2,198. A Widow to a Kohein Gadol

Hilchos Issurei Biah 17:2

If a kohein or a Kohein Gadol marries and is intimate with one of the three prohibited women, he receives lashes. If he is intimate with her outside of marriage, he is not lashed for a zonah, a divorcee or a chalalah as per Leviticus 21:7, “They shall not take.” He is not liable unless he takes he takes her in marriage and is intimate with her.

Hilchos Issurei Biah 17:3

Counter to the previous halacha, if a Kohein Gadol is intimate with a widow, he is lashed even if he didn’t betroth her as per Leviticus 21:15, “He shall not desecrate.” As soon as he is intimate with her, he invalidates her for marrying a kohein, which is the aforementioned desecration. A zonah, chalalah and divorcee, however, may not marry a kohein even before one is intimate with them. For this reason, a Kohein Gadol receives lashes just for intimacy with a widow even without betrothal. He is warned against invalidating people of otherwise acceptable lineage – both women and his potential offspring.