1When a person issues a slanderous report concerning a Jewish maiden,1 and the matter is discovered to be false, he should be punished by lashing, as Deuteronomy 22:18 states: “And he shall be flogged.”אהַמּוֹצִיא שֵׁם רָע עַל בַּת יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְנִמְצָא הַדָּבָר שֶׁקֶר - לוֹקֶה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְיִסְּרוּ אֹתוֹ" (דברים כב, יח).
The warning for this negative commandment is derived from Leviticus 19:16: “Do not go about as a slanderer among your people.”2וְאַזְהָרָה שֶׁלּוֹ מִ"לֹּא תֵלֵךְ רָכִיל בְּעַמֶּיךָ" (ויקרא יט, טז).
He must also give her father 100 sela’im of pure silver.3 If the girl is an orphan, the money is given to her.4 וְנוֹתֵן לְאָבִיהָ מִשְׁקַל מֵאָה סְלָעִים כֶּסֶף מְזֻקָּק. וְאִם הָיְתָה יְתוֹמָה, הֲרֵי הֵן שֶׁל עַצְמָהּ.
2When a person issues a slanderous report on a girl below majority, or on a bogeret, he is not liable for the fine or for lashes. He is not liable unless he issues a slanderous report regarding a na’arah.5 This is derived from Deuteronomy 22:15: “They will present signs of the maiden’s virginity.” The word נַעֲרָה, “maiden” is written in a full form.6בוְהַמּוֹצִיא שֵׁם רָע עַל הַקְּטַנָּה אוֹ עַל הַבּוֹגֶרֶת - פָּטוּר מִן הַקְּנָס וּמִן הַמַּלְקוּת, וְאֵינוֹ חַיָּב עַד שֶׁיּוֹצִיא עַל הַנַּעֲרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְהוֹצִיאוּ אֶת בְּתוּלֵי הַנַּעֲרָה" (דברים כב, טו; וראה דברים כב, יט) - "נַעֲרָה" מָלֵא דִבֵּר הַכָּתוּב.
3Cases pertaining to this law may be brought only in the time of the Temple, and in the presence of a court of 23 judges, because there is the possibility that capital punishment will be involved.7 For if the accusation brought by the husband is discovered to be true, the girl must be executed.8גאֵין דָּנִין דִּין זֶה אֶלָא בִּפְנֵי הַבַּיִת, וּבְבֵית דִּין שֶׁל עֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁלוֹשָׁה, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּדִין מוֹצִיא שֵׁם רָע דִּינֵי נְפָשׁוֹת, שֶׁאִם נִמְצָא הַדָּבָר כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר, הֲרֵי זוֹ נֶהְרֶגֶת.

Mishneh Torah (Moznaim)

Featuring a modern English translation and a commentary that presents a digest of the centuries of Torah scholarship which have been devoted to the study of the Mishneh Torah by Maimonides.

Cases involving rape or seduction, by contrast, are judged at all times in the presence of three judges, as will be explained in Hilchot Sanhedrin.9 אֲבָל הָאוֹנֵס וְהַמְּפַתֶּה, דָּנִין בָּהֶן בְּכָל זְמַן בִּשְׁלוֹשָׁה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁיִּתְבָּאֵר בְּהִלְכוֹת סַנְהֶדְּרִין.
4It is one of the Torah’s positive commandments for the wife of a man who issued a slanderous report about her to remain married to him forever, as Deuteronomy 21:19 states: “She must remain his wife.”10 This applies even if she is blind or a leper.דוּמִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה שֶׁל תּוֹרָה שֶׁתֵּשֵׁב אֵשֶׁת מוֹצִיא שֵׁם רָע תַּחְתָּיו לְעוֹלָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְלוֹ תִהְיֶה לְאִשָּׁה" (דברים כב, יט), אַפִלּוּ עִוֶּרֶת אוֹ מֻכַּת שְׁחִין.
If he divorces her, he transgresses a negative commandment, as the verse continues: “He may never send her away as long as he lives.”11וְאִם גֵּרְשָׁהּ - עָבַר עַל לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "לֹא יוּכַל לְשַׁלְּחָהּ כָּל יָמָיו" (שם).
If he divorces her, we compel him to remarry her, and he is not lashed, as explained with regard to a rapist.12וְכוֹפִין אוֹתוֹ וּמַחֲזִיר, וְאֵינוֹ לוֹקֶה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּאַרְנוּ בָּאוֹנֵס.
