daf bit: Ketubot 93

[cellio]

(Today's daf is 94. This is from the end of 93b.)

The mishna teaches: if a man who was married to four wives died, his first wife takes precedence (for collecting the ketubah) over the second, who takes precedence over the third, who takes precedence over the fourth. However, to collect her ketubah each of the first three must swear that she has not already received any payment toward it, because if she is overpaid she may deprive the next one in line. (So #2 has a claim upon #1 and can make her swear, and so on down the line.) The last need not swear unless there are minor orphans (who would be next in line if they exist).

The mishna goes on to discuss the case of a man who married four wives on the same day, and notes that it was the custom in Jerusalem to add timestamps to the documents in that case. (93b)

Comments

[cellio]

Apparently (I later learned) this was a practice for all debt documents, not just ketubot, so this specific case might be more theoretical after all. I can't tell yet, but I've asked.

[amaebi.livejournal.com]

That makes all the sense. :)