mitzvah d'rabim(the mitzvah of general welfare) of the Jewish community which must be saved from a possible pogrom. Zirelsohn further linked the prohibition of this marriage with the anticipated danger that these young people might become apostates and, therefore, proclaimed:
"Most surely we must dismiss the interdictions of the marriage of a kohen with a convert for this couple which is on the brink of an abyss...in order to save them from an incessant betrayal of the entire Torah by these two souls angrily leaving the religion of Israel ."
In conclusion, Rabbi Zirelsohn gave the Bulgarian rabbi an halakhic judgement which allowed him to marry the couple, on condition that he widely publicize that this step does not constitute a precedent and that he notify the hatan(bridegroom) that he and his offspring are disqualified as kohanim.
We have studied five great decisors whose services to Israel stretch over a period of two millenia. With what qualifications were these scholars invested that enabled them to respond to the suffering of their people and to resolve their problems?
These rabbis and many others like them became great moral authorities because they acquired or were blessed with at least four traits:
1) A commanding knowledge of the tradition
2) Sensitivity to the suffering of individuals
3) The desire and determination to help
4) The courage to decide and to carry out their decision.
Therefore the plight of mamszerim, agunot or a couple
prevented from marrying was perceived by the rabbis as an ethical imperative which they must resolve. In view of the religious and
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