Single Men Over 20, What Are You Waiting For??

In continuing with my theme of weird marriage-related stories from Israel, here’s a doozy:

Apparently, if you’re a single haredi guy over the age of 20, and you’re not studying in yeshiva, you better get out of Jerusalem–or else. Ynet reports:

Rabbi: Older bachelors must leave JerusalemUltra-orthodox bachelors over the age of 20 must move out of Jerusalem, Rabbi Yaakov Yosef, head of the Hazon Yaakov yeshiva and son of Shas’ spiritual leader Rabbi Ovadia Yosef ruled this week.

According to the rabbi, who publishes a weekly column on the Eretz Israel Shelanu leaflet, in the past it was customary to banish “older” single men from the capital as punishment for their refusal to marry and provide for a family.

In recent generations, Sephardi rabbis decided to annul this regulation, but according to Rabbi Yosef it should be reinstated. “Only a yeshiva student who studies Torah has an exceptional permission to postpone marriage, if he fears that marriage might distract him from his studies.

“But normally one must not delay marriage till after 20, and those who do had better leave Jerusalem and go study somewhere else,” he wrote.

All I can say is it’s a good thing our editorial fellow Jeremy doesn’t live in J-town. He’s about to be 23 and is not yet providing for a wife and children. Scandal!!