Ketubah

A ketubah (.] The "ketubah" became a mechanism whereby the amount due to the wife (the dower) came to be paid in the event of the cessation of marriage, either by the death of the husband or divorce. It may be noted that the biblical bride price created a major social problem: many young prospective husbands could not raise the bride price at the time when they would normally be expected to marry. So, to enable these young men to marry, the rabbis, in effect, delayed the time that the amount would be payable, when they would be more likely to have the sum. The mechanism adopted was to provide for the bride price to be a part of the "ketubah". It may also be noted that both the dower and the "ketubah" amounts served the same purpose: the protection for the wife should her support (either by death or divorce) cease. The only difference between the two systems was the timing of the payment. It is the predecessor to the wife's present-day entitlement to maintenance in the event of the breakup of marriage. Another function performed by the "ketubah" amount was to provide a disincentive for the husband contemplating divorcing his wife: he would need to have the amount to be able to pay to the wife.

Role in Wedding Ceremony

The "ketubah" is signed by two witnesses and traditionally read out under the huppa. It is then handed to the bride for safekeeping.

Design and Language

Contemporary "ketubot" have many different styles of language and designs, depending on the beliefs and traditions of the couple. Traditionally, the language of the "ketubah" formalises the various requirements by the Torah of a Jewish husband "vis à vis" his wife (e.g. giving her adequate resources for dress, and providing her with regular sexual intercourse), and stipulates the sum to be paid by him in case of divorce, which is 200 "Zuz" (a Talmudic currency) - generally considered the sum to support oneself financially for a full year. A traditional "ketubah" is written in Aramaic.

Reform Jews permit personal innovation in the text of "ketubot". Interfaith couples, for example, often opt for more egalitarian language, similar in tone to marriage vows, which stress the values on which they base their relationship and marriage (love, companionship, family, tradition, etc.). The text used in "ketubot" under Reform auspices may be a traditional text, accompanied by a more creative, poetic and egalitarian rendition in English. Because there are a variety of available texts, betrothed couples often consult their rabbi or wedding officiant in order to determine which text is right for them. Recent non-standard texts provide options for same gender couples, couples with only one Jewish partner, secular humanists, and other individually crafted commitment texts.

Conservative Jews often include an additional paragraph, called the Lieberman clause, which stipulates that divorce will be adjudicated by a modern rabbinical court (a beth din) in order to prevent the problem of the agunah.

After Marriage

The ketubah is one popular form of Jewish art, or judaica, found in the home. Ketubot are often hung prominently in the home by the married couple as a daily reminder of their vows and responsibilities to each other. Ketubot have been made in a wide range of designs, usually following the tastes and styles of the era and region in which they are made. Many couples follow the Jewish tradition of hiddur mitzvah which calls for ceremonial objects such as the ketubah to be made as beautiful as possible.

References

ee also

* Judaism
* Jewish view of marriage
* Nikah (Muslim marriage contract)
* Quaker wedding (Christian marriage "by declaration" signed by all witnesses present at wedding)

External links

* [http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/477336/jewish/The-Ketubah-Marriage-Contract.htm Ketubah Guide]
* [http://jnul.huji.ac.il/dl/ketubbot/ Ketubbot collection, Jewish National and University Library]
* [http://judaism.about.com/library/3_askrabbi_o/bl_simmons_divorceliebermanget.htm Description of the Lieberman Clause]
* [http://www.judaicconnection.com/helpfaq3.php Traditional Aramaic Translation]
* [http://www.modernketubah.com/ketubah_translation.php Translation of the traditional Orthodox and Conservative ketubah texts]
* [http://www.judaica-guide.com/ketubah/ Ketubah in the Judaica Guide]
* [http://www.modernketubah.com/ketubah_interfaith.php Article on how interfaith couples add a ketubah to their ceremony]
* [http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/sacredtexts/ketubahitaly.html Ketubah from Ancona, Italy, 1776: information, zoomable image] British Library website