This woman Orli, should have thought of the consequences of her acts, she has created the problems herself, now she complains? That is what is wrong in the world, I do what I want and when it doesn't work out then the law must change to fit my needs, what a joke...

The woman was physically separated from her husband for two years, during which time the child was conceived? It is not possible to write off the child as the (ex-)husband's. So the woman has caused her child a horrific state of affairs for a few minutes fun. Women smoke, take drugs, drink alcohol etc. I know of a case in which a woman took some sort of poison in an attempt to abort her child. The child was born blind as a result. These things happen. But Lubitch with her usual twisted logic and hatred of Judaism has decided that the only thing that may bend here is the Torah. Take that ridiculous flower pot off your head. Stop masquerading as religious and come clean.

when someone take poisen usualy it meens it want to take his own life, she didn't want to saparate from her husband who left her, she didn't took in consideration the baby cause she didn't want to be alon with baby she probablt can't support, cause her ex don't want them or support them, duh seems like your logic it's twisted, indesparate times people do horible things, much like in NK some mother kill their own babys so they won't slowly starve to death cause the mothers barely have food for themselves.

I learned as a young Loss Control Engineer that the only way to solve a problem is to root out and correct its prime preventable cause. Everything less is cosmetic, covering-up a cancer with a band-aid. What is the prime preventable cause in this case? The rabbis didn't bestow a get within a reasonable time. If there had been a get, the child would not be a mamZEIR (which, for the benefit of goyim readers, is different from the English "bastard"). The fabrication--lie--of "presuming" the "husband" was the father was, uh, well-intentioned but still a lie! Good intentions placed above justice and truth are perversions. If Orthodox rabbis can justify retroactive invalidation of the ruling of an Orthodox beit din when it pleases them (conversions ring a bell, gentlemen?), then retroactive granting of a get in this case prevents this child from ever becoming a mamzeir. Further, competent rabbis granting gets more responsibly in the present and future will prevent these numerous miscarriages of justice, stopping the injustices now causing suffering among these agunot. Even in cases of a mamzeir, our attitude should be to despise the promiscuous mother, not the innocent child. Mamzeir is mentioned only once in Torah, stipulating that the mamzeir and their offspring could only marry pre-convert Torah trainees (the Biblical definition of geir) for 10 generations (Devarim 23.3). That should be transformed into a positive attitude toward mamzeirim--as innocent victims of their promiscuous mother who distinguish their family name by helping 10 generations of geirim come to Torah. Instead of the endless spiral of fabricating more lies to pile on previous lies, perhaps if the rabbis spent more time dispensing justice instead of well-intentioned lies; instead of their present obsession of discriminating against Orthodox Sepharadim Jews, Orthodox Ethiopian Jews, Orthodox converts, parking, women with sleeves above the elbow and the like, justice and Torah would receive its deserved respect. Paqid Yirmeyahu Paqid 16, The Netzarim, Ra'anana, Israel Israeli Torah-reverer (& Orthodox Jew) Advocate for Logic as Hermeneutic Halakhic Authority Welcoming All Torah-reverers (Jews & non-Jews)

Assuming the story is true, Mamzer is a problem that only exists in Israel, because in any other country governed by civil laws, she could enroll her son in the name of the second parent, without any social and religious adverse. When you understand that the problem only exists because of the Halacha, you are giving a step forward. I think all the articles that you write fail for this lack of information (which always you leaves implied)

the fact is the fact. If someone is born a mamzer it is his parents fault and you eat what you bake. Why do you fight reality?

I know the woman and her family. She was married at the time and did try to abort, as I wrote. So she was desperate, I agree, but what about those that drink and take drugs etc? Anyway, all that doesn't change the point of my post. Lubitch is using the emotive case of the personal tragedy of an innocent child to critcise the rabbis for something even she knows cannot be changed. By the way, if she would only learn a little more, she would have found that there are poskim who permit the abortion of a mamzer.

The Rabbi for this woman should stand in and say he is the father like Roman Catholic Priests do if asked to. I asked Father O'Friel of the Fresno Diocese if he would be my father after my father died so I could have Irish citizenship through Father O'Friel. He said certainly I could put his name down as my father. That is what Rabbis should do for children in limbo. The child has Y'hovah as a father and the Rabbi as a substitute father and he has a biological father who rejects him and a stepfather who rejects him. Four fathers! What a lucky boy. Maybe his mother will remarry and he will have a fifth father! There is much to be thankful for in this situation for the child.

Amazing how Rivki deals with all the issues except the real one. Orli messed up. Orli could not keep her legs together long enough for the get, or responsible enough to make sure she was taking the pill. She gets pregnant, and then decides that she will keep the baby (the father has $$) instead of an abortion, even though this makes the child a mamzer. Orli does not care about the stigma of her child being a mamzer. Orli would prefer the real father be her sugar daddy. The fact that the State and Rabbinate have more concern for her own child than she does, is not good enough for Rivki. Why should Orli have to make up lies?? Well Rivki, Orli shouldn't make up any lies. She should report and declare the child to be fathered by the Mr. Criminal, let the child be a mamzer, and let her grow up with the mamzer, and all it's problems until she finally grows up herself and realizes that if you screw up, you pay. When you do the wrong thing, you pay. No one, not the State, the Rabbinate nor Rivki should be trying to bail her out of her own mess. Orli made the mess, now sleep in it. Is it fair that her child will pay most of the price? No, but that is something Orli should have thought of before jumping into bed with another guy!