1,849. "He Died in the Plague."

Hilchos Geirushin 13:7

If there was a plague in the world and a woman claimed that her husband died, she is taken at her word because, when it comes to a plague, it’s common knowledge that some people will live and others will die. It’s entirely possible that strong young men will die from a plague while older, more frail people may survive. Because of this, we are not concerned that she may have relied on the law of averages to assume that he died.

Hilchos Geirushin 13:8

We said in the previous chapter (halacha 12:15) that a witness who reports hearsay is acceptable when it comes to verifying a husband’s death. This is true so long as one heard a mentally-sound adult – even a male or a female servant – say that the man died. However, if one heard the statement from an adult with impaired faculties or from a minor, he may not testify, nor do we rely on their words.