KTUBAH
On the ______day of the week, the _________day of the month ______ in the year five thousand seven hundred and ______ since the creation of the world, the era according to which we reckon here in the city of _________________ that ________ son of _________ said to this (virgin) _________daughter of _____.
"Be my wife according to the practice of Moses and Israel, and I will cherish, honor, support and maintain you in accordance with the custom of Jewish husbands who cherish, honor, support and maintain their wives faithfully. And I here present you with the marriage gift of (virgins), (two hundred) silver zuzim, which belongs to you, according the the law of Moses and Israel; and I will also give you your food, clothing and necessities, and live with you as husband and wife according to universal custom." And Miss_____, this (virgin) consented and became his wife. The trousseau that she brought to him from her (father's) house in silver, gold, valuables, clothing, furniture and bedclothes, all this ________, the said bridegroom accepted in the sum of (one hundred ) silver pieces, and ______ the bridegroom, consented to increase this amount from his own property with the sum of (one hundred) silver pieces, making in all (two hundred) silver pieces. And thus said __________, the bridegroom: "The responsibility of this marriage contract, of this trousseau, and of this additional sum, I take upon myself and my heirs after me, so that they shall be paid from the best part of my property and possession that I have beneath the whole heaven, that which I now possess or may hereafter acquire. All my property, real and personal, even the shirt from my back, shall be mortgaged to secure the payment of this marriage contract, of the trousseau, and of the addition made to it, during my lifetime and after my death, from the present day and forever." _______, the bridegroom, has taken upon himself the responsibility of this marriage contract, of the trousseau and the additon made to it, according to the restrictive usages of all marriage contracts and the additons to them made for the daughters of Israel, according to the institution of our sages of blessed memory. It is not to be regarded as a mere forfeiture without consideration or as a mere formula of a document. We have followed the legal formality of symbolic delivery (kinyan) between ______the son of _______, the bridegroom and _______ the daughter of _______ this (virgin), and we have used a garment legally fit for the purpose, to strengthen all that is stated above, and everything is valid and confirmed.
Attested to________________________ WitnessAttested to________________________ Witness
תניא נמי הכי בראשונה היו כותבין לבתולה מאתים ולאלמנה מנה והיו מזקינין ולא היו נושאין נשים התקינו שיהיו מניחין אותה בבית אביה ועדיין כשהוא כועס עליה אומר לה לכי אצל כתובתיך התקינו שיהיו מניחין אותה בבית חמיה... ועדיין כשכועס עליה אומר לה טלי כתובתיך וצאי עד שבא שמעון בן שטח ותיקן שיהא כותב לה כל נכסי אחראין לכתובתה:
At first they would write for a virgin two hundred and for a widow one hundred dinars, and they would grow old and would not marry women, The Sages therefore instituted an ordinance that they should place it, in her father’s house. And still when he was angry at his wife, he would say to her: Go to your marriage contract. Therefore, the Sages instituted that they would place it in her father-in-law’s house... And still, when he was angry at her he would say to her: Take your marriage contract and leave, until Shimon ben Shataḥ came and instituted an ordinance that, he should write to her: All my property is guaranteed for her marriage contract.
(א) במה מתחייב האדם לאשתו ובניו ובו ז"ס:
כשנושא אדם אשה מתחייב לה בעשרה דברים וזוכה בה בד' דברים אפי' לא נכתבו:
(ב) אלו הן הי' דברים מזונותיה וכסותה ועונתה ועיקר כתובתה ורפואתה ולפדותה אם נשבית וקבורתה ולהיות נזונת מנכסיו ויושבת בביתו אחר מותו כל זמן אלמנותה ולהיות בנותיו ניזונות אחר מותו עד שיתארסו ולהיות בניה הזכרים ממנו יורשים כתובתה יותר על חלקם בירושה שעם אחיהם:
(1) When a man marries a woman, he is obligated to her in ten things, and he merits [is owed] from her in four things, even if it is not written.
(2) These are the ten: her food, her clothing, her regular sexual relations, the core of her Ketubah, her healing, to redeem her if she is captured, her burial, that she be sustained from his possessions and live in his house after his death the whole time she is a widow, that her children be sustained after his death until they are engaged, that her sons from him inherit her ketubah more than their portion of inheritance that is with their siblings.
