamzerim. So, the Boss won, and the babies lost.
It was not an easy thing, and after it was over, I was sick for a while. But it was worth it. Because everything was done peacefully and everyone involved left with a good name, Some of them involved remarried, and as far as I know are happy.
In those days, what became the Agunah movement began. I heard about it and called up the heads of the Agunah movement, which were two women: The Boss and her assistant. I suggested to them that they work with rabbis to arrange divorces when necessary. The assistant agreed. But the Boss refused. She said to me, "I don't want to work with rabbis. I want to force rabbis to change the halacha of divorce." I was stunned. I asked her, "Do you really think you can force rabbis to violate the laws of the Torah because of your Agunah movement?" But that is exactly what she said. And that is exactly what she decided to do, and that is what succeeded. Today there is a flourishing Agunah movement that violates the Torah constantly. It produces mamzerim, married women remarrying without a proper GET, and lately, produces women who just walk out on their husbands without any kind of GET, and remarry, simply because they are somewhat disappointed in their husbands! The Boss won! Rackman invented a permission for any woman to remarry because a husband who does not give a GET shows he is a bad husband and the marriage to him is nullified. There is absolutely no proof of this in the Torah, and the Shulchan Aruch and the poskim are full of the opposite. But that is the situation today. And that situation is producing mamzerim right and left. And for mamzerim, there are no solutions.
Rackman was the first of the evil rabbis, but not the last. The enormous pressure of The Boss and her followers became a mighty movement. Today, a woman who wants a GET has many ways to get it,ways that defy the Torah and produce mamzerim. So, the Boss won, and the babies lost.
