1,692. When the Husband Develops a Blemish

Hilchos Ishus 25:10

Similar to the scenario in the previous halacha, if a woman develops a blemish after marriage, even leprosy, it’s her husband’s loss. If he wants to divorce her, he must pay her the value of her kesubah.

Hilchos Ishus 25:11

If the husband develops a blemish after marriage, even the loss of a hand or a foot, or if he loses vision in one of his eyes, with the result that his wife no longer wants to live with him, he is not obligated to divorce her and pay her the value of her kesubah. If she doesn’t want to remain married, she can be divorced without being paid, similar to the case of a spouse who acts spitefully. However, if a man develops bad breath or an odor from his nose, or if he gets a job collecting dog excrement, mining copper or tanning hides (all of which smell bad), then he must divorce his wife and pay her value of her kesubah, though they may obviously remain married if she so desires.