(י) כַּמָּה מְזוֹנוֹת פּוֹסְקִין לָאִשָּׁה. פּוֹסְקִין לָהּ לֶחֶם שְׁתֵּי סְעֻדּוֹת בְּכָל יוֹם סְעֻדָּה בֵּינוֹנִית שֶׁל כָּל אָדָם בְּאוֹתָהּ הָעִיר כְּאָדָם שֶׁאֵינוֹ לֹא חוֹלֶה וְלֹא גַּרְגְּרָן וּמֵאוֹתוֹ מַאֲכָל שֶׁל אַנְשֵׁי אוֹתָהּ הָעִיר. אִם חִטִּים חִטִּים וְאִם שְׂעוֹרִים שְׂעוֹרִים. וְכֵן אֹרֶז וְדֹחַן אוֹ מִשְּׁאָר מִינִין שֶׁנָּהֲגוּ בָּהֶן. וּפוֹסְקִין לָהּ פַּרְפֶּרֶת לֶאֱכל בָּהּ אֶת הַפַּת כְּגוֹן קִטְנִית אוֹ יְרָקוֹת וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶן. וְשֶׁמֶן לַאֲכִילָה וְשֶׁמֶן לְהַדְלָקַת הַנֵּר וּפֵרוֹת וּמְעַט יַיִן לִשְׁתּוֹת אִם הָיָה מִנְהַג הַמָּקוֹם שֶׁיִּשְׁתּוּ הַנָּשִׁים יַיִן. וּפוֹסְקִין לָהּ שָׁלֹשׁ סְעֵדּוֹת בְּשַׁבָּת וּבָשָׂר אוֹ דָּגִים כְּמִנְהַג הַמָּקוֹם. וְנוֹתֵן לָהּ בְּכָל שַׁבָּת וְשַׁבָּת מָעָה כֶּסֶף לִצְרָכֶיהָ כְּגוֹן פְּרוּטָה לְכִבּוּס אוֹ לְמֶרְחָץ וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶן:
(יא) בַּמֶּה דְּבָרִים אֲמוּרִים בְּעָנִי שֶׁבְּיִשְׂרָאֵל אֲבָל אִם הָיָה עָשִׁיר הַכּל לְפִי עָשְׁרוֹ. אֲפִלּוּ הָיָה מָמוֹנוֹ רָאוּי לַעֲשׂוֹת לָהּ כַּמָּה תַּבְשִׁילֵי בָּשָׂר בְּכָל יוֹם כּוֹפִין אוֹתוֹ וּפוֹסְקִין לָהּ מְזוֹנוֹת כְּפִי מָמוֹנוֹ. וְאִם הָיָה עָנִי בְּיוֹתֵר וְאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לִתֵּן לָהּ אֲפִלּוּ לֶחֶם שֶׁהִיא צְרִיכָה לוֹ כּוֹפִין אוֹתוֹ לְהוֹצִיא וְתִהְיֶה כְּתֻבָּתָהּ חוֹב עָלָיו עַד שֶׁתִּמְצָא יָדוֹ וְיִתֵּן:
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What is the amount that is designated for a woman's subsistence? We allot her bread for two meals every day, according to the norm of the people of her town, for a person who is neither sick nor a glutton.
The allotment is also made according to the type of bread eaten as a staple in that locale, be it wheat or barley, or rice, millet, or other grains, as is customary [in that locale]. Similarly, she is allotted other foods that are eaten together with bread - i.e., legumes, vegetables and the like. [She is also allotted] oil for food and to light a lamp and also fruit. She is also [allotted] a small amount of wine, if it is the local custom for women to drink wine.
On the Sabbath, she is allotted three meals,17 and meat or fish according to the local custom. And she is given a me'ah18 of silver for her private needs - e.g., a p'rutah for laundry, or for the bath and the like.
To whom does the above apply? To a poor Jewish man. But if the husband is wealthy, [the support he is required to provide his wife is apportioned] according to his wealth. If he is wealthy enough to provide her with several dishes of meat each day, he is compelled to do so, and she is allotted [subsistence] commensurate with his wealth.
If he is extremely poor and is unable to provide his wife with even the bread that she requires,19 he is compelled to divorce her.20 He remains indebted for her ketubah until he finds the means to provide payment for it.
..
