Monday, October 27, 2008

Kiddushin 19 - Designation of a Hebrew Maidservant as a Wife

A man who has bought a Hebrew maidservant can designate her as his wife, without the need for Kiddushin money, but with her knowledge. Can he do this for his son, who is a minor? Does the phrase "or to his son” mean that the son can be any age or must be like his father, an adult?

Answer: While a nine-year-old CAN acquire a wife in a levirate marriage if his brother dies by having marital relations with her, the designation of a maidservant as a wife is not possible until the son is an adult.

Art: The Proposal by Charles Edouard Delort

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