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What is a Ketubah?
The ketubah is a marrage contract
between the husband and wife. It may be printed; more
often, it is hand written in beautiful calligraphy and
illuminated by a sofer, or scribe. Much of the
traditional Aramaic text is over 2,000 years old, and
the present form was fixed in the eighth or ninth
century. The ketubah formalizes the groom's commitment
to protect and care for the bride. The ketubah has two
signatures from close friends or respected teachers as
formal witnesses to his commitment.
Traditionally, a ketubah is a
legal lien on the husband's property which he gives his
wife-to-be in the case of his death or their divorce, to
ensure her maintenance and well-being. There are some
options that a woman can negotiate. In traditional
Judaism, the ketubah is signed by the man, read under
the chupah, and given immediately to the woman. The
ketubah belongs to the woman.
In the liberal movements, the
text of the Ketubah has been modified to be more
egalitarian, and provide equal protection for both
husband and wife. Some Ketubahs also include language to
address the issue of husbands that refuse to provide a
get, or bill of divorce, when requested by the wife.
There is another way to view the Ketubah: think of it as
the first prenuptual contract! We take great
pride in our ketubah personalization service. One of the
ketubah artists from our extensive roster skillfully
fills in your ketubah, transforming the exquisitely
displayed wedding vows into an art-piece that is truly
your own. Visit our ketubah section here. |