582 - Regulations for Sexual Purity
Regulations for Sexual Purity “Suppose a man marries a woman, but after sleeping with her, he turns against her …and publicly accuses her of shameful conduct, saying,… ‘When I married this woman, I discovered she was not a virgin.’ Then, the woman’s father and mother must bring the proof of her virginity, to the elders, as they hold court, at the town gate. Her father must say to them,… ‘I gave my daughter to this man, to be his wife, and now he has turned against her. He has accused her of shameful conduct, saying,… “I discovered that your daughter was not a virgin.” But here is the proof, of my daughter’s virginity.’ Then, they must spread her bed sheet before the elders. The elders must then take the man …and punish him. They must also fine him 100 pieces of silver, which he must pay, to the woman’s father, because he publicly accused a virgin of Israel, of shameful conduct. The woman will then remain the man’s wife, …and he may never divorce her. “But, suppose the man’s