Rabbi Binyamin Mintzer Urges Rethink of Attitudes Toward Unmarried Men in Yeshivas

Rabbi Binyamin Mintzer, a lecturer at the Har Etzion Yeshiva, has called for a reassessment of how unmarried men are treated within yeshiva and religious frameworks. Speaking in the context of the "in-between times" period and the discussion around Tu B'Av, he emphasized the need to address the social and institutional barriers faced by bachelors. Mintzer highlighted that these obstacles not only harm individuals but also impede the growth of Torah study.

He pointed out that unmarried men, regardless of their Torah scholarship, are often excluded from key religious roles such as teaching, serving as judges, or community rabbis. This exclusion limits their livelihood opportunities and restricts their ability to continue learning and advancing in Torah. Socially, older unmarried men are often still regarded as young students, with cramped living conditions persisting even into their 30s, and they receive less respect due to their marital status.

Mintzer also noted that advanced study programs are primarily designed for married scholars, and unmarried men admitted to these programs may only receive partial scholarships, insufficient for basic living expenses. He described these challenges as not merely adding insult to injury but sometimes as outright mockery. While acknowledging the importance of rabbis as community figures and role models, and recognizing that current practices stem from tradition and inertia rather than ill intent, he argued that the overall approach is unbalanced.

He called for greater respect and resource allocation for both unmarried and married Torah scholars alike. Mintzer concluded with a rhetorical question about his ability to change longstanding traditions inherited from European yeshivas, underscoring the difficulty of altering entrenched norms.