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Kesubos 8a

כתובות ח׳ ע״א

Ketubot 8a

Learn Kesubos 8a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

The text of the wedding blessings, when and how they are said, and who counts toward the ten.

Overview

This amud finishes the text of the ברכת חתנים, the six wedding blessings that, together with the blessing over the wine, make up the seven blessings. The גמרא then tells of לוי saying five blessings and רב אסי saying six. It explains the difference through the creation of man: everyone agrees man was created once, but one view follows ה׳'s first thought to create two, and the other follows the act. Next come practical rules. All the blessings are said on later days only when there are פנים חדשות. The גמרא also sets how long שהשמחה במעונו is said, from when wedding preparations begin until twelve months after the wedding, and brings stories about רב פפא and רבינא blessing from אירוסין. The הלכה does not follow רב תחליפא's long blessings, and it does not follow רב חביבא's saying שהשמחה במעונו at a ברית מילה. Finally, רב and רבי יוחנן rule that חתנים count toward the ten but אבלים do not. A ברייתא challenges both. רב is defended as having the standing of a תנא, and the answer for רבי יוחנן comes on the next amud.

Opening lines

שֶׁהַכֹּל בָּרָא לִכְבוֹדוֹ״.

Who created everything for His glory.

וְ״יוֹצֵר הָאָדָם״.

And 'Creator of man.'

וַ״אֲשֶׁר יָצַר אֶת הָאָדָם בְּצַלְמוֹ,

And 'Who made man in His image,'

בְּצֶלֶם דְּמוּת תַּבְנִיתוֹ,

in the image of the likeness of His form,

The steps (28)

  1. StatementThe end of the first blessing: All was created for His glory
  2. StatementThe second blessing: Creator of man
  3. StatementThe third blessing: Man made in God's image, and the building from him
  4. StatementThe fourth blessing: The joy of ציון when her children return
  5. StatementThe fifth blessing: Gladden the loving friends
  6. StatementThe sixth blessing: Who created joy and gladness
  7. StatementTwo weddings: one Sage said five blessings, another said six
  8. StatementSuggestion: they argue over one creation of man or two
  9. RejectionBoth agree on one act of creation; they argue about thought versus action
  10. Proofרב יהודה shows the first thought was two but one was created
  11. Statementרב אשי says all the blessings only when new faces come
  12. StatementWhen שהשמחה במעונו is said from day seven onward
  13. QuestionUntil when can a meal still count as a wedding meal?
  14. ResponseUp to twelve months
  15. QuestionFrom when does the blessing begin before the wedding?
  16. ResponseFrom when they start preparing the wedding beer
  17. ChallengeBut רב פפא himself said it from the betrothal
  18. Resolutionרב פפא was different because everything was already prepared
  19. Statementרבינא blesses from betrothal, and the match falls apart
  20. Statementרב תחליפא says six long blessings in בבל
  21. ConclusionThe הלכה does not follow רב תחליפא
  22. Statementרב חביבא says the joy blessing at a ברית מילה
  23. ConclusionNo joy blessing at a circumcision, because the baby is in pain
  24. Statementרב: grooms count toward the ten, mourners do not
  25. ChallengeA ברייתא says אבלים do count
  26. Resolutionרב has the status of a תנא and may disagree
  27. Statementרבי יוחנן holds the same rule
  28. ChallengeThe same ברייתא challenges רבי יוחנן