Halacha2goThe one minute halacha

Marrying Two Wives

Close to a thousand years ago Rabbeinu Gershom instituted a cherem, a very strict ruling, which was accepted by Ashkenazi communities worldwide, that a man may not be married to more than one woman at the same time. There are various reasons for this takanah, halachic ruling: sholom bayis, so that a couple should have a harmonious marriage; that the husband should be able to support his wife in a dignified manner, and other reasons, as well. Some say that the rule was only instituted  for a specific length of time, but poskim say that is permanently binding on all Ashkenazi Jews, especially since it has been in practice way past the originally designated time. Members of the Sephardi community are not bound by this takanah; nevertheless, in many Sephardi communities the mesader kiddushin, the rabbi who officiates at the marriage ceremony, has the chosson take an oath and give a tekias kaf, a handshake, that he will not marry an additional wife. There are distinctions made in halachah depending on whether the restriction to marry two wives stems from Rabbeinu Gershom’s cherem, or due to the chosson’s oath. There are specific cases in which a man is allowed to marry an additional wife by way of a heter meah Rabbonim, but that topic is beyond the scope of this paragraph. #253^?1