If, however, another man takes the initiative and consecrates her first,13 she dies, or he is a priest, who is forbidden to marry a divorcee, he should be punished by lashes for divorcing her.וְאִם קָדַם אַחֵר וְקִדְּשָׁהּ, אוֹ שֶׁמֵּתָה, אוֹ שֶׁהָיָה כּוֹהֵן שֶׁאָסוּר בִּגְרוּשָׁה - לוֹקֶה עַל גֵּרוּשֶׁיהָ.
5If immodest behavior on the woman’s part is discovered, or it is discovered that she is forbidden to him as a result of a negative commandment, a positive commandment, or even a Rabbinic commandment, such as the prohibition against a sh’niyah, he should divorce her with a get.14הנִמְצָא בָּהּ דְּבַר זִמָּה, אוֹ שֶׁנִּמְצֵאת אֲסוּרָה עָלָיו מֵחַיָּבֵי לָאוִין אוֹ מֵחַיָּבֵי עֲשֵׂה, וְאַפִלּוּ שְׁנִיָּה - הֲרֵי זֶה יְגָרְשֶׁנָּה בְּגֵט, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְלוֹ תִהְיֶה לְאִשָּׁה" (דברים כב, יט) - אִשָּׁה הָרְאוּיָה לוֹ.
Why should the positive commandment of remaining married to the woman not supersede the negative commandment of engaging in relations with an adulterous wife, or any other negative commandment with regard to this man who issues a slanderous report or a rapist, and thus he should marry or remain married to this woman who is forbidden to him? For it is possible that she will not desire to remain married to him, and thus, both the positive and negative commandments will be observed.15 וְלָמָּה לֹא יָבוֹא עֲשֵׂה וְיִדְחֶה לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה, בֵּין בַּמּוֹצִיא שֵׁם רָע בֵּין בָּאוֹנֵס, וְיִשָּׂא זוֹ הָאֲסוּרָה לוֹ? שֶׁהֲרֵי אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁלֹּא תִרְצֶה הִיא לֵישֵׁב, וְנִמְצָא עֲשֵׂה וְלֹא תַעֲשֶׂה קַיָּמִין.
6What is implied by the term “issuing a slanderous report”? That a person should come to court and say: “I engaged in marital relations with this maiden,16 and I discovered that she was not a virgin. I investigated the matter and determined that she committed adultery after I had consecrated her.17 These are the witnesses in whose presence she committed adultery.”18וכֵּיצַד הוֹצָאַת שֵׁם רָע? הוּא שֶׁיָּבוֹא לְבֵית דִּין וְיֹאמַר 'נַעֲרָה זוֹ בָּעַלְתִּי אוֹתָהּ וְלֹא מָצָאתִי לָהּ בְּתוּלִים, וּכְשֶׁבִּקַּשׁתִּי עַל הַדָּבָר נוֹדַע לִי שֶׁזִּנְּתָה תַּחְתַּי אַחַר שֶׁאֵרַסְתִּיהָ, וְאֵלוּ הֵן עֵדַי שֶׁזִּנְּתָה בִּפְנֵיהֶן'.
The court then listens to the words of the witnesses and examines their testimony. If the truth of the claim is substantiated, the girl is executed by stoning.19 If the girl’s father brings witnesses who nullify the testimony of the witnesses,20 and it is determined that they testified falsely, the witnesses should be executed by stoning,21 the husband should be flogged, and he should pay 100 sela’im.22וּבֵית דִּין שׁוֹמְעִין דִּבְרֵי הָעֵדִים וְחוֹקְרִין עֵדוּתָן. אִם נִמְצָא הַדָּבָר אֱמֶת, נִסְקֶלֶת; וְאִם הֵבִיא הָאָב עֵדִים וְהֵזִימוּ הָעֵדִים שֶׁהֵבִיא הַבַּעַל, וְנִמְצְאוּ שֶׁהֵעִידוּ שֶׁקֶר - יִסָּקְלוּ, וְיִלְקֶה הוּא, וְיִתֵּן מֵאָה סֶלַע.
This is what is meant by Deuteronomy 22:17: “This is evidence of my daughter’s virginity” - i.e., these are the witnesses who nullify the testimony of the husband’s witnesses.וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר "וְאֵלֶּה בְּתוּלֵי בִתִּי" (דברים כב, יז) - אֵלּוּ הָעֵדִים שֶׁיָּזִימוּ עֵדֵי הַבַּעַל.
