Ketubah Texts
According to the Jewish tradition a Ketubah is a contract between a Bride and a Groom with legal rights and obligations. Here you can find samples of the following texts: Orthodox, Conservative with Lieberman Clause, Reform, Equal Partners, Interfaith and more.
According to the Jewish tradition a Ketubah is a contract between a Bride and a Groom with legal rights and obligations. Here you can find samples of the following texts: Orthodox, Conservative with Lieberman Clause, Reform, Equal Partners, Interfaith and more.
KETUBAH TEXT TRADITIONAL ARAMAIC.
- ב ________ בשבת ___________ ____לחדש _________שנת חמשת אלפים ושבע מאות
___________________ בן ___________
ו_______________ למשפחת_______________ אמר לה להדא
בת____________ ו _____________ למשפחת_________________
הוי לי לאנתו כדת משה וישראל ואנא אפלח ואוקיר ואיזון ואפרנס יתיכי ליכי כהלכות גוברין יהודאין
דפלחין ומוקרין וזנין ומפרנסין לנשיהון בקושטא ויהיבנא ליכי מהר _______ כסף זוזי
דחזי ליכי _____ ומזוניכי וכסותיכי וסיפוקיכי ומיעל לותיכי כאורח כל ארעא וצביאת מרת ___________ _______ דא
והות ליה לאנתו ודן נדוניא דהנעלת ליה מבי ( אבוה/ נשא ) בין בכסף בין בזהב בין בתכשיטין
____________ במאני דלבושא בשימושי דירה ובשימושא דערסא הכל קבל עליו
ב ____________ זקוקים כסף צרוף וצבי_____________ חתן דנן __________
והוסיף לה מן דיליה עוד____________ זקוקים כסף צרוף אחרים כנגדן סך הכל
זקוקים כסף צרוף וכך אמר _____________ חתן דנן אחריות שטר כתובתא דא נדוניא דן
ותוספתא דא קבלית עלי ועל ירתי התראי להתפרע מכל שפר ארג נכסין וקנינין דאית לי תחות
כל שמיא דקנאי ודעתיד למקנא נכסין דאית להון אחריות ודלית להון אחריות כלהון יהון אחראין
וערבאין לפרוע מנהון שטר כתובתא דא נדוניא דן ותוספתא דא מנאי ואפילו מן גלימא דעל כתפאי
בחיי ובתר חיי מן יומא דנן ולעלם ואחריות שטר כתובתא דא נדוניא דן ותוספתא דא קבל
עליו ___________ חתן דנן כחומר כל שטרי כתובות ותוספתות דנהגין בבנת ישראל העשויין
כתקון חכמינו זכרונם לברכה דלא כאסמכתא ודלא כטופסי דשטרי וקנינא
מן _________________ בן _________ ו___________ למשפחת _________ חתן דנן
למרת _______________ בת _________ למשפחת ___________, ___________ דא על כל מה דכתוב
ומפורש לעיל במנא דכשר למקניא ביה והכל שריר וקים
KETUBAH TEXT TRADITIONAL ARAMAIC TRANSLATION
On the ______day of the week, the ______day of the month ____in the year five thousand seven hundred and ___________ since the creation of the world, the era according to which we reckon here in the city of ______________ that the groom ______________________ son of_________________ said to this bride _________________ daughter of________________.
