Is Polygamy allowed in Judaism?

Is polygamy still allowed today?
by Rabbi Naftali Silberberg
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Although the Torah does not forbid polygamy (as we see that Abraham, Jacob, Saul, David, Solomon, etc., had more than one wife), around 1000 years ago a great German rabbi, Rabbi Gershom "the Light of the Diaspora", banned polygamy. This ban was accepted as law by all Ashkenazi Jews but never was recognized by the Sephardic communities.1
[In fact, a half a century ago when the Yemenite Jews immigrated to Israel, many of them had more than one wife (the Israeli government, which forbids polygamy, made an exception for those Jews who arrived with more than one wife). However, polygamy today is almost non-existent because most Sephardic Jews live in societies where polygamy is not socially (and/or legally) acceptable.]
Rabbi Gershom "the Light of the Diaspora", a great German rabbi around 1000 years ago, banned polygamy. This ban was accepted as law by Ashkenazi Jews but was not recognized by the Sephardic communities Different reasons are given for this ban:
Some explain that this ban was instituted to prevent people from taking advantage of their wives.2 Others add, that perhaps Rabbi Gershom was concerned lest the husband be unable to provide properly for all wives (especially in difficult times of Exile);3 or lest he marry another wife in a different place which may lead to forbidden relationships between offspring (Mishkanot Yaakov there), or maybe he simply wanted to avoid the inherent rivalry, fighting and "hatred" between rival wives which may lead to a number of violations.4
R. Yaakov Emden suggests that it was adopted from the Christian practice and laws to avoid Christian attacks against Jews who act otherwise,5 but this argument has been attacked by many other Halachic authorities.
Footnotes
1. See also Editor's Comment to "Polygamy is not Ideal" User Comment beneath article.
2. Maharik beshem Rashbo, cited in Darkei Mosheh, Even Ha'ezer 1, note 10.
3. Maharam M'Padua #14; Mishkanot Yaakov #1.
4. Maharam Shick EH #4; Mordechai Ketuvot #291, cited in Darkei Moshe there note 12.
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