Every person has his own particular situations that frighten him, as fear is part of the human condition. Some things are universally scary, like illness, accidents, and natural disasters. Other fears are more subjective. Many people fear the unknown. But what is unknown and frightening to one person is just plain ordinary for another, causing the other to have difficulty understanding why the person is even afraid at all.

  Dear Alice,

I just got back from Miami and I am so disappointed. For the first time ever, I actually stayed on my plan while on vacation. I didn’t touch the bread basket or desserts at restaurants, stayed away from the late-night munching aside from my “treat,” and chose sugar-free frozen yogurt instead of milk shakes. However, when I came to weigh in, I found that I had lost less than half a pound despite all my efforts! What went wrong?

And this that you shall have from me is a scroll of divorce, and a letter of leave, and a bill of dismissal to go to marry any man that you wish” Babylonian Talmud (85b).

Two recent decisions emanating from New York divorce courts manifest the confusion which secular tribunals experience when adjudicating matrimonial issues with religious consequence.