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Early-teen marriage was possible in Judaism. In Judaism girls reach adulthood at 12 and boys at 13. According to the Talmud, a father is commanded not to let his his daughter marry anyone until she grows up and says, "I want this one".[75] A marriage that takes place without the consent of the girl is not an effective legal marriage.[76] Despite the young threshold for marriage, a large age gap between the spouses was opposed,[77] and, in particular, marrying one's young daughter to an old man was declared as reprehensible as forcing her into prostitution.[78] A ketannah (literally meaning "little [one]") was any girl between the age of 3 years and that of 12 years plus one day;[79] he could arrange a marriage for her in her best interests.[79] However, after reaching the age of maturity, she would have to agree to the marriage to be considered as married. If the father was dead or missing, the brothers of the ketannah, collectively, had the ability, as had her mother.[79] In these situations, a ketannah would always have the right to annul her marriage, even if it was the first.[80]
originally posted by: dashen
a reply to: theultimatebelgianjoke
i just checked sanhedrin 69a.
what you posted does not exist in reality.
Rabbi Yirmeya of Difti says: We learn in another mishna (Nidda 44b) as well that one follows the majority even in cases of capital law: A girl who is three years and one day old whos father arranged her betrothal can be betrothed with intercourse, as, despiter her age, the legal status of intercourse with her is that of full-fledged intercourse. And in a case where the childless husband of a girl three years and one day old dies, if his brother, the yavam, engages in intercourse with her, he acquires her as his wife. And if a girl of that age is married, a man other than her husband is liable for engagin in intercourse with her due to violation of the prohibition against adultery, as despiter her age she is legally considered to be a married woman. - Sefaria.org - Sanhedrin 69a
A few points that can help a bit here:
The Torah said that marital relations alone, without a ring, can effect the first stage of marriage (kiddushin). Yet the Talmud states (Kiddushin 12b) that anyone doing such a crass thing (even two mature, discreet, stable, adults) should be flogged!
So it's a technicality at best.
The Torah allowed for a father to marry off his young daughter, yet the Talmud states that as a matter of recommended practice, "it is prohibited to marry off a young daughter until she is old enough and she says 'I like him'.
" It appears that thousands of years ago, it was such a dangerous world for a girl out on her own that marriage was a much better predicament for her.
The whole thing about age 3 is a technicality's technicality. With regards to certain laws, activity below the age of 3 does not affect her halachic status (for instance, a woman still has the halachic full status of "virginity" no matter what happened to her before age 3).
[Lawyers' note: any sort of child abuse is halachically, legally, and morally wrong, and will be punished by G-d and state.] Sexual relations can only change her halachic status starting with age 3; hence, if a father agreed to marry off his young daughter by relations (violating two Talmudic taboos, above), the minimum age at which such an act would take effect would be 3. I hope that helps somewhat.
originally posted by: dashen
a reply to: Noncents
it is forbidden to marry a girl without her consent, such a marriage is not binding under jewish law.
originally posted by: dashen
the Torah tell people to wear phylacteries, but offers no clue WHATSOEVER on what those are.
all the rules and details are passed down in oral traditions which became the talmud
if you allow your ignorance of the subject matter to dictate your opinion of it you will never be speaking from a place of objectivity or truthfulness