On Thu, 18 Oct 2012 19:20:13 -0400, S Viemeister
wrote:

On 10/18/2012 7:12 PM, Jerry Friedman wrote:

And also because being orphaned as a child and being widowed (in the
old days) made drastic changes in one's social, economic, and legal
position, requiring the help that's mentioned so often in the Bible.
(I don't think it mentions taking care of widowers.)

Widowers often found a new, young wife. Widows often didn't find a new
husband.

Unless they had become wealthy on the death of their husband (or in
their own right).
Penniless male members of the aristocracy have always looked for rich
women to marry, widows being no exception to someone past his
oats-sowing days.
--
Robin Bignall
(BrE)
Herts, England