Positive Mitzvah 220: "HaMefateh"
Exodus 22:15 "If a man seduces a maiden..."

This Positive Mitzvah concerns the penalty and obligations of a man who persuades a girl to transgress the Torah laws of proper marriage.

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Positive Mitzvah 218: "HaOness"
Deuteronomy 22:29 "And she shall be his wife"

A man who forcefully takes a girl as a wife without following the Torah law for a proper wedding procedure is commanded to marry that girl in the proper manner.

They must remain married for the rest of their lives (see Negative Mitzvah 358).

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Negative Mitzvah 358: It is forbidden to divorce a woman who was taken forcefully as a wife
Deuteronomy 22:29 "And she shall be his wife, because he has humbled her, he may not send her away as long as he lives"

A person who forcefully takes a woman as his wife is obligated to show her respect and consideration.

The Torah commands him to stay married to her and he is forbidden to divorce her (see Positive Mitzvah 218).

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Positive Mitzvah 219: Staying married to a defamed wife
Deuteronomy 22:19 "And she shall be his wife"

If a man accuses his wife of not conducting herself properly and, therefore, wants to divorce her, the court must investigate his claim.

If his complaint is proven false, he is commanded to remain married to her for the rest of their lives. It is hoped that he will appease her and that she will forgive him. They will then put effort into recreating a pleasant marriage together (see Negative Mitzvah 359).

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Negative Mitzvah 359: It is forbidden to divorce a wife who has been falsely accused of indecency
Deuteronomy 22:19 "He may not send her away as long as he lives"

A person who defames his wife by accusing her of indecent behavior must prove her guilty in Beit-Din.

If the accusation is proven to be false, the husband is obligated to make amends to his embarrassed wife (See Positive Mitzvah 219).

The Torah commands him to stay married to her and never divorce her. He should try hard to please her and make a happy home.

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A good barometer to determine whether something will be of benefit materially, is whether it is the proper thing to do spiritually. A business venture that implies breaking your moral principles will also be detrimental materially.

At times, we experience tremendous pressure when our ethics seem to stand in the way of success -- but this is only an illusion. The spiritual and the material are in conflict only to our subjective eyes -- in fact, they work in harmony as one.

From: "Bringing Heaven Down to Earth" by Tzvi Freeman - tzvif@aol.com members.aol.com/tzviF