How many marriages are allowed in Judaism?

[JustaGuy]

Are Jews allowed to keep more than 1 wives like in Islam?
As in Old Testament Kings and ordinary people had many wives and concubines like David & Solomon, Elkanah in 1 Samuel, he das 2 wives......and it was allowed by God apparently... But some say they are allowed only 1 wife and can divorce and remarry.
I'm confused...

 

[Usagi393]

Jews basically started the concept of monogamy and they keep with it.

 

[MRSeAe]

In Israel today, a man is allowed one wife - at a time.

Only a man can get a divorce, a woman cannot get one on her own.

That is the law.

 

[allonyoav]

According to the Torah there is no limitation on the number of wives. However, you find that Jewish law while allowing multiple wives has never been encouraging of it and the word used in Hebrew for a co-wife is a "Tzarah", from the same root word as "Tzoros" "Trouble". In the 10th century, Rabbeinu Gershom Meor HaGeulah issued a ruling that forbade multiple wives as he felt that this was leading to the abuse of women. His ruling waas accepted by the Ashkenazi Jewish community from the start, but was not initially accepted by many Sephardi communities at the time though over time they have also adopted his ruling.

So, until the 10th century, multiple wives were allowed, as was divorce and marrying someone else. Since then, multiple wives have not been allowed, divorce and marrying someone else.

Just a quik note on remarriage: You can only remarry someone you have divorced if they have not been with someone else. Once your ex-wife has been with someone else, the Torah forbids you from remarrying her