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Kesubos 47b

כתובות מ״ז ע״ב

Ketubot 47b

Learn Kesubos 47b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Kesubos 47b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

The dowry and רבי אלעזר בן עזריה's rule; the husband's duties to his wife as exchanges for his rights; and whether her food is a Torah obligation.

Overview

The גמרא first suggests that an argument about the dowry (did the husband acquire it or not) matches an older argument between רבי אלעזר בן עזריה and the רבנן about the extra amount in the כתובה. It then rejects that link. Everyone can follow רבי אלעזר בן עזריה, because the husband's extra is given only on condition of the wedding, while the dowry from her side is given for the families joining, which already happened at אירוסין. Next the גמרא opens a new section on the משנה's line about feeding the wife. A ברייתא teaches that the חכמים paired each of the husband's duties with a right he receives. The גמרא fills in a missing line: food for her earnings, ransom for the produce of her property, and burial for her כתובה. It explains that 'therefore he eats the produce' means he really eats it and must ransom her from his own money. אביי explains the pairings: everyday duties go with everyday rights, and rare ones with rare ones. Finally, רבא says one תנא holds that food is a Torah obligation, and a ברייתא shows that both opinions find food in שמות 21:10, arguing only about which word teaches it.

Opening lines

שֶׁלֹּא כָּתַב לָהּ אֶלָּא עַל מְנָת לְכוֹנְסָהּ.

for he wrote it for her only on condition that he would marry her.

לְמַאן דְּאָמַר לֹא זָכָה —

The one who says he did not acquire —

כְּרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲזַרְיָה.

holds like Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya.

וּמַאן דְּאָמַר זָכָה —

And the one who says he did acquire —

The steps (13)

  1. StatementLinking the dowry argument to an older argument
  2. RejectionNo, everyone can follow רבי אלעזר בן עזריה
  3. RejectionWhy the dowry is different: it is given for the family bond
  4. StatementNew section: the husband's duties are exchanges for his rights
  5. ChallengeProduce was never mentioned
  6. ResolutionWords are missing: ransom in exchange for produce
  7. QuestionWhat does the word 'therefore' add?
  8. ResponseHe eats the produce now and pays ransom from his own money
  9. ChallengeWhy not switch the pairs around?
  10. ResolutionEveryday duty paired with everyday right
  11. Statementרבא: this תנא holds food is a Torah obligation
  12. ProofThe ברייתא reads שארה as food
  13. Statementרבי אלעזר reverses the readings