Kesubos 97b

כתובות צ״ז ע״ב

Ketubot 97b

Learn Kesubos 97b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Kesubos 97b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Why a widow may sell for her כתובה without בית דין, and when she loses that right after selling part of her כתובה

Overview

Earlier, the משנה taught that a widow may sell her late husband's property for her כתובה without going to בית דין. The גמרא asks why this applies even to a widow from אירוסין. עולא says it is because of חינא: חכמים wanted women to be appealing to marry. רבי יוחנן says a husband does not want his wife shamed in בית דין. These two reasons differ about a גרושה. The גמרא defends עולא twice: the line 'a גרושה sells only in בית דין' follows רבי שמעון, and the heirs who may sell privately are a daughter or sister, who also need חן. A new משנה then teaches that once a widow has sold or pledged part of her כתובה, she sells the rest only in בית דין, while the חכמים let her keep selling privately for her מזונות. The גמרא says this first opinion is רבי שמעון, who holds that selling even half her כתובה costs her the מזונות. It asks whether the dispute is about 'part of the money is like all of it.' It then shows that the related dispute about a בוגרת marrying a כהן גדול comes only from how each side reads the פסוק.

Opening lines

The steps (20)

1. QuestionWhy may a widow from betrothal sell without court?
2. Responseעולא: so that women are appealing to marry
3. Responseרבי יוחנן: a husband doesn't want his wife shamed in court
4. QuestionWhat is the difference between the two reasons?
5. ResponseThe difference is a divorcée
6. ChallengeChallenge to עולא from the משנה about a divorcée
7. ResolutionThat line follows רבי שמעון
8. ChallengeIf it follows רבי שמעון, the line about a גרושה seems unnecessary
9. ResolutionA גרושה might seem to need her חן more
10. ChallengeThe general rule about anyone without מזונות seems to cover the גרושה
11. ResolutionThe general rule includes a woman who is 'divorced and not divorced'
12. ChallengeHer heirs may also sell outside court, so what חן do they need?
13. Resolutionעולא: The heirs are her daughter or sister
14. Statementמשנה: A woman who already sold part of her כתובה
15. QuestionWhose opinion is the משנה?
16. ResponseIt is רבי שמעון: selling even half loses her מזונות
17. QuestionDo they argue about whether part of the money counts as all of it?
18. ChallengeA ברייתא about the כהן גדול seems to show the opposite views
19. ResolutionThey argue about the פסוק, and here is how רבי מאיר reads it
20. ResolutionHow רבי אלעזר and רבי שמעון read the same פסוק