Question
What are the Jewish laws about dating someone you just met and became friendly with versus using a shadchan to find a spouse? I am in college now. There is a Hillel on the campus, and I have dated a few Jewish girls I met in the Hillel. I want to get married someday. This is not just for fun. So far, I not clicked with any of them, and no one I know there seems like someone I want to marry, but I would not have known that unless I dated them. My parents think what I am doing is wrong. They think it is forbidden to date anyone you are not matched up with through a shadchan. They were matched up by a shadchan themselves and they believe it is the only permissible way to meet one’s spouse. The Hillel rabbi is not orthodox. I would like an answer from an orthodox rabbi.

Question
Is it morally wrong to celebrate a person’s death? I always felt it was. But now I find myself joyed by the death of my ex-husband, on the inside if not publicly. When I was married to him, he abused me and tormented me for many years. I was stuck with him or else I would have had to share custody of my kids with him. I finally left him when the youngest kids were in their teens and there would be no custody battle. All but one of them never contacted him again. All the time we were married, few in the community suspected anything. Everyone who knew us thought we were just like any other couple and family. We had many Shabbosos with friends, bar mitzvahs, and weddings of our grown children as we walked them to the chuppah. People thought we were wonderful hosts. Everything seemed normal on the outside. Behind closed doors was another ugly scene. It was very hard to end our marriage. There were rabbis who convinced us to stay together and work things out. They wanted us to remain married for life. To his dismay, I ignored the rabbi of our shul and made my move to my own apartment when I felt I could. After I received my get, he continued to stalk and taunt me. This went on for many more years, so much that I had to call 911 more than once. The police kept warning him, but never made any effort to stop him. He died several months ago, and I’m the happiest I have ever been now. I feel so much at peace because I don’t have to worry about him constantly tormenting me at random unexpected moments. He always wanted me back, and he unrealistically believed I would change my mind someday. I was afraid he could kill me or harm me some other way until the day he died. More than 40 years of my life were consumed with my fear of him. I feel no sadness that he’s gone and I don’t miss him.

Question
Dear Rabbi, What’s the reason for Judaism teaching that although we should mourn for someone who has passed, we should not mourn excessively? Thanks

Question
We are getting married for the second time (we are both in our 60’s). Do we have to have Sheba brachos?

Question
Hi, I am 24 years old living in a heated humid climate in Florida being that I’m in a marriageable age, and have married sisters and a mother whom had covered their hair once they got married I would like to cover my hair so as not to be embarrassed and cause any disappointment as they hold is to be very important as much as I love being Jewish that specific rule and Halacha is very challenging for me being that I had been born highly sensitive and had never like wearing headbands hats or clips on my head I have beautiful long hair and I understand it’s supposed to be shown for my future husband in the privacy of our bedroom and understand the chassidic meaning behind it after learning it. I had visited a few Jewish wig shops and hadn’t been satisfied with the wig I had been given as they required me to use clips or wear a headband so as the wig should not fall off. However earlier today I had encountered a nonjewish wig company whom created very soft and the perfect wig for me which doesn’t have any clips inside the wig cap I had believe it suits me however my mother mentioned to me that she doesn’t recommend I buy it all because the hair is a combination from India and china. She thinks it’s avodah Zara and assur to buy the wig since the hair is from there. I am very frustrated at this point since I feel that if I wouldn’t buy this wig the other wigs from the other Jewish companies would affect me healthwise they cause me bad headaches and make me feel suffocated in the heat! I really need this nonjewish wig otherwise I’m thinking to not cover my hair at all so I would like to clarify and confirm with a rav of it is really a problem for me to buy a wig that the hair is from china and India ?