Do you have a Jewish wedding ceremony coming up soon? If yes, you must have learned of the most essential requirement for a legitimate Jewish wedding: A ketubah. This lifelong marriage contract is what connects traditional and modern Jewish weddings. The groom and his bride sign it both as symbolism for their lifelong commitment to their marital vows and as a binding legal document. Also, a ketubah is made with so much class and artistry for lifelong display in the wedded couple’s home- at the most prominent place in the home. But how has ketubah’s significance and prominence in the Jewish culture evolved over time? Where did it start?
The Evolution of Ketubah: Where It All Started
The history of ketubah can be traced back to the post-Biblical era ( 440 B.C.E.). It was, however, popularized by Rabbi Simeon ben Shetach who authored it and made it a formal document in the 1st century B.C.E. Shetach was a respected scholar of his time and was closely connected to the Sanhedrin- the then Judaic legislature. Jews of that time created the ketubah traditions for the purpose of protecting women in marriage.
The ketubah was an Aramaic (legal language) document that, among other things:
- Outlined agreements and arrangements between the groom and the bride’s family. The groom would have financial obligations to the bride’s father, such as mortgage-like mohar (dowry) payments.
- Served as the legal record of a woman’s rights to her husband’s recourses in case their marriage ended either through the death of her husband or divorce.
- Served as today’s equivalent of a pre-nuptial agreement.
- Outlined the mattan (wedding presents) that the groom gave to his bride.
The Evolution of Ketubah Designs: Traditional Ketubah Designs
As the Jewish culture evolved with time, the ketubah designs and text evolved as well. The traditional ketubah layout had multiple sections. It had:
- The particulars section: Outlined the date of the wedding as well as the names of the bride and groom.
- The obligations section: Enumerated the groom’s financial, conjugal, and legal obligations to his bride. A husband in traditional Jewish culture was responsible for his wife’s food, clothing, economic well-being, and sexual satisfaction.
- Witnesses section: Two witnesses sign upon verification that the groom and his family have honored all requisite obligations.
- Divorce terms: In the case of divorce, the ketubah specifies the amount of wealth the husband has to surrender to his wife. This amount was highest for women who are married virgins and lowest for divorcées.
Note: A man was forbidden from cohabiting with a woman without a dully-signed ketubah.
Modern Ketubahs
Modern Jews have continued to keep the relevance of a ketubah alive. They, however, have modernized the document to align it with today’s reality. The traditional ketubah could not survive today’s reality because it was seen as misogynistic. Modernists and feminists argue that a husband and his wife should have equal roles in marriage- they should be equal partners. This argument is favored by certain realities:
- Women can now be financially independent because they have equal rights to men. That’s in terms of owning businesses and properties, as well as pursuing the same careers as men. It doesn’t make sense to assign a woman’s economic well-being to her husband.
- Modern couples aren’t too invested in their partners’ sexual past. The ketubah doesn’t have to concern itself with whether or not a woman was married while a virgin.
- Increased interfaith and unconventional marriages, e.g. gay marriages. This brings to the table a new set of beliefs and cultures that may not be sufficiently addressed by the traditional ketubah.
In line with these new realities, the ketubah of today differs from traditional ketubahs in the following ways:
- The financial elements of the ketubah are slowly losing their significance.
- The ketubah focuses more on expressing the feelings and commitments of the couple, as opposed to outlining the husband’s obligations to the wife. It emphasizes the lovebirds’ vows to one another and the love they share.
iii. The document is personalized and customized to the couple’s tastes and preferences, as opposed to conforming to the communally-approved traditional text.
- There now are ketubahs in a wide range of languages (English, Spanish, Chinese, etc.). This trend has resulted from the popularity of interfaith and intercultural marriages.
The Rise of Online Ketubahs
We now live in a digital world where everything is available on the internet, including ketubahs. Couples can now order low-cost modern ketubahs online at their own convenience. Online ketubahs come in a variety of designs and text, from traditional to modern. You can customize and personalize the text and artwork to suit your preferences. That includes having professional designers add your wedding particulars- the couple’s names, wedding date & location, witness names, etc. to the ketubah. All that’s left for you to do is wait for your ketubah to be delivered to your door.
Final word
The ketubah tradition is changing, but its traditional relevance in Jewish marriages will remain for many years to come. You now have more choice and control over the design of your ketubah- allow yourself to be creative in both design and text! You can always seek professional help from online ketubah design experts.
