1,569. A Woman Who is Taken Captive

Hilchos Ishus 14:18

If a woman is taken captive, her husband must ransom her. If he is a kohein, he must ransom her and return her to her father’s house because she is now prohibited to him. If he is in a different city, he must continue to support her until she is returned to her own place, at which time he must divorce her and pay her the value of her kesubah. If the husband is a Yisroel, who is permitted to remain married to a woman after she has been taken captive, then he must restore her to her position as his wife, as she was before. If he wishes, he may divorce her subsequently, paying her the value of her kesubah.

Hilchos Ishus 14:19

A husband is not required to ransom his wife for more than a certain amount of money. The laws of ransoming one’s wife are the same as the laws of ransoming anyone else taken captive. If the ransom exceeds the value of her kesubah, her husband does not have the option to divorce her, pay her kesubah, and let her ransom herself. Rather, he is compelled to redeem her even if the ransom is ten times what her kesubah is worth, or equal to all his assets. This is only the case the first time she is taken captive. If he ransoms her and she is taken captive again, then he may divorce her if he wishes, paying her the value of her kesubah, and letting her ransom herself.