Isha katlanit: Difference between revisions

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{{short description|Married woman who has become a widow twice}}

'''Isha katlanit''' ([[Hebrew language|Hebrew]]: אישה קטלנית, literally: "lethal/deadly woman") is a term used in [[halakha]] ("Jewish law") for a married woman who has become a widow twice. Such a woman, it is said, should not marry again, because marrying her carries the risk that her next husband may also die (''i.e.'', she will become the "cause" of his death because her marriage to her two previous husbands ended when they died.)

[[File:Tammar.jpg|thumb|Portrait of [[Tamar (Genesis)|Tamar]] by Lidia Kozenitzky]]

'''''Isha katlanit''''' ([[Hebrew language{{langx|he|Hebrew]]: אישה קטלנית}}, literally: "lethal/deadly woman") is a term used in ''[[halakha]]'' ("Jewish law") for a married woman who has become a widow twice. Such a woman, it is said, should not marry again, because marrying her carries the risk that her next husband may also die (''i.e.'', she will become the "cause" of his death because her marriage to her two previous husbands ended when they died.)

The origin of this rule is [[Talmud]]ic. There is a dispute in the Talmud about whether a woman becomes a ''katlanit'' ("causing death") after the death of two husbands or the death of three husbands. The conclusion is that two are enough to define a ''katlanit'', a [[term of art]] found in post-Talmudic literature.<ref>Yevamot 64b. For the term, see Rashi, Yevamot 26a.</ref>

The Talmud presents two reasons why marrying a ''katlanit'' is risky:

#*According to the first reason, the "bad luck" or "misfortune" of the ''katlanit'' may endanger her husband.

#*The second reason is that her "fountain" (''i.e.'', a [[euphemism]] for [[vagina]]), can have a "risky nature."

[[Maimonides]] maintains that if one has already married such a woman, he has no obligation to [[divorce]] her according to [[Halakha|Jewish law]]. Other rabbis, including Rabbi [[Asher ben Jehiel]], take a more rigorous position. In their opinion, a man is not an "owner" of his life, so he has no right to endanger it. Consequently, one who married a ''katlanit'' must divorce her.

TheTechnically, the ''isha katlanit'' rule ismay still be valid according tofor those who practiceadhere to [[Orthodox Judaism]]. HoweverAs a practical matter, itshowever, effectrabbinic hasauthorities beenhave minimizedsubstantially curtailed the relevance of the principles, thanks partly to the rabbinic principle of "[[The Lord protects the simple]]" from unusual dangers. In addition, [[poskim|rabbinic authorities]] have expressed in [[responsa]] their concern that widows be allowed to remarry, both for their own moral benefit and for the sake of the Jewish population.<ref>E.g., ''Terumat ha-Deshen'' 211</ref> Today it is accepted that deaths of old husbands (over age 70) or deaths of husbands caused by an obvious accident are not reasons to define a woman as a ''katlanit''. Unnatural causes, though, may activate the rule.

==Notes==

[[Category:Jewish law and rituals]]

<references/>

[[Category:Judaism and women]]

[[Category:Hebrew words]]

==Sources==

[[he:אישה קטלנית]]

* [[Maimonides]]. ''Mishneh Torah'' H. Issurei Bi'ah 21:31

* Bloom, Amram. ''Beit She’arim'' YD 320

* Breisch, Jacob. ''Helkat Ya'akov.'' ''Note: Case of woman whose first husband dies in a car accident and second in an airplane crash.''

* [[Israel Isserlein|Isserlein, Israel]]. ''Terumat ha-Deshen'' 211. ''Note: he overrules Maimonides based on concern for the woman's moral well-being and for Jewish continuity since she would effectively be an [[agunah]].''

* Shabtai, David and Raymond Sultan. "Medical Risk Taking in Halacha" in ''Journal of Halacha and Contemporary Society'', 2006.

* Zbihi, Pinhas. ''Ateret Paz'' Part I, V.3, EH 3, 5748. ''Note: Case of woman whose first husband dies in a racing car accident and, after she converted to Judaism, her second husband died.'' [http://www.bsd-paz.org/Texts/AteretPaz_v3_Even_Haezer/html/E7ECF75FF8E0F9E5EF5FEBF8EA5FE25FE0E1EF5FE4F2E6F85FF1E9EEEF5FE25FE0E5FA5FE0.htm web version]

[[Category:Judaism and womenAgunot]]

[[Category:Bereavement in Judaism]]

[[Category:Jewish marital law and rituals]]