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<div>I think we’ve discussed R’YBS’s famous statement on ontological chazakot on a number of occasions. I was glad to see that I have giant shoulders to stand on (hat tip-Isaac Newton):</div>
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<div>Tradition – Winter 2014 (Rabbi N. Helfgot)</div>
<div>In a famous episode in 1975, the Rav strongly denounced a proposal raised by R. Emanuel Rackman, z”l to reevaluating the validity of the Talmudic dictum “a woman would always be rather married to anyone (even a scoundrel) than be alone” in the modern context.
R. Rackman called on religious authorities to reevaluate the reach of this dictum as a way of addressing the scourge of modern day recalcitrant husbands who did not give their estranged spouses a get. The reevaluation of this principle might be an opening
to examine the use of halakhic annulment of marriages. The Rav vigorously maintained that this principle, like all hazakot of Hazal, was “an ontological statement” about the nature of women, not subject to changing historical factors or changing social mores.</div>
<div>R. Lichtenstein in both private conversation with a number of talmidim over the decades, including this author and in remarks in public shiurim, noted his disagreement with the Rav’s assessment of this hazaka (and expressed astonishment at the vehemence
of the Rav’s opposition at the time) given the clear cut evidence in the Rishonim in Yevamot and other places in Shas which clearly indicated that this hazaka was not one that applied in all contexts and at all times and in all situations.</div>
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<div>I don’t recall that R’YBS said this was true of all chazakot of Chazal but haven’t listened to that audio in a long time.</div>
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<div>CKV”S<br>
Joel Rich</div>
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