daf bit: Ketuvot 103

[cellio]

The mishna teaches: should a widow say "I have no desire to move from my husband's house", the heirs cannot tell her to go back to her father's house, even if they promise to pay her maintenance. Rather, they must maintain her in her husband's house. The gemara adds that she may use not only her husband's house but also his bondsmen, the silver and gold utensils, and the furnishings, just as during his lifetime. (103a)

Comments

[byronhaverford.livejournal.com]

It is interesting that bondsmen are heritable, just as slaves are. That might make for some uncomfortable situations, depending on what caused one to be bound.

[cellio]

It makes sense that they would be heritable; they represent both a debt and a service, so if the widow can use the other assets, she should get those ones too. If this creates a bad situation (I'm not sure how common that would be), I wouldn't be surprised to learn that there's what amounts to a trade market. (I would expect all parties to have to agree, of course.)