135

He must not divorce her

The Luchos - Ten Commandments

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וְעָנְשׁ֨וּ אֹת֜וֹ מֵ֣אָה כֶ֗סֶף וְנָתְנוּ֙ לַאֲבִ֣י הַֽנַּעֲרָ֔ה כִּ֤י הוֹצִיא֙ שֵׁ֣ם רָ֔ע עַ֖ל בְּתוּלַ֣ת יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְלֽוֹ־תִהְיֶ֣ה לְאִשָּׁ֔ה לֹא־יוּכַ֥ל לְשַׁלְּחָ֖הּ כׇּל־יָמָֽיו׃ - פָּרָשַׁת כִּי־תֵצֵא
Deuteronomy 22:19 - "And they shall fine him one hundred [shekels of] silver because he defamed a virgin of Israel, and he should give it to the girl's father. And she shall be his wife; he shall not send her away all the days of his life."

This Mitzvah's Summary

מִצְוָה עֲשֵׂה - Positive Commandment
מִצְוָה לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה - Negative Commandment
Family – מִשְׁפָּחָה

A man who slanders his wife may never divorce her.

This mitzvah prohibits a man who falsely accused his wife of immorality from divorcing her once the truth has been established. After paying the penalty and being punished, he is bound to remain married to her for life. The Torah ensures justice by preventing him from compounding his sin with another humiliation, thereby safeguarding the dignity of the woman he wronged.

Commentary & Classical Explanation:

  • Rambam (Hilchot Na’arah Betulah 3:1–3): Emphasizes that the slanderer is permanently forbidden from divorcing her.
  • Sefer HaChinuch (Mitzvah 557): The root is to uphold honor and dignity for the woman, preventing her from being treated as disposable.
  • Talmud (Ketubot 46a): Establishes that the prohibition is lifelong, even if hardships arise.
(Source: Chabad.org)

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