If the husband brings other witnesses who nullify the testimony23 of the father’s witnesses, the maiden and the father’s witness should be executed by stoning.24 This is what is meant by Deuteronomy 22:20: “If the accusation is true.” According to the Oral Tradition, the passage speaks of witnesses who nullify the testimony of other witnesses, and a third pair who nullify the testimony of the second pair.חָזַר הַבַּעַל וְהֵבִיא עֵדִים אֲחֵרִים, וְהֵזִים עֵדֵי הָאָב - הֲרֵי הַנַּעֲרָה וְעֵדֵי אָבִיהָ נִסְקָלִין, וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר "וְאִם אֱמֶת הָיָה הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה" (דברים כב, כ) - מִפִּי הַשְּׁמוּעָה לָמְדוּ שֶׁפָּרְשָׁה זוֹ, יֵשׁ בָּהּ עֵדִים וְזוֹמְמִין וְזוֹמְמֵי זוֹמְמִין.
7When a man issues a slanderous report about his wife after she becomes a bogeret, he is free of liability for the lashes and for the fine, even though his witnesses testify that she committed adultery when she was a na’arah.25זהוֹצִיא עָלֶיהָ שֵׁם רָע וְהִיא בּוֹגֶרֶת, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהֵבִיא עֵדִים שֶׁזִּנְּתָה תַּחְתָּיו כְּשֶׁהָיְתָה נַעֲרָה - הֲרֵי זֶה פָּטוּר מִן הַמַּלְקוּת וּמִן הַקְּנָס.
If the accusations are proven true, the girl should be executed by stoning, even though she is a bogeret.26 The rationale is that she was a na’arah when she committed adultery.וְאִם נִמְצָא הַדָּבָר אֱמֶת - הֲרֵי זוֹ תִּסָּקֵל, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהִיא בּוֹגֶרֶת, הוֹאִיל וּבְעֵת שֶׁזִּנְּתָה נַעֲרָה הָיְתָה.
8Whenever a na’arah is not entitled to a fine if she was raped or seduced,27 her husband is not punished by flogging or by a fine if he issues a slanderous report about her.חכָּל נַעֲרָה שֶׁאֵין לָהּ קְנָס אִם נֶאְנְסָה אוֹ נִתְפַּתְּתָה - כָּךְ הַמּוֹצִיא עָלֶיהָ שֵׁם רָע פָּטוּר מִן הַמַּלְקוּת וּמִן הַתַּשְׁלוּמִין.
In addition, when a non-Jewish girl was converted below the age of three or a maidservant was freed below the age of three,28 her husband is not punished by flogging or by a fine if he issues a slanderous report about her. This applies even if a girl was conceived before her mother was converted and born after she was converted. The rationale is based on Deuteronomy 22:19: “Because the husband defamed the virtue of an Israelite maiden.” Implied is that she must be conceived and born as an Israelite.וְכֵן הַנָּכְרִית שֶׁנִּתְגַּיְּרָה וְהַשִּׁפְחָה שֶׁנִּשְׁתַּחְרְרָה פְּחוּתָה מִבַּת שָׁלוֹשׁ שָׁנִים - אַפִלּוּ הָיְתָה הוֹרָתָהּ שֶׁלֹּא בִּקְדֻשָּׁה וְלֵידָתָהּ בִּקְדֻשָּׁה - הַמּוֹצִיא עָלֶיהָ שֵׁם רָע פָּטוּר מִן הַקְּנָס וּמִן הַמַּלְקוּת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "כִּי הוֹצִיא שֵׁם רָע עַל בְּתוּלַת יִשְׂרָאֵל" (דברים כב, יט) - עַד שֶׁתִּהְיֶה הוֹרָתָהּ וְלֵידָתָהּ בִּקְדֻשָּׁה.
9A man is not held liable when his witnesses are discovered to have lied in the following situation. He consecrates a maiden and divorces her, consecrates her again and then issues a slanderous report about her, bringing witnesses who say that she committed adultery during the first time she had been consecrated.29טקִדֵּשׁ נַעֲרָה וְגֵרְשָׁהּ, וְחָזַר וְקִדְּשָׁהּ, וְהוֹצִיא עָלֶיהָ שֵׁם רָע, וְהֵבִיא עֵדִים שֶׁזִּנְּתָה תַּחְתָּיו בַּקִּדּוּשִׁין הָרִאשׁוֹנִים, וְנִמְצְאוּ זוֹמְמִים - הֲרֵי זֶה פָּטוּר.
