Buy now, pay later

I feel truly sorry for a new bride of my acquaintance, who doesn’t seem to realize that she’s just become a “kollel wife.” (See the text highlighted in yellow here for an explanation.) Her groom has been employed part-time for a pittance in salary and without benefits for as long as I've known him. As far as anyone can determine, the only reason why he hasn't managed to find another part-time or full-time job is that he’s too busy studying Talmud to do any serious job-hunting. I fear to think what will happen to this almost-literally poor woman, who can barely support herself and her child from a previous marriage, when her groom's employer, who has serious financial difficulties, goes belly-up, and she suddenly finds herself supporting her husband, as well.

Or maybe she'll get lucky—one of my more diplomatic friends has promised to try to talk some sense into the groom, now that he's a married man. I sincerely hope that she succeeds.