An old man whose wife had passed away was interested in getting remarried, but insisted that she had to be a בתולה. When asked why, he explained: “Why is a כהן הדיוט אסור בגרושה? Because השם loves him and is concerned that if he marries a גרושה it may be that the reason she is divorced is because she is a difficult woman. And why is a כהן גדול in addition אסור באלמנה and is required to marry a בתולה? Because an אלמנה might be a קטלנית whose first husband died because of her sins. So if the רבונו של עולם has these concerns about a גרושה and an אלמנה, isn’t it obvious that I too should insist upon marrying a בתולה?”
06/10/2021