Our Gemara on amud aleph asserts a principle of human nature that is used to validate numerous halachic presumptions throughout Shas: “A person will not voluntarily waste their money.”

Thus, if there are certain obvious omissions in a contract, we do not assume the person agreed to such unfavorable terms, and we consider if it was written, 

In another Gemara Kesuvos (36b) a similar presumption is made regarding a Cohen who paid ransom for a captured Jewish maiden. Should he later wish to marry her, and he attests that he knew that she was raped (as a cohen is forbidden to marry someone who had prior relations with a forbidden person, such as a gentile), he is believed.  This trust is given by virtue of the fact that he would not have personally spent all of his own funds unless he knew that she might be a suitable marriage partner, and thus must have investigated her status.  If on the other hand, he testified first that she was not sexually violated, he may not marry her, as we suspect ulterior motives. In other words, if he takes the risk of spending his own funds, not knowing if his testimony would be accepted, that in and of itself, demonstrates his confidence that she was not molested, as he would not risk such a large sum. (I assume it is because he spent his own money exclusively, as opposed to running up a collection and community effort. After all, regardless of her suitability as a marriage partner, all Jews are obligated to assist in securing her freedom.)  

There are mystical commentaries that use this idea to understand how God related to the Jewish people when redeeming them from Egyptian captivity.  Benei Yissachar (NIsan 5) and Rosh Dovid (Shemos 2) both develop a similar idea.  God is described as a Cohen (Sanhedrin 39a) and his spending “great wealth” (the miracles and wonders of the Exodus) attests to his belief in the faithfulness of the Jewish people.

There are countless depictions in the prophets of God presented as the husband of an unfaithful spouse, who nonetheless forgives betrayal and takes her back. Speaking for God, Yeshaiyahu (50:1) exclaims, and I poetically paraphrase, “And where is there evidence of divorce papers or that I sent her away? It is only your own sins that drove you away (not my rejection.)” The prophet Hoshea does not stop there, but actually married an unfaithful woman and experiences her numerous betrayals, while still reconciling with her AFTER she tires of her lovers and comes crawling back, while all the while he was secretly supporting her (Hoshea 2:7-10) :

כִּ֤י זָֽנְתָה֙ אִמָּ֔ם הֹבִ֖ישָׁה הוֹרָתָ֑ם כִּ֣י אָמְרָ֗ה אֵלְכָ֞ה אַחֲרֵ֤י מְאַֽהֲבַי֙ נֹתְנֵ֤י לַחְמִי֙ וּמֵימַ֔י צַמְרִ֣י וּפִשְׁתִּ֔י שַׁמְנִ֖י וְשִׁקּוּיָֽי׃

In that their mother has played the whore, She that conceived them has acted shamelessly—Because she thought, “I will go after my lovers,Who supply my bread and my water, My wool and my linen, My oil and my drink.” 

וְהִיא֙ לֹ֣א יָֽדְעָ֔ה כִּ֤י אָנֹכִי֙ נָתַ֣תִּי לָ֔הּ הַדָּגָ֖ן וְהַתִּיר֣וֹשׁ וְהַיִּצְהָ֑ר וְכֶ֨סֶף הִרְבֵּ֥יתִי לָ֛הּ וְזָהָ֖ב עָשׂ֥וּ לַבָּֽעַל׃

And she did not consider this: It was I who bestowed on her. The new grain and wine and oil;I who lavished silver on her. And gold—which they used for Baal.

This theme that God is the ever forgiving and long suffering lover of the unfaithful Jewish people has powerful lessons.  Most of us can forgive many transgressions. However, betrayals of fidelity are particularly difficult, because they undermine the basic security and sanctity of the relationship.  Yet, and yet, God believes in us and forgives our repeated perfidious breaches. This might inspire us at times to forgive our spouses - even for the unforgivable.

Translations Courtesy of Sefaria, except when, sometimes, I disagree with the translation

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