(ד) וְכֵן מְחַיְּבִין אוֹתוֹ לִתֵּן לָהּ תַּכְשִׁיטִים כְּגוֹן בִּגְדֵי צִבְעוֹנִין לְהַקִּיף עַל רֹאשָׁהּ וּפַדַּחְתָּהּ וּפוּךְ וְשָׂרָק וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּהּ כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא תִּתְגַּנֶּה עָלָיו:
(ה) בַּמֶּה דְּבָרִים אֲמוּרִים בְּעָנִי שֶׁבְּיִשְׂרָאֵל אֲבָל בְּעָשִׁיר הַכּל לְפִי עָשְׁרוֹ. וַאֲפִלּוּ הָיָה רָאוּי לִקְנוֹת לָהּ כְּלֵי מֶשִׁי וְרִקְמָה וּכְלֵי זָהָב כּוֹפִין אוֹתוֹ וְנוֹתֵן. וְכֵן הַמָּדוֹר לְפִי עָשְׁרוֹ וְהַתַּכְשִׁיט וּכְלֵי הַבַּיִת הַכּל לְפִי עָשְׁרוֹ. וְאִם קָצְרָה יָדוֹ לִתֵּן לָהּ אֲפִלּוּ כְּעָנִי שֶׁבְּיִשְׂרָאֵל כּוֹפִין אוֹתוֹ לְהוֹצִיא וְתִהְיֶה הַכְּתֻבָּה עָלָיו חוֹב עַד שֶׁיַּעֲשִׁיר:
Similarly, he is obligated to provide her with ornaments - e.g., colored cloths to wrap her head and forehead, eye-makeup, rouge and the like - so that she will not appear unattractive to him.
דוכן מחייבין אותו ליתן לה תכשיטים כגון בגדי צבעונין להקיף על ראשה ופדחתה ופוך ושרק וכיוצא בה כדי שלא תתגנה עליו:
When does the above apply? With regard to a poor Jewish man. Concerning a rich man, by contrast, all [of his obligations are judged] according to the extent of his wealth.4 If it would be appropriate for him to buy her silk and embroidered clothing and golden articles, he is compelled to provide her with these.
Similarly, the dwelling [he is required to give her] is judged according to his wealth, as are the ornaments and the household goods. If he does not have the means to provide her with the minimum required of a poor Jewish man, he is compelled to divorce her.5 The money due her by virtue of her ketubah is considered to be a debt that he is required to pay when he gains the means.
...
(ו) וְאֵלּוּ יוֹצְאוֹת שֶׁלֹּא בִכְתֻבָּה, הָעוֹבֶרֶת עַל דַּת מֹשֶׁה וִיהוּדִית. וְאֵיזוֹ הִיא דַּת מֹשֶׁה, מַאֲכִילָתוֹ שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְעֻשָּׂר, וּמְשַׁמַּשְׁתּוֹ נִדָּה, וְלֹא קוֹצָה לָהּ חַלָּה, וְנוֹדֶרֶת וְאֵינָהּ מְקַיֶּמֶת. וְאֵיזוֹהִי דַת יְהוּדִית, יוֹצְאָה וְרֹאשָׁהּ פָּרוּעַ, וְטוֹוָה בַשּׁוּק, וּמְדַבֶּרֶת עִם כָּל אָדָם. אַבָּא שָׁאוּל אוֹמֵר, אַף הַמְקַלֶּלֶת יוֹלְדָיו בְּפָנָיו. רַבִּי טַרְפוֹן אוֹמֵר, אַף הַקּוֹלָנִית. וְאֵיזוֹ הִיא קוֹלָנִית, לִכְשֶׁהִיא מְדַבֶּרֶת בְּתוֹךְ בֵּיתָהּ וּשְׁכֵנֶיהָ שׁוֹמְעִין קוֹלָהּ:
(6) The following women are divorced, and do not receive [the amount of] their ketubah: One who violates Mosaic Law or Jewish custom. What constitutes [a violation of] Mosaic Law? If she feeds him untithed [food]; if she engages in intercourse with him while she was a niddah [a female who has menstrual discharges which render her impure]; if she does not set apart challah[a portion of a batch of bread dough given to a kohen which becomes holy upon separation, and can only be consumed by kohanim or their household]; and if she makes vows, but does not fulfill [them]. What constitutes [a violation of] Jewish custom? [If] she goes out [in public] with her hair uncovered; [if] she spins [thread] in the market, and converses [flirtatiously] with any man. Abba Saul says, "Also one who curses his children in his presence." Rabbi Tarfon says, "[Also] a noisy woman." What constitutes a noisy woman? One who speaks in her own house [so loudly] that her neighbors can hear her voice.