daf bit: Ketubot 3

[cellio]

We now move on to a new tractate, Ketubot. A ketubah is the marriage contract that a man gives his wife, guaranteeing her certain rights (particularly in the event that the marriage ends, but also his marital obligations to her).

The first mishna of this tractate teaches: a maiden is married on the fourth day of the week and a widow on the fifth, because the courts of justice sit twice a week in the towns, on the second and fifth days, so a man who finds that his bride is not a maiden after all can go early on the morning of the fifth day to court (to seek an adjustment of the ketubah). In the g'mara R. Shmuel b. Yitzchak says: this timing was true only from the time of Ezra; before that the courts sat every day so a woman could be married on any day. And further, he says, if there are courts today that sit like they did before Ezra, then for the same reason weddings may occur on other days. (2a mishna, 3a g'mara)

Lest you wonder why the first day isn't given as another option for maidens (because the courts sit on the second day), the g'mara says that he should be preparing for three days before the wedding and the implication is we don't want that to include Shabbat. So, fourth day fine, first day (Sunday) not so fine. Today, however, Sunday is a common day for weddings. I don't know the schedule of my local beit din (court).

Comments

[indigodove.livejournal.com]

These posts are always interesting to me. Thanks!

[cellio]

Thanks for telling me that!