Orthodox Judaism requires a divorcing spouse to obtain the permission of the other via a document called a “get,” leaving much power in the hands of the responding spouse — and leading to an occasional resort to trickery or violence to persuade an uncooperative spouse. In May, Lakewood, New Jersey, Rabbi Mendel Epstein, his son and three other men were indicted for scheming to use cattle prods on behalf of wives against recalcitrant husbands. Four other men in the alleged scheme have already pleaded guilty. According to prosecutors, Rabbi Epstein has been implicated in other over-the-top efforts to obtain gets, in 2009 and 2010, and the indictment charges the 2013 episode also involved kidnapping, surgical blades and a screwdriver.
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