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Right Age to Marry: Difference between revisions

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# Men have an obligation to procreate<ref>Yevamos 65b. Shulchan Aruch Even Haezer 1:1 and 1:5 mentions that a man should endeavor to father at least one boy and one girl.</ref> and an additional obligation to marry even if he has already fulfilled his obligation to procreate<ref>Yevamos 61b; Shulchan Aruch, Even Haezer 1:8.</ref>. Men may not unnecessarily prolong singlehood<ref>Tosefta, Yevamos 8:2.</ref>.
# Men have an obligation to procreate<ref>Yevamos 65b. Shulchan Aruch Even Haezer 1:1 and 1:5 mentions that a man should endeavor to father at least one boy and one girl.</ref> and an additional obligation to marry even if he has already fulfilled his obligation to procreate<ref>Yevamos 61b; Shulchan Aruch, Even Haezer 1:8.</ref>. Men may not unnecessarily prolong singlehood<ref>Tosefta, Yevamos 8:2.</ref>.
# Women are exempt from the obligation to procreate<ref>Yevamos 65b</ref> and thus may have no obligation to marry<ref>Tosefta, Yevamos 8:2; Shulchan Aruch, Even Haezer, 1:13. However, see Rama (ibid.) and Sanhedrin 76a-76b.</ref>.
# Women are exempt from the obligation to procreate<ref>Yevamos 65b</ref> and thus may have no obligation to marry<ref>Tosefta, Yevamos 8:2; Shulchan Aruch, Even Haezer, 1:13. However, see Rama (ibid.) and Sanhedrin 76a-76b.</ref>.
# Although men become obligated to perform mitzvot upon reaching majority (age 13), learning Torah takes priority over marriage until age 18, and thus men have no obligation to marry beforehand<ref>Avos 5:21; Shulchan Aruch, Even Haezer 1:3; Chelkas Mechokeik, ibid. §2. Cf. Rambam, Hilchos Ishus 15:2.</ref>.
# Although men become obligated to perform mitzvot upon reaching majority (age 13), learning Torah takes priority over marriage until age 18, and thus men have no obligation to marry beforehand<ref>Shulchan Aruch, Even Haezer 1:3; Chelkas Mechokeik, EH 1:2. Cf. Rambam, Hilchos Ishus 15:2.
# Ideally, one should attain a livelihood before marriage<ref>Sotah 44a; Rambam, Hilchos Dei’os 5:11.</ref>.
* The mishna in pirkei avot 5:21 states that a person should endeavor to get married at 18. The Rambam (Ishut 15:2) interestingly deviates from the mishna and writes that a person should endeavor to get married at 17. The Maggid Mishna (ad loc.) explains that in fact the Rambam agrees but just means after a person has lived 17 complete years and is 18, he is obligated to get married. The Mishna Halachot 9:240 explains that in fact the Rambam agrees with the Mishna but understands that it takes a year to find a suitable spouse and get married; at 17, he should be involved in finding a spouse and at 18 get married. The Gemara Kiddushin 29b emphatically states that a person may not delay beyond 20 before getting married and if he does he is cursed by Hashem. This is codified by the Rambam (Ishut 15:2) and Shulchan Aruch EH 1:3.</ref>.
