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Read Deuteronomy 24:1-4. Proto-rabbinic teaching on divorce “The School of Shammai say: ‘A man may not divorce his wife unless he has found unchastity in her, for it is written, “Because he has found in her indecency in anything.”’ And the School of Hillel say, ‘[He may divorce her] even if she spoiled a dish for him, for it is written, “Because he has found in her indecency in anything.”’ R. Akiba says, ‘Even if he found another fairer than she, for it is written, “And it shall be if she find no favor in his eyes …”’ (m. Gittin 9.5)[1] Matthew 19 Some Pharisees came to him, and to test him they asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause?” He answered, “Have you not read that the one who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’ [Gen 1:27] and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? [Gen 2:24] So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” They said to him, “Why then did Moses command us to give a certificate of dismissal and to divorce her?” [Deut 24:1-4] He said to them, “It was because you were so hard-hearted that Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for unchastity, and marries another commits adultery.” His disciples said to him, “If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry.” But he said to them, “Not everyone can accept this teaching, but only those to whom it is given. For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let anyone accept this who can.” (NRSV)
[1] The Mishnah, trans. Danby (
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