קידושין עו

As is well known, decrees in Czarist Russia mandated the drafting of Jewish boys for service in the army. The father of one boy came to see the רב and asked for his recommendation on how to list him on the registry. Should he list him as being several years younger than his true age and thereby defer his service, even though that would mean he would have to wait longer to get married? Or should he register him as being older by a few years, so that he could get over it sooner? The רב responded that his advice is simply to register him according to his true age. With an astonished look on his face, the father said: “That’s brilliant. I never thought of that.”

06/10/2021