With nationwide efforts to persuade young couples to sign a pre-nuptial agreement before a chasenah, Rabbi Shlomo Aviner Shlita released a statement that the position of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel on the matter has not changed for the past 30 years. Rav Aviner explains “the proposal is tantamount to throwing sand in ones’ eyes regarding the sanctity of the institution of marriage in Am Yisrael”.

Rav Aviner is among the rabbonim who reject the pre-nup, which he feels has been taken from the goyim. He explains there are numerous issues surrounding the pre-nup, including;

1. The fact the bill of divorce may be a גט מעושה

2. The case must be adjudicated by a beis din, not a secular court

3. This is not a matter for one rabbi or another but fore gedolei hador and to date, no gadol hador has come out supporting such an agreement.

4. It remains doubtful as to how much this assists from a legal standpoint.

In addition, he cites a letter from Eida Chareidis Ravaad HaGaon HaRav Moshe Sternbuch Shlita to Rav Pinchas Shapira Shlita of Betar Illit.

“ונוגע לתקלה חמורה ביסוד קדושת האישות בישראל. יסוד דבריו שמתפשט תקנה מכמה רבנים, שכל המתחתן מתחייב בשטר מעכשיו, לשלם לאשתו אלף וחמש מאות דולר כל חודש, אם רוצה ליפרד ולא נתן הגט, וכן היא לו. נראה שאין בזה תוקף ונקרא גט מעושה ולא חל כלל הגט והיא עוד אשת איש”.

Rav Sternbuch explains the conditions of the pre-nup result in a גט מעושה. Also signed on to the letter are:

HaGaon HaRav Shlomo Machpud Shlita (Badatz Yoreh Deah), HaGaon HaRav Shimon Elituv Shlita (Chief Rabbinate Council), and HaGaon HaRav Nachum Einstein Shlita (Mora D’asra of Maalot Daphne). It is also added that Maran HaGaon HaRav Sholom Elyashiv ZT”L was against a pre-nuptial agreement.

The rav explains the agreement prompted by the Na’amat organization stipulates a husband can be compelled to give a divorce in contradiction to Halacha. It is added the agreement’s formula for alimony “has no basis in Halacha and at times is in direct contradiction to Halacha”.

Hence, Rav Aviner feels that in light of the fact that Gedolei Yisrael and the Chief Rabbinate of Israel remain strongly opposed, a rav registered by the Chief Rabbinate to conduct a chupah or attorneys involved should not lend a hand to using such agreements. The same holds true regarding a beis din assisting in any fashion to compel a bill of divorce contrary to Halacha.

The rav feels anyone getting married must be alerted to the severity of a pre-nuptial agreement and the persons involved should not sign such an agreement under any circumstances.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)