daf bit: Ketuvot 54

[cellio]

A mishna in Mesechet Ketuvot teaches that while the amount of a bride's ketubah is fixed by law (200 zuz for a virgin, etc), a man may nonetheless add to this amount (perhaps to entice her to accept the proposal?). The mishna teaches that, if so, this additional amount becomes mandatory; it is not an optional gift that the man (or his heirs) can withdraw. Further, Rabbi Meir ruled that a man who has relations with a woman without meeting the statutory minimum commits an act of prostitution. (54b)

Comments

[dsrtao]

Now, the obvious follow-up question is this: what was 200 zuz (zuzim?) worth?

[caryabend.livejournal.com]

There's a goat joke in here somewhere. :)

[zevabe.livejournal.com]

There are several ways to calculate this:
#1) 200 zuz is based on 50 silver selaim/shekels mentioned in the Torah for raping/seducing a girl (age is a factor here, but I don't recall the relevant ages. Young by modern standards clearly). This is 10 times as much as the 5 selaim required for redeeming a firstborn son. The coins used for this ceremony generally cost 90-100 dollars. So 200 zuz is worth $900-$1000.

#2) 200 zuz is expected to support the woman for one year. One year's support costs several thousand dollars today. Since we see many things related to ketuba are according to the higher of the woman's standard of living or the man's, one could argue that this is one year of support similar to the standards she has been receiving to this point, so rent and food at her current standard of living.

#3) 200 zuz is enough to buy 100 goats. This is only applicable where the ketuba is signed on seder night.