Thursday, February 5, 2015

Ketubot 2 – Marriages are for Wednesdays

The custom was for people to get engaged and then take a year to prepare for a wedding. This engagement had more legal power than today: they were husband and wife, except not living together. When the time came to marry, girls for whom it was the first marriage would get married on Wednesdays. Why specifically on this day? Courts used to convene on Thursdays so that if he had any questions about his wife, he could come to court on the morrow. For example, if he had suspicions that she was unfaithful to him, judging by the fact that she was not a virgin, he could come to court and expect that the publicity caused by his actions could bring in witnesses of her unfaithfulness if such there were.

But why make a wedding on a Sunday, since the courts convened on Mondays (and Thursdays)? – Because then he would only have one day after Shabbat to prepare a wedding feast, and the Sages wanted the daughters of Israel to be respected with a celebration.

The bride lives in her father's house all the year of engagement. Once the year passes, the husband starts to supply for her needs even if the marriage is delayed. The Talmud discusses this obligation of his under various unforeseen circumstances.

Art: Wedding Procession by Gustav Brion

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