"Be my wife according to the practice of Moses and Israel, and I will cherish, honour, support and maintain you in accordance with the custom of Jewish husbands who cherish, honour, support, and maintain their wives faithfully. And I here present you with the marriage gift of( brides) , ( two hundred) silver zuzim, which belong to you, according the law of Moses and Israel; and I will also give you your food, clothing and necessities, and live with you as husband and wife according to universal custom." And _____________________ the bride consented and became his wife. The trousseau that she brought to him from her ( father's )____________ house in silver, gold, valuables, clothing, furniture and bedclothes, all this _______________, the said bridegroom accepted in the sum of__________________ ( one hundred) silver pieces, and __________ the bridegroom , consented to increase this amount from his own property with the sum of _____________ ( one hundred) silver pieces making in all _______________ ( two hundred) silver pieces. And thus said ___________, the bridegroom;" The responsibility of this marriage contract, of this trousseau, and of this additional sum, I take upon myself and my heirs after me, so that they shall be paid from the best of my property and possession that I have beneath the whole heaven, that which I now possess or may hereafter acquire . All my property, real and personal, even the shirt from my back, shall be mortgaged to secure the payment of this marriage contract, of the trousseau, and the addition made to it, during my lifetime and after my death, from the present day and forever." ________________ the bridegroom, has taken upon himself the responsibility of this marriage contracts and the additions to them made for the daughters of Israel, according to the institution of our sages of blessed memory. It is to be regarded as a mere forfeiture without consideration or as a mere formula of a document. We have followed the legal formality of symbolic delivery ( KINYAN) between __________-the son of__________, the bridegroom and ____________ the daughter of __________________ this bride, and we have used a garment legally fit for this purpose, to strengthen all that is stated above, and everything is valid and confirm.
KETUBAH TEXT SHORT ENGLISH VERSION TO THE TRADITION ORTHODOX KETUBBAH
This certificate witnesseth that on the _________________ day of the week, the _______________day of the month of _________ in the year 57__________ corresponding to the _______________of__________ 2…… , the Holy Covenant of Marriage was entered into at ___________________ ,_______ between the Groom _______________________ and his Bride _____________________. The said Bridegroom made the following declaration to his Bride: " Be thou my wife according to the law of Moses and Israel. I faithfully promise that I will be a true husband unto thee. I will honour and cherish thee, protect and support thee, and provide all that is necessary for thy due sustenance, even as it becometh a Jewish husband to do. I also take upon myself all such further obligations for thy maintenance, during thy life-time, as are prescribed by our religious statute." And the said Bride has plighted her troth unto him, in affection and in sincerity, and has thus taken upon herself the fulfillment of all the duties incumbent upon Jewish wife. This Covenant of Marriage was duly executed and witnessed this day, and everything is valid and confirm.
KETUBAH TEXT CONSERVATIVE WITH LIEBERMAN CLAUSE
On the________ day of the week, the_____ ___ day of the month of ________, in the year 57____, corresponding to the _______ day of ________, 2......... , here in _________, the groom, _________, said to the bride, ___________, "Be my wife according to the laws and traditions of Moses and the Israel ,and I will work for you, cherish, honour, provide for and support you in accordance with the practice of Jewish husbands, who work for their wives, honour, provide for and support them in truth. And I will set aside for you as a marriage gift __________ silver zuzim which belong to you according to the Torah law. I will provide you your food, clothing and necessities, which a husband is obliged to provide; and I will live with you in accordance with the requirements prescribed for each husband." The bride, ________ , consented to these terms and to became his wife. Her belongings that she brought from her family's home, in silver, gold , valuables, clothing and household furnishings, all this ________________ the said groom, accepted in the sum of _____________ silver zuzim, adding from himself another ____________, silver zuzim making a total of __________ silver zuzim. And thus said _________________ the groom: "I take upon myself, and my heirs after me the surety of this Ketubah, the dowry and the additional sum, so that all this shall be paid from the best part of my property, real and personal, that I now possess or may hereafter acquire. All my property, even the mantle on my back, shall be mortgaged for the security of this Ketubah, dowry, and addition made thereto, during my lifetime and after my lifetime from this day forever." And the surety for all the obligations of this Ketubah, this dowry, and this additional sum, has been assumed by _________________ the groom, with the full obligation dictated by all documents of Ketubot and additional sums due to every daughter of Israel, executed in accordance with the enactment of our sages, may their memory be for a blessing. _________, the groom and _-__________the bride, further agreed that if this marriage shall ever be dissolved by the civil courts, then either of husband or wife may invoke the authority of the Bet Din of the Rabbinical Assembly and of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, or its duly authorized representative to dictate what action by either spouse is then appropriate under Jewish matrimonial law. If either spouse shall fail to honour the demand of the other or to carry out the decision of the Bet Din or its representative, then the spouse may invoke any and all remedies available in civil law and equity to enforce compliance with the Bet Din's decision and this solemn obligation. It is not to be regarded as an indecisive contractual obligation nor as a stereotyped form.
