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Q&A Does a husband have to maintain his wife's bondwomen?

I previously asked this question on Mi Yodeya and while I didn't get a full answer, I received a hint in a comment and will expand it here. The Rambam in Hilchot Avadim 9:7 writes: A master may te...

posted 3y ago by Monica Cellio‭

Answer
#1: Initial revision by user avatar Monica Cellio‭ · 2020-06-28T19:02:11Z (over 3 years ago)
I previously asked this question on Mi Yodeya and while I didn't get a full answer, I received a hint in a comment and will expand it here.

The Rambam in [Hilchot Avadim 9:7](https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/1363819/jewish/Avadim-Chapter-Nine.htm) writes:

> A master may tell his Canaanite slave: "Work for me, but I will not provide you with sustenance," and the slave must instead, go and beg from door to door and derive his sustenance from charity. For the Jews are obligated to support the slaves that live among them.
>
> When does the above apply? To a man's own slaves. For the court does not take any steps to protect the property of adults. If a person does not provide food and drink for his slaves in a fitting manner, they will flee or die. And a person has greater concern for his own money than anyone else. **Different rules apply, however, to slaves that his wife brought to his household as *nichsei m'log*. He is obligated to provide for their sustenance, for this is one of the conditions of bringing them to his household.** For if the husband does not provide them with sustenance, they will die or flee, and he is not responsible for them.

According to this Rambam the husband must support bondwomen his wife already had at the time of the marriage.  I couldn't find anything there that addresses the case of bondwomen acquired after the marriage.  I suppose that would depend on whether a wife is even *able* to acquire bondwomen; I assumed that she could, because she can have money of her own, but if doing so would place a burden on her husband then perhaps she cannot.