1,652. Property the Husband Doesn't Know About

Hilchos Ishus 22:8

The law in the previous halacha about a husband seizing property that his late wife sold only applies to property that he knew about. If a woman inherits land overseas without her husband knowing about it, then if she sells it, the sale is binding. Similarly, if she sells property after being betrothed but before the marriage is finalized, the sale is binding. This is because a husband only acquires rights to his wife’s property upon finalization of the marriage.

Hilchos Ishus 22:9

Let’s say that, before a woman marries, she signs all her property over to another person, either a relative or not. Even if there is a condition that this gift is voided if she is divorced or widowed, her husband is entitled to no benefit from income generated by this property; if she predeceases her husband, he does not inherit this property. The reason for this is because she gave the property away before she was married. If she predeceases her husband, the recipient of the gift takes full possession of it. The same applies even if she gave away just some of her property before marrying, writing in the contract that the recipient acquires the property from that time forward contingent upon her consent. Even though the recipient doesn’t take full possession until the woman gives consent, her husband doesn’t receive benefit from income generated by that property, and if she predeceases him, he doesn’t inherit it.