The harem continues - and the law has no answer: The "black hole" surrounding Igal Ratzon

The family drama stirring the country is back in the headlines, and this time it is not Goel Ratzon at its center, but his son, Igal Ratzon. In an interview that caused a storm online, Igal declared that he supports his father's path and, according to him, maintains "complex relationships" with nine women: he is married to one of them, and with the other eight, he maintains deep family ties under one roof.

While the public wonders how this is possible, it seems that the authorities are helpless in the face of what appears to be a cult in every sense. To understand the phenomenon, we spoke with clinical psychologist Amos Prives, director of the psychological service at the Academic College of Management's institute, who provided insights into this complex reality.

According to Prives, we should not delude ourselves that we live in a progressive society free of abnormal phenomena.

"Even in this year, when it seems to us that there are no more abnormal problems, the reality is completely different," he stated.

As an example, he noted the fact that even today, cults exist in society and various rituals are performed, such as "exorcising the evil eye." According to him, the phenomenon of Igal Ratzon is another facet of the same social backwardness.

Prives also raised the question of what love is, and whether in this case it is a matter of "diluted relationships," where nine women share one man, or a darker reality. According to him, there are people who are drawn to the "magic" of self-abnegation. While some of us seek to express our uniqueness, for others the deepest need is to "be erased" and to annul oneself before a charismatic leader in order to feel a sense of belonging.

One of the central questions the case raises is why the law does not allow the phenomenon to be stopped. According to Prives, the state finds it difficult to intervene because these are adult women who chose this of their own free will and have known Igal's positions for years.

Prives compared this to legal but controversial situations, such as a relationship between a 70-year-old man and a 20-year-old woman — a situation where, according to him, it is clear that a problem exists, but it is difficult to set a legal red line.

Prives provocatively defined the situation in the Ratzon family as an "orgy frozen in time between adults." Although bigamy is prohibited by law and it is clear that there are cult manipulations here, the question of when consent becomes exploitation remains open.

"It is clear and unequivocal that this is a problematic reality that should not exist," concluded Prives, "but it is still very difficult to draw a line and set a red line."

It seems that as long as Igal Ratzon does not violate the dry "age of consent" law, he will continue to maintain his harem, while the state is forced to watch from the sidelines in helplessness.