And we have completed the symbolic act of acquisition from _____________________ the groom to ________________________ the bride, and on the part of ___________, the bride, to ____________, the groom, for that which is stated and explained above by an instrument legally fit to establish a transaction, and everything is valid and confirm.
KETUBAH TEXT EGALITARIAN I
On the _______ day of the week, the ________ day of the month of ________, in the year 57____, corresponding to the _______ day of _____, in the year 2......., here in ________, ___________. The bride,______________ daughter of ________________and __________________,( family name), says to the groom: "With this ring you are consecrated unto me as my husband, according to the tradition of Moses and Israel. I shall treasure you, nourish you, support you and respect you as Jewish women have devoted themselves to their husbands, with integrity." The groom, ____________ son of _________________and ____________, ( family Name), says to the bride: "With this ring you are consecrated unto me as my wife, according to the tradition of Moses and Israel. I shall treasure you, nourish you, support you and respect you as Jewish men have devoted themselves to their wives, with integrity. "
"We promise to be ever open to one another while cherishing each other's uniqueness; to comfort and challenge each other through life's sorrow and joy; to share our intuition and insight with one another; to permit each of us to become the persons we are yet to be. "
"We pledge to establish a home open to the spiritual potential in all life; a home wherein the flow of the seasons and the passages of life are celebrated through the symbols of Jewish heritage; a home filled with reverence for learning, loving, and generosity; a home joined ever more closely to the community of Israel.
All of this we take upon ourselves as valid and binding ."
KETUBAH TEXT EGALITARIAN II
On the ________day of the week, the ______ day of the month _______, in the year 57…., corresponding to the _________of_________ 2….. Bride ________________________ Daughter of _____________-----and____________________ and the Groom ______________________________son of ________________________ stood under the Chppah. _(Groom)______________ and said: " I consecrate you to me according to the laws of Moses and Israel. I shall treasure you, nourish you and respect you as the sons of Israel have devoted themselves to their wives with love and respect throughout the generations." _( Bride)_____________ , said: "I consecrate you as my husband according to the laws of Moses and Israel. I shall treasure you, nourish you, and respect you, as the daughters of Israel have devoted themselves to their husbands with love and honesty throughout the generation." ______________and___________ pledged each to the other: "We promise to stand by each other always, by offering insight and affection freely, by sharing life's joys and by comforting each other through life's sorrows. As individuals and as partners, we commit to a lifetime of learning, discussion and adventure. We pledge to remain friends, to talk with and listen to one another openly, together, we agree to create a warm home open to all and to fill it with laughter, imagination, compassion, friendship and love. We promise to celebrate life as a Jewish family and to work for a more peaceful and just for all mankind." May we live each day as the first, the last, and the only day we will have with each other. All of the above valid and binding
INTERFAITH KETUBBAH ( Commitment) I
On the ____________ day of the month of ___________ in the year two thousand _________here in ______________________. The groom _________________ son of _________________ and the bride ______________ daughter of ______________ entered into this mutual covenant as equal partners, loving and supportive companions in life. "Surrounded today by family and friends, we hereby pledge to trust, respect, and support each other throughout our life together. May the strength of our love provide us with the determination to be ourselves and the courage to pursue our chosen paths. As we share life's everyday experiences, we promise to strive for an intimacy that will enable us to express ourselves openly and honestly; to be loving and forgiving; and to challenge each other to achieve intellectual, physical, and spiritual fulfillment. We shall respect each other's uniqueness, comfort each other through life's sorrows, and celebrate life's many joys. Together, we promise to be committed to the creation of a just society; to honour each other's families; to welcome each other's friends; and to create a home filled with learning, laughter, and compassion.
