PT: Chaverim: Tzippi:
“and encourage bochurim to marry those who are close to their age (and even older)”
Clearly the letter encourages close in age not only older.
Now assuming the signers of the letters aren’t dumb. The only reason to write so would be to alleviate the age gap problem.
If the issue is money looks etc. they would encourage boys to marry girls lacking those qualities what would marrying close is age help if not that they recognize that as the problem (which I know they do)
Furthermore, One doesn’t need to be a rocket scientis to figure out that if more boys marry close in age then fewer 19 yr old girls will be getting married.
If you want to know how I’m so up on the letter it’s because I spoke to Rav Aharon Feldman after he returned from meeting w/ Rav Elyashiv.
PT: the two links you sent.
#1 reffers to shadchanim
#2 in a general sense boys a bit earlier and girls a bit later is the only way to go.
I Have NEVER posted advice to girls or their families to discourage dating when they want. However we as a community should (and need to) facilitate more close in age shidduchim (as per the letter of the roshei yeshivos) and thus not look to run to redd shidduchim to 19 yr old.
Have a misrepresented the letter??