The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-11-27
the JEWISH MIRRIaGE Law.
Its Extraordinary Provisions Not Violated
IN the Zangwiil Play.

From a. Am'rieda H'orsw.
The PRODUCTION on the stage OF Zangwill's
play, Children OF the Ghetto" has aroused
quite an animated discussion in which tho
author was accused Of an unfair representation
OF the Jewish matrimonial law. In order TO
decide whether or not the objections are we'll
taken. we will have TO present the iacts first.
Hannah. the daughter Of an orthodox Russian
rabbi. had at wedding party received ring
from n gentleman. who In a spirit OF mere fun
had pronounced the formula by which. accord
ing TO the law, a marriage Ia contracted. This
being considered as marriage m axes n divorce
necessary. and consequently Hannah cannot
marry her intended. Ddrid Brandon. who Is a
Kohen.
There can be no doubt that. according to the
law. a priest is forbidden to marry a divorced
woman. and that rabhnIca law and the general
practice OF orthodox Jews consider a Kohen-a
supposed descendant Of Aaron q priest who
is under the obligation Of thar law
Consequently. there are only two questions
to be solved:
,. Would divorce in such n case constitute
an impeiimcnt to III" marriage of divorced
Both questions are solved in our old rahhni-
cal Literature. samuel Abonb. rabbi OF yencc.
Venice, 1902, No. 2Hi. the following ease: Rosa.
daughter OF Mordeca ,-Kohen in Rome had
IOr TWO yehrS hPen engaged 10 marry samuel
ha- Kohen, wheu rumor was spread that
Aaron Ephrathi had secretly married her Nov.
81. 1884,. by handing her q ring though
broken window. and saving the formula in the
w before the beth; Din on the NEXT day.
handed h r Tho ring md said the formula.
but neither can say that she put II on her
seen her. but only rccoSnzsd her Voc Wv ROSA
denies everything. Sh" claims 10 have heard
some one call her fathers name and that she
W. n n d4.nF mo- ~ IN MN has D
TINT moment her hani was se,sod BY 81 some ne
other hand put, through a broken pane in the
Al that moment. she heard that some object
fell to the ground, She picked It IN. II was the
spite oil the fact that the marriage was at the
worst n mdhinonium roipm non ""nsumndium.
samuel Ahoab decides I hat Rosa must ie d.
vorced and cannot marry her betrothed who is
Another instance T. found in tthc Rcssponsa of
zebi, AMSTERDAM III i7l5. 10. AZ '''S' """'n
usSm married RI tet '4c scui s, Q:
days before Rosh. Tashona. and hid a friendly
talk with Murillo's daughter. Gutla, who was a
about Gu,la's attending se)ihot and the iEe,
and The other ma made o. horso.hair. When
Gutla wished to inspect tho rings. he put the
Of Il her " nSer and sGd
that II WINS done M Joke md Guta remarked:
We do not I've In country whore pOlygamy
l. permitted. But X'hi AshI cnazi nnd his
friend. the famous Palcstinan rabbit, Moses
Chages $50. l73OL insist that divorce is
necessary,
This shows that mock MARRIAGE Ia consid-
cred dubious matrlmony: Shulhan Aruk.
rage necessitates divorce. and that after such
a divorce the woman could not marry a Kohen.
Therefore az far ms Mr.. XanRwlll Ia CON
cerned, the only question In he answered "a:
Ia such decision which would prohibit the
marriage Of Ddrid brandon ard Hannah pOssi-
bile? The answer n,ust he given In tho afflrma
tive, further recollect to have read once in the
JpIrish Chronicle that such n case had really
occurred IN London some time ago. and as Mr.
XanRwill is no Talmudic scholar Il IL only too
likely Tint he took tho case from liie.-DR. q.
DEUTSCH.