The Double Standards of Gerushin Among Modern-Orthodox Jews

There is a Double Standard in regards to Mitzvot and Hashkafot that exist among the Modern-Orthodox Jews in The United States. The most relevant example of this is the double standard in regards to Gerushin (גירושין) – divorce. The Modern-Orthodox Jews will rage over someone who refuses to attend the Beit Din (בית דין) – religious court. However, they have no applied this to other things that pertain to בית דין, nor have they considered the fact that the penalty involving the גט doesn’t render him Karet (כרת) – cut off from the World to Come.

The topic of גירושין is a sensitive matter as are all matters pertaining to relationships in the Jewish tradition. Therefor, this matter should not be treaded on without consideration of the consequences thereof. And all Jews, regardless of how “modern” they are, should not treat these things as trivial matters.

I have no found any Rabbanim that condone the idea of denying a גט for no reason. Likewise, none will condone the idea of giving a גט for no reason. Nevertheless, there is a double standard that exists among many Modern-leaning Jews in regards to the aforementioned topic of גירושין.

It is כרת to violate the laws of Shabbat and Yom Kippur in regards to Melakhah () – the activities that one can not do on Shabbat and Yom Kippur. However, this does not apply to the other holidays. While it is כרת to consume khametz on Passover, the First and Last days of Passover do not have the same penalty in regards to doing Melakhah. The issues, pertaining to not going to the בית דין or giving a גט, does not fall into this category.

In certain areas Be’Yerushalayim, people will yell “Shabbos” when they see someone violating Shabbat in public. The majority of Modern-Orthodox Jews do not do this, yet they will publicly shame someone who is in an active conflict in the area of גירושין. Some Modern-Orthodox Rabbis will deny these people an aliyah in the Synagogue. In many cases, they will temporarily ban someone from the sanctuary until he gives the גט. However, if these actions are justified by Modern-Orthodox Judaism, then the same should be said in regards to the other Mitzvot that are more severe in what the penalty is for violating them.

The fact that many Modern-Orthodox Jews have these double standards is demonstrative of their twisted ethics which comes from the secular, Western culture which values individualism for the sake of individualism. The Modern-Orthodox moral compass is heavily influenced by a culture that does not value committed relationships. Many of them do not enact the gedarim (prentative measures) to prevent the destruction of the holiness of marriage. A small number of Left-Leaning Modern-Orthodox Jews are influenced by the Liberal-Left Akum culture which is against Torah values. So why are Liberal-influenced Modern-Orthodox Jews trying to dictate moral policy in the Jewish communities??