134

The slanderer must remain married to the wife he slandered

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 falsely slanders his wife must remain married to her and pay a fine.

This mitzvah obligates a man who falsely accuses his wife of infidelity before marriage to remain married to her. In addition to receiving lashes, he must pay one hundred silver shekels to her father as compensation for the disgrace. The Torah ensures that he cannot divorce her, preventing him from further wronging her after publicly slandering her name.

Commentary & Classical Explanation:

  • Rambam (Hilchot Na’arah Betulah 3:1): The slanderer is punished with both lashes and a monetary fine, and he must remain married to his wife for life.
  • Sefer HaChinuch (Mitzvah 556): The root is to protect the dignity of Jewish women and to punish malicious behavior that causes social and personal harm.
  • Talmud (Ketubot 46a): Explains the laws of “motzi shem ra” (slandering a wife), including the fine and the prohibition on divorce.
(Source: Chabad.org)

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