Including Non-Heirs in the Will

When someone arranges for their estate to pass to someone other than the natural halachic heir, whether by gift or other mechanism, there is a tension between the one’s right to dispose of his property freely during his lifetime versus the Rabbinic disfavor toward deliberately bypassing the Torah’s order of Yerusha (inheritance). What is the proper procedure if one wishes to bequeath a share of his estate to his devoted wife and/or daughters, or a close friend in need, or a favorite charitable cause?

Rabbi Chaim Mendelson, Rosh Kollel of Kollel Toras Zeraim, Yerushalayim, gave us a detailed overview of both the halachic problems and the potential halachic solutions. Rabbi Mendelson emphasized that it is most important to ensure that shalom will continue to reign in the family and no one will feel disenfranchised.