Similarly, a man is not held liable to be flogged or for a fine when his witnesses are discovered to have lied in the following situation. He issues a slanderous report about his yevamah, bringing witnesses who say that she committed adultery during the time she had been consecrated to his brother.30וְכֵן אִם הָיְתָה יְבִמְתּוֹ שֶׁכְּנָסָהּ, וְהוֹצִיא עָלֶיהָ שֵׁם רָע, וְהֵבִיא עֵדִים שֶׁזִּנְּתָה תַּחַת קִדּוּשֵׁי אָחִיו, וְנִמְצְאוּ זוֹמְמִים - הֲרֵי זֶה פָּטוּר מִן הַמַּלְקוּת וּמִן הַתַּשְׁלוּמִין.
Whenever a man is not liable to be flogged and fined, he may divorce his wife if he desires to.31 וְכָל הַפְָטוּר - אִם רָצָה לְגָרֵשׁ, יְגָרֵשׁ.
10A man is not liable for these penalties unless he engages in relations with his wife in the ordinary manner and issues a slanderous report about her, saying that she engaged in relations previously in the ordinary manner.32 If he engaged in marital relations in an improper manner with his wife, and said that he discovered that she was not a virgin,33 he is not liable for these penalties. He is, however, given stripes for rebellious conduct.34 יאֵינוֹ חַיָּב עַד שֶׁיִּבְעֹל אוֹתָהּ כְּדַרְכָּהּ וְיוֹצִיא שֵׁם רָע כְּדַרְכָּהּ. בְּעָלָהּ שֶׁלֹּא כְּדַרְכָּהּ וְאָמַר 'לֹא מְצָאתִיהָ בְּתוּלָה' - פָּטוּר, וּמַכִּין אוֹתוֹ מַכַּת מַרְדּוּת.
11Similarly, if he says, “I discovered that she was not a virgin,” but does not say that she committed adultery after he had consecrated her,35 or if he claims that she committed adultery but did not bring witnesses, but rather the witnesses came on their own initiative, he is not liable for these penalties. Nevertheless, the witnesses are executed if their testimony is nullified.36 יאוְכֵן אִם אָמַר 'לֹא מְצָאתִיהָ בְּתוּלָה', וְלֹא אָמַר 'שֶׁזִּנְּתָה תַּחְתַּי', אוֹ שֶׁאָמַר 'זִנְּתָה תַּחְתַּי', וְלֹא הֵבִיא עֵדִים אֶלָא בָּאוּ מֵאֵלֵיהֶם - הֲרֵי זֶה פָּטוּר, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהָעֵדִים נֶהְרָגִים אִם הוּזָמוּ.
12The Torah’s statement Deuteronomy 22:17: “They will then spread the garment” is a euphemism. The intent is that they debate the private aspects of this matter.37 Similarly, other expressions in the passage are to be understood non-literally. For example, “This is evidence of my daughter’s virginity” means “these are the witnesses who nullify the testimony of the husband’s witnesses.”יבזֶה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בַּתּוֹרָה "וּפָרְשׂוּ הַשִּׂמְלָה" (דברים כב, יז) - לְשׁוֹן כָּבוֹד, שֶׁנוֹשְׂאִין וְנוֹתְנִין בְּסִתְרֵי הַדָּבָר. וְכֵן זֶה שֶׁיֹּאמַר הָאָב "וְאֵלֶּה בְּתוּלֵי בִתִּי" (שם), הֵן זוֹמְמֵי עֵדֵי הַבַּעַל.
The death penalty issued “if the accusation is true” is issued only when she has committed adultery after being consecrated and is observed by witnesses,38 as implied by Deuteronomy 22:21: “acting immorally in her father’s house.”39 Before she is consecrated,40 the Torah does not hold her liable at all, and a person who engages in relations with her is liable only for a financial penalty, whether he seduced her or raped her.וְזֶה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְאִם אֱמֶת הָיָה הַדָּבָר" (דברים כב, כ) - תֵּהָרֵג בְּשֶׁזִּנְּתָה אַחַר הָאֵרוּסִין בְּעֵדִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "לִזְנוֹת בֵּית אָבִיהָ" (דברים כב, כא); אֲבָל קֹדֶם הָאֵרוּסִין, כְּבָר דָּנָה תּוֹרָה בָּהּ שֶׁהִיא פְּטוּרָה מִכְּלוּם, וּבוֹעֲלָהּ חַיָּב בְּתַשְׁלוּמֵי מָמוֹן בִּלְבַד, בֵּין פִּתָּה בֵּין אָנַס.