2,219. The Limits of a Father's Authority

Hilchos Issurei Biah 18:23

If two witnesses arrive and testify that a woman had been molested by her captors, then even if she married a kohein and had children with him, they must separate. If only one witness came and testified about her, his testimony carries no weight. If a woman says that she was captured but not molested and that she has witnesses to that effect, the court doesn’t wait for her witnesses to come. Rather, she is immediately granted permission to marry a kohein. Not only that, even if there’s a rumor that there are witnesses that she was molested, she is given permission to marry a kohein until such witnesses arrive. Once again, this is because we act leniently when it comes to a captive woman.

Hilchos Issurei Biah 18:24

Let’s say that a father claims to have betrothed his daughter to a man, plus he had her divorced. He is taken at his word so long as his daughter is still a minor. If she has reached the age of majority and he claims to have betrothed his daughter to a man and had her divorced while she was still a minor, his word is not accepted as far as her being divorced. If he says that his daughter was held captive and he redeemed her, his word is not taken regardless of her age. This is because the Torah only declares him trustworthy when it comes to prohibiting her based on marriage, as per Deuteronomy 22:16, “I gave my daughter to this man.” He doesn’t have the authority to prohibit her over claims of illicit relations.