We joyfully enter into this covenant.
Witness__________________ Witness________________
Bride____________________ Groom________________
Officiant ________________________
INTERFAITH KETUBBAH ( Commitment) II
We witness that on the _______________ day of the month of___________, in the year__________, corresponding to the__________________ day of_____________, 57_______________, here in ___________________,____________, the bride, ___________________________, daughter of___________________________, and the groom,____________________, son of __________________________, entered into this sacred marriage covenant. Standing under the Chuppah _______________ and ______________ said to each other:
As beloveds and friends we choose to walk life’s path together. We commit to being equal partners, loving soul mates, and supportive companions all through our life. May the strength of our relationship allow us to care for each other, our families and the communities of which we are a part. May our love provide us with the freedom to be ourselves and the courage to pursue mutual and individual dreams. We vow to create a bond that enables us to express our innermost thoughts and feelings; to share our intuition and insight; to be sensitive to each other’s needs; to amplify life’s joys; to comfort each other through life’s sorrows; to achieve intellectual and physical fulfillment as well as spiritual and emotional tranquility. We will build a home together and fill it with laughter, empathy, faith, imagination, trust, friendship, companionship and love; a home which honours our families, languages, cultures and traditions; a home in which holidays and learning are cherished; a home which cultivates respect for all people. May we live each day as the first, the last, the only day we will have with each other. We joyfully enter into this covenant and solemnly accept the obligations herein."
KETUBAH TEXT EQUAL PARTNERS I ( Reform Temple)
On the _________________ day of the week, the ________________ day of the month of ________________ in the year _________, corresponding to ____________ in _______, ______, _( Name of partner)___________ and __( Name of partner)___________ in
creating this covenant of marriage said to one another:
I________________ will be your life partner, by consent of____________ ( Beit Din) of _________( name of municipality) according to Jewish law and social custom. I will cherish and respect you and work for our mutual sustenance, living with you as is the way of married couples. To this _____________ replied "I________________ will be your life partner, by consent of________________ ( Beit Din) of _____________ according to Jewish law and social custom. I will cherish and respect you and work for our mutual sustenance, living with you as is the way of married couples.
We have promised to establish a Jewish home from this day forth. We have committed ourselves to this covenant of marriage written between us this day. We have performed the symbolic acquisition with regard to everything written and explained above. All herein written is valid and binding.
KETUBAH TEXT EQUAL PARTNERS II
On the _______ day of ______ in the year 57______, corresponding to the ________ day of _______ in the year 20_____, in ______________, ____________son/ daughter of______________ and _______________ son/ daughter of _________________ entered into this covenant. In the presence of family and friends, they said: "We accept each other as we are on this day and pledge to support and care for one another on all future days. May our love sustain us as we build our lives together. We promise to stand by each other always, by offering insight and affection freely, by sharing life's joys and by comforting each other through life's sorrows. As individuals and as partners, we commit to a lifetime of learning, discussion and adventure. We pledge to remain friends, to talk with and listen to one another openly, with patience and forgiveness. Together, we agree to create a warm and generous home open to all and to fill it with laughter, imagination, compassion and love. We promise to celebrate life as a Jewish family and to work for a more peaceful and just world."
With family and friends as witnesses, _______said to ________, "By this ring you are consecrated unto me as my (partner?)_________ according to the tradition of Moses and Israel." And ____________ said to ___________, "By this ring you are consecrated unto me as my (partner?)_________ _________ according to the tradition of Moses and Israel." Together they said, "We joyfully enter into this covenant and solemnly accept its obligations." And everything is valid and binding.
BRIT AHUVIM COVENANT OF LOVERS
On the _________ day of the week, the ____________ day of the month of _________, in the year 57____, corresponding to the ________ day of _________, 2 ........, here in ____________,the bide ____________ and _____________________ the groom confirm in the presence of witnesses a marriage covenant between them and declare a partnership to establish a household among the people of Israel. This agreement into which ______________ the bