1,601. Dividing Property Among Multiple Wives
Hilchos Ishus 17:7
If “iron sheep” property was recorded in a kesubah and the woman says that it was lost or taken by her husband, she is treated like any other creditor in this matter. She must take an oath that she didn’t take possession of the property, give it away or waive her rights. After doing so, she receives a portion in her late husband’s estate along with all the other creditors.
Hilchos Ishus 17:8
If a man has many wives and dies or divorces them, and none of them has a greater claim to his property than any other, and his property is not sufficient to pay each of them what they are owed, his property is divided as follows: if it is only enough to pay the wife with the smallest kesubah, or if it is less than that, all of his wives divide the property equally. If his property is more valuable than that, it is divided equally based upon the wife with the smallest kesubah. What remains is divided among the rest of the wives in the same manner as follows:
Let’s say that a man has four wives with kesubahs worth 400 zuz, 300 zuz, 200 zuz, and 100 zuz, respectively, for a grand total of 1,000 zuz. If he divorces them all or dies, then if his property is worth 400 zuz or less, they divide it equally and each receives 100 zuz or less. If his property is worth 800 zuz, dividing it equally is inappropriate because the wife owed 100 zuz would receive 200 zuz. Therefore, in such a case, 400 zuz is taken out and divided equally among them, each receiving 100 zuz. The wife with the 100 zuz kesubah has now been paid in full and is no longer part of the equation. 400 zuz still remains for three wives, each of whom has already received 100 zuz. Dividing the remaining 400 zuz would be inappropriate because the wife owed 200 zuz would receive 233 zuz. Therefore, 300 zuz is taken and divided equally among these three wives. The wife owed 200 zuz is paid in full and no longer relevant. This leaves two wives and 100 zuz; they divide this money equally between them. In this way, wives #1 and #2 each receive 250 zuz, wife #3 receives 200 zuz, and wife #4 receives 100 zuz. This formula is followed even if there are 100 wives.