After several months of intensive work by dedicated
askonim, the leading rabbonim and roshei
yeshiva issued letters addressing the issue of weddings
and marriage expenses.
The letters exhort the Torah community to try to minimize
demands and expenses, noting that Chazal have characterized
the path of Torah as one that involves a minimum of
consumption. The letters also point out that one should
always try to avoid causing pain and pressure to other
people, and that no one should undertake obligations that he
is unable to fulfill.
Specific requests and recommendations were that the couple
agree to live in faraway communities where costs are lower,
that a gemach be established to help those who make do
with little, that the two sides contribute equally and that
the two sides be satisfied with "cheap" apartments that
currently cost $90-95,000.
Many observers, including prominent rabbonim, raised the
point that the proposals were not phrased in binding terms
and that only time will tell if the tsibur will adopt
them or not.
