135

He must not divorce her

The Luchos - Ten Commandments
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)

Applying this Mitzvah Today

Notes on this Mitzvah's Fundamentals

Mitzvah Minute
Mitzvah Minute Logo

Learn more.

Dive into mitzvot, prayer, and Torah study—each section curated to help you learn, reflect, and live with intention. New insights are added regularly, creating an evolving space for spiritual growth.

Luchos
Live a commandment-driven life

Mitzvah

Explore the 613 mitzvot and uncover the meaning behind each one. Discover practical ways to integrate them into your daily life with insights, sources, and guided reflection.

Learn more

Mitzvah #

413

A permanent or temporary [non-Jewish] hired worker must not eat from it
The Luchos - Ten Commandments
Learn this Mitzvah

Mitzvah Highlight

Siddur
Connection through Davening

Tefillah

Learn the structure, depth, and spiritual intent behind Jewish prayer. Dive into morning blessings, Shema, Amidah, and more—with tools to enrich your daily connection.

Learn more

Tefillah

Tefillah sub-header
A Siddur
Learn this Tefillah

Tefillah Focus

A Sefer Torah
Study the weekly Torah portion

Parsha

Each week’s parsha offers timeless wisdom and modern relevance. Explore summaries, key themes, and mitzvah connections to deepen your understanding of the Torah cycle.

Learn more

וְזֹאת הַבְּרָכָה - V'Zot HaBerachah

Haftarah: Joshua, 1:1–18
A Sefer Torah
Learn this Parsha

Weekly Parsha