Kesubos 68b

כתובות ס״ח ע״ב

Ketubot 68b

Learn Kesubos 68b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

A daughter's dowry (פרנסה) from her father's estate: equal division, losing it by maturing or marrying, the role of protest, and how it differs from a תנאי כתובה

Overview

The גמרא first explains רבי's rule that daughters 'divide equally': it applies only when they all marry at the same time, and this supports רב מתנה. Next, a ברייתא records an argument about a daughter who matured or married. Everyone agrees she loses her food support (מזונות). רבי says she keeps her dowry (פרנסה), and רבי שמעון בן אלעזר says she loses that too. רב נחמן rules like רבי, and רבא challenges him from the משנה about an orphan girl. The answer is that she keeps her dowry if she protests, and silence counts as giving it up. Another ברייתא of רבי confirms this. רבא's own ruling that she sometimes need not protest is explained by whether her brothers still feed her. Finally, רב הונא quotes רבי that a dowry is not like a תנאי כתובה. After two rejected explanations, the גמרא shows the real difference: a father can cancel his daughters' dowry but not their food.

Opening lines

The steps (22)

1. ChallengeWhy should the daughters split their dowries equally?
2. ResolutionEqual division applies only when they all marry at once
3. ProofThis supports רב מתנה
4. ChallengeCould they all share only one tenth?
5. ResolutionEach takes a tenth, all in equal measure
6. StatementDoes a daughter who matured or married lose her dowry?
7. StatementHow to save the dowry: marry before maturing
8. StatementThe הלכה follows רבי
9. Challengeרבא challenges רב נחמן from the משנה about the orphan girl
10. ResolutionProtesting versus staying silent
11. ProofSupport: otherwise רבי would contradict himself
12. ConclusionConclusion: it depends on protest
13. StatementWhen does she need to protest?
14. ChallengeDoes רבא contradict what he accepted from רב נחמן?
15. ResolutionIt depends on whether her brothers still feed her
16. Statementרב הונא: פרנסה is not like a תנאי כתובה
17. QuestionWhat does "not like a תנאי כתובה" mean?
18. RejectionFirst try: collecting from sold land, which is already known
19. ResponseSecond try: collecting from movable property
20. Rejectionרבי lets both be collected from movable property
21. QuestionSo what does רבי's rule really mean?
22. ResponseA father can cancel the dowry but not his daughters' food