One of the most fraught points of interaction between Jewish law and modern life centers upon the institution of the family. On one hand, the stability and sanctity of the family are fundamental Jewish values; on the other hand, societal developments have lately wrought radical changes to the family unit in Western culture.

The first volume of the responsa series Avo Beitekha, by Rabbis David and Avraham Stav, grapples honestly and insightfully with the tensions between halakha and the modern family and with the complex issues that arise: the single person torn between marriage and career; the couple considering not only how to plan their wedding but how to shape their marital life; the community called upon to respond to changes that challenge traditional family values.

Each chapter in this book focuses on a central question. It systematically examines the halakhic foundations of the issue, from the Bible and ancient rabbinic texts to contemporary halakhic literature. The conclusion of each chapter summarizes the resulting guiding principles and offers practical guidance. This in-depth halakhic analysis is characterized by a keen awareness of twenty-first-century social and cultural realities, and a profound understanding of the importance of these realities to the process of halakhic decision-making.