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Kesubos 52b

כתובות נ״ב ע״ב

Ketubot 52b

Learn Kesubos 52b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Kesubos 52b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Ransoming a captive wife, a widow's medical costs, and the automatic כתובה clauses, especially כתובת בנין דכרין

Overview

The גמרא infers from the rule in גיטין that captives are ransomed at their value even if that is more than the כתובה. A ברייתא seems to contradict this, and the גמרא answers that רבן שמעון בן גמליאל holds two leniencies together. Next comes a widow's medical care. The תנא קמא treats it like food paid by the orphans. רבן שמעון בן גמליאל takes fixed-cost treatment from her כתובה. רבי יוחנן advises his relatives to set a fixed fee with the doctor, and later regrets it because an אדם חשוב is different. A new משנה lists three כתובה clauses that apply even if not written: sons inherit their mother's כתובה, daughters are supported until marriage, and a widow is housed and fed, with יהודה letting heirs pay her off. The גמרא explains that כתובת בנין דכרין encourages fathers to give generous dowries, which is rooted in a פסוק, up to a tenth of the father's property. It then defines the תקנה's limits: one rule for all cases, sons only like נחלה, land only like a כתובה, no sold property, and only if a דינר is left over. The amud ends as a story about רב פפא writing his son's כתובה begins, continuing on the next amud.

Opening lines

אֵין פּוֹדִין אֶת הַשְּׁבוּיִין

One does not redeem captives

יוֹתֵר עַל כְּדֵי דְמֵיהֶם,

for more than their value,

מִפְּנֵי תִּקּוּן הָעוֹלָם.

because of the betterment of the world.

הָא בִּכְדֵי דְמֵיהֶן פּוֹדִין,

This implies that for their value, one does redeem,

The steps (38)

  1. StatementCaptives are not ransomed for more than their value
  2. StatementInference: up to their value, we ransom even beyond the כתובה
  3. ChallengeA ברייתא says the husband pays only up to the כתובה
  4. Resolutionרבן שמעון בן גמליאל holds both leniencies
  5. StatementBack to the משנה: a husband must heal his sick wife
  6. StatementA widow's medical costs: like food, or from her כתובה?
  7. StatementBloodletting counts as open-ended treatment
  8. Statementרבי יוחנן advises his relatives to set a fixed fee
  9. Statementרבי יוחנן regrets his advice
  10. QuestionWhy did רבי יוחנן change his mind?
  11. ResponseHelping family versus how an important person looks
  12. StatementSons inherit their mother's כתובה even if it was not written
  13. StatementDaughters are supported until they marry
  14. StatementA widow may live in the house and be fed
  15. StatementLocal customs: how long the widow's right lasts
  16. StatementThe reason for the clause about male sons
  17. ChallengeCan the Rabbis let a daughter inherit when the Torah says she does not?
  18. ResolutionGiving a daughter something also comes from the Torah
  19. QuestionHow can a father marry off his daughters?
  20. ResponseThe פסוק means: give her clothing and money so men want to marry her
  21. QuestionHow much must he give?
  22. ResponseUp to one-tenth of his property
  23. ChallengeWhy should the sons inherit the husband's part too?
  24. ResolutionOtherwise the father would hold back too
  25. ChallengeTie the husband's obligation to the father's gift
  26. ResolutionThe Sages made one rule for everyone
  27. ChallengeWhy doesn't a daughter inherit when there are sons?
  28. ResolutionModeled on regular inheritance
  29. ChallengeThen at least a daughter among daughters should inherit
  30. ResolutionAgain, one rule for everyone
  31. ChallengeWhy not collect it from movable property?
  32. ResolutionModeled on a regular כתובה
  33. ChallengeWhy not collect even from sold property?
  34. ResolutionThe משנה says 'they will inherit'
  35. ChallengeWhy require an extra דינר?
  36. Resolutionרבנן would not wipe out Torah inheritance
  37. Statementרב פפא goes to write his daughter-in-law's כתובה
  38. Statementיהודה בר מרימר escorts רב פפא but stops at the door