What it Takes to release an Agunah | Presidential Pardon – Pardons in Halacha – The Torah approach to pardons

Dear David,

I am writing to express my heartfelt gratitude for the work you do on behalf of Israel and the IDF. Your podcasts are a much-needed voice of reason and truth in a sea of misleading narratives. In particular, I deeply appreciate how you consistently challenge the absurd notion that Hareidim should be exempt from military service. Your thoughtful, clear-eyed perspective sheds light on an issue that is often overlooked or mishandled by so many others.

Listening to your podcasts is a breath of fresh air, especially when compared to outlets like Ami Magazine and others that claim objectivity but seem to enable or cover for the cowardly positions held by certain religious leaders. Your stance encourages open dialogue and holds all parties, including the Rabbis, accountable for their role in Israel’s defense—something many fail to do.

Your efforts are truly appreciated, and I hope that your message continues to reach an even broader audience. The importance of your work cannot be overstated, and I am confident that as more people hear your well-reasoned arguments, we will see greater support for the idea that every member of the Jewish community, no matter their background, has a responsibility to contribute to the defense of the State of Israel.

Thank you again for your courage, your clarity, and your commitment to truth. I look forward to hearing more of your invaluable insights.

Sincerely,

Judah Sorscher

Former Sgt in the Givati Brigade

R. Dovid, gutte vuch to you. I hope all is well.

This week’s podcast left me with some questions about the aguna. I didn’t really understand the threat to the pregnant new wife of this guy. The baby would be some kind of ספק פגום? In a דרבנן? Or, not even – it is more a מנהג? I could not understand what benefit comes from meeting with this woman to identify this possible פגם.

First, I am not clear that it is a פגם at all, because the guest wasn’t clear as to whether the Get was in escrow all along, in which case this would have been an apparently valid היתר מאה רבנים, or if jailing the rebbe resulted in the issuance of a new get. If the get existed all along, the marriage was valid by all accounts, right? And if they suddenly made this Get because of pressure from the jailed Rebbe, how does that cure the פגם in the fetus? הורתו שלא בקדושה ולידתו בקדושה? If we apply the גירות rules, he still would have issues. But the whole thing is nonsense. He’s not a גר, if he’s a כהן he could eat תרומה, etc. The idea that the fetus is suspect doesn’t seem to hold much water and I am much more comfortable identifying the איסורי דאורייתא one would violate by telling this to the pregnant mom then identifying the actual יחוס issues with her baby.

How did we resolve the issue that this is a forced get? Does putting a Rebbe in jail make this guy suddenly want to deliver the get? I don’t recall a gemara that suggests תולין some third person עד שיאמר רוצה אני.

Fascinating show as always.

All the best,
EG