In the Jewish marriage contract, the kesuba, the husband obligates himself to financially support his wife. What if the only available means of supporting his wife is a job that he finds demeaning? Is a husband obligated to sacrifice his dignity to fulfill his financial duties?
Why wouldn't he? Why should this obligation be different from all other financial obligations for which i think it is simple that one must degrade himself to fulfill?
ReplyDeleteIn the Torah there is a concept of kavod habrios, and that sometimes allows one to circumvent certain obligations. The question here is whether a job that one subjectively considers demeaning falls under the category of kavod habrios, and whether the concept of kavod habrios applies at all to financial obligations, such as those delineated in the kesuba.
ReplyDeleteI suggest it depends on the wife's reaction to the job.
ReplyDeleteIf it disgusts her that he's doing something so low, then he should refuse.
If it deepens her love for him that he's even willing to do this to support her, then by all means, he should do it.
Practically speaking, the hard part would be determining her true attitude. Hopefully, she has a Rebbe or best friend he can enlist to find out.
If kavod habrios exempts him from doing something that he finds demeaning, why should the fact his wife would want him to do it obligate him to do it? Or are you suggesting that kavod habrios does not exempt him from his financial obligation?
ReplyDelete