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Marriage in Judaism is technically a purchase of a woman with at least two witnesses. So, I was wondering if it's technically possible for man A to negotiate the purchase of the wife of man B (to then directly become the wife of man A).

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    Deut. 21 , 10 - 14 in part: "..and you see among the captives a beautiful woman and you desire her, you may take [her] for yourself as a wife.....And it will be, if you do not desire her, then you shall send her away wherever she wishes, but you shall not sell her for money..."
    – David Kenner
    Commented Apr 16, 2018 at 5:19
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    Deut. 24 1-4 in part: "When a man takes a wife and is intimate with her, and it happens that she does not find favor in his eyes...and he writes for her a bill of divorce and places it into her hand, and sends her away from his house, and she leaves his house and goes and marries another man,..."
    – David Kenner
    Commented Apr 16, 2018 at 5:21
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    "is technically a purchase of a woman with at least two witnesses" I don't think that's accurate
    – Double AA ♦
    Commented Apr 16, 2018 at 11:55

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The short answer is no the only way a married woman can marry someone else, is by first receiving a get from the first husband, or after the death of her husband. (Rambam Hilchot Ishus 1:3)

And as soon as she receives the get she is free to do as she pleases, so if the first husband made a deal with someone else, she is not bound to follow it. And if the husband gives her a get and tell her that she's divorced as long as she marries B, that's not a valid divorce (Rambam Gerushin perek 8)

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    And one other thing: Desiring someone else's wife to the extent of wanting to purchase her is probably also a violation of "do not covet"
    – b a
    Commented Apr 23, 2018 at 16:49
  • I seem to recall hearing/seeing somewher that if a 'deal' is made where Man 1 divorces his wife so that Man 2 can marry her, it is actually forbidden for the second man to marry he (even if both men and the woman are agreeable to it). Don't have any sources for it though, which is why this is a comment here instead of another answer.
    – Salmononius2
    Commented Apr 23, 2018 at 17:00

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