Going Bankrupt to Support Wife
Question
Is a man permitted to get into huge amounts of debt and drive himself toward bankruptcy in order to please his wife and keep their marriage happy when she has heavy materialistic cravings and no amount of counseling can curb her desires, and if those needs of hers are not met, marital harmony is compromised?
Answers
In general, it is forbidden for a person to take upon himself loans and to go into debt when he knows he will not be able to pay back. I would assume that this is applicable when it comes to marital harmony as well. However, your question can really only be answered by someone who is familiar with both the relationship between the husband and the wife and the complicated relationship that the wife has with material things. Only then can someone give an objective and accurate ruling.
Best wishes from the AskTheRabbi.org Team