# Ideally, a man should marry before age 20 while continuing to learn Torah; however, if one finds it impossible to do both, due to the financial burden of sustaining a family, learning Torah takes precedence and he may delay marriage past age 20.<ref>Kiddushin 29b; Shulchan Aruch, Even Haezer 1:3.</ref> It is unclear how long such delay may extend:<ref>Rosh to Kiddushin 29b.</ref> some suggest that one may continue learning until he feels satisfied with the amount of Torah he has learned,<ref>Levush, Even Haezer 1:4, cited in Aruch Hashulchan, Even Haezer 1:13.</ref> while others suggest an absolute limit of age 24.<ref>Yam Shel Shlomo, Kiddushin §47, cited in Aruch Hashulchan, Even Haezer 1:13; see Rashi and Rosh to Kiddushin 30a.</ref>
# Ideally, a man should marry before age 20 while continuing to learn Torah; however, if one finds it impossible to do both, due to the financial burden of sustaining a family, learning Torah takes precedence and he may delay marriage past age 20.<ref>Kiddushin 29b; Shulchan Aruch, Even Haezer 1:3. Yalkut Yosef EH 1:2 writes that it is advisable for yeshiva bochrim to get married by 20 and for some it is advisable to wait until after 20 depending on his personality.</ref> It is unclear how long such delay may extend:<ref>Rosh to Kiddushin 29b.</ref> some suggest that one may continue learning until he feels satisfied with the amount of Torah he has learned,<ref>Levush, Even Haezer 1:4, cited in Aruch Hashulchan, Even Haezer 1:13.</ref> while others suggest an absolute limit of age 24.<ref>Yam Shel Shlomo, Kiddushin §47, cited in Aruch Hashulchan, Even Haezer 1:13; see Rashi and Rosh to Kiddushin 30a.</ref>
# If an unmarried man finds it impossible to avoid experiencing hirhurim, marriage takes precedence over learning Torah.<ref>Kiddushin 29b; Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Dei’ah 246:2.</ref> It is forbidden to fantasize about sinning.<ref>Berachos 12b.</ref>
# If an unmarried man finds it impossible to avoid experiencing hirhurim, marriage takes precedence over learning Torah.<ref>Kiddushin 29b; Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Dei’ah 246:2, Beit Shmuel 1:5 </ref> It is forbidden to fantasize about sinning.<ref>Berachos 12b.</ref>
# If one truly loves learning Torah to the extent that Ben Azai did<ref>See Tosefta Yevamos 8:5; Yevamos 63b; cf. Kesuvos 63b; Sotah 4b.</ref> and is totally devoted to the Torah, he is not prohibited from delaying marriage indefinitely, provided that his sexual desire does not overcome him;<ref>Shulchan Aruch, Even Haezer 1:4.</ref> nevertheless, one should not do so.<ref>Taz EH 1:6.</ref> Ben Azai’s example is exceptional; such people are extremely rare.<ref>Rosh to Kiddushin 29b; Ritva to Yevamos 63b.</ref>
# If one truly loves learning Torah to the extent that Ben Azai did<ref>See Tosefta Yevamos 8:5; Yevamos 63b; cf. Kesuvos 63b; Sotah 4b.</ref> and is totally devoted to the Torah, he is not prohibited from delaying marriage indefinitely, provided that his sexual desire does not overcome him;<ref>Shulchan Aruch, Even Haezer 1:4.</ref> nevertheless, one should not do so.<ref>Taz EH 1:6.</ref> Ben Azai’s example is exceptional; such people are extremely rare.<ref>Rosh to Kiddushin 29b; Ritva to Yevamos 63b.</ref>
# One may delay marriage until he can find a suitable or compatible wife.<ref>Yad Dovid, Vol. 3, 15:6 (cited in Frankel’s “Sefer Hamafteach” to Rambam, Hilchos Ishus 15:2).</ref>
# One may delay marriage until he can find a suitable or compatible wife.<ref>Yad Dovid, Vol. 3, 15:6 (cited in Frankel’s “Sefer Hamafteach” to Rambam, Hilchos Ishus 15:2).</ref>
==Livelihood==
# Ideally, one should attain a livelihood before marriage<ref>Sotah 44a; Rambam, Hilchos Dei’os 5:11.</ref>.
==Older Siblings==
# It is permissible for a younger brother to get married before his older brother. Yet, sometimes it is advisable for the younger brother to wait in finding a shidduch until his older brother already found his shidduch. In these cases, it is proper to ask a Rabbi for personal advise and pesak.<ref>Yalkut Yosef (Chupah VeKiddushin p. 43)</ref>


==Sources==
==Sources==
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