(c) Apr 18 2001 RashiYomi Inc. MY COLLECTED & INDEXED MAIL JEWISH POSTINGS-Ver #1
Individual Postings 1st appeared(& were copied in html form) on the Email List Mail Jewish

From: rhendel@mcs.drexel.edu (Russell Hendel)
Date: Mon, 2 Dec 1996 20:22:19 -0500
Subject: Get/Agunah Lists

In Vol 25 #27 anonymous raises an old (mail)jewish theme---the plight of
men/women who do not give/receive gets. She has a simple partial
solution:

>>lists ..of men (and women) who have either not given or accepted Gets>>

I am sure we all sympathize with her plight.

I would like to accentuate the question not only from a (rightful)
emotional point of view but from an HALACHIC point of view.

Can any POSAYK out there give me one good reason why such lists should
not be routinely posted on shule bulletin boards.

I understand mail jewish has a 1000-2000 subscription.  If 1 out of
every 10 of us pestered our synagogues to participate in such a list
wouldn't it help alot of people.

I am reminded by analogy of a story in a Young Israel where I davened a
few years ago. Two bakeries on pesach had promised---one in writing and
one orally--that they would not start baking bread till after Yom Tov
(Pesach).  Well, we had a committee...a group of people went over and
peeked thru windows and came back with a report. It turned out that the
bakery who promised us in writing lied and the other bakery kept its
word.  The Rabbi quickly announced the result from the pulpit and the
congregation did not buy from the baker that lied.

The point? Shouldn't we treat our women at least as nicely as we treat
our food? Why are we so avid about Kashruth and blithely ignore
situations that lead at the very least to great emotional pain and at
very most to leaving Judaism, and God forbid, Mamzayruth.

I reiterate that my point is halachic (not (only) emotional). Aren't
people who can prevent a sin responsible if that sin happens.  The
avayrahs involved are

Don't cause emotional anguish (depriving someone of the right to marry)
Don't put a stumbling block before the blind (even if these tied up
	women don't sin they are still being placed in a stumbling
	situation)
The law to give charity (which includes finding mates)
Love thy neighbor as thyself (just because it is a cliche doesn't mean
		it doesn't apply)

and finally if I am permitted "halachic lisence" it possibly also
involves the prohibition of hurting widows (since in Samuel during
Avshalom's rebellion the women he raped were call "living widows" since
King David never knew them again).

All that is being asked for is not a black list or hit list or who is
picking up girls but a simple list of people who were asked to give
divorces (or Chalizah) and refused.

With all the email bulletin boards that exist I should think that
maintaining such a database once it is set up (with a possible provisio
to erase the names of offenders after they gave the divorce /chalizah)
would not even cost to much

I hope the above inspires someone with authority into action.

Russell Jay Hendel, Ph.d., ASA, rhendel @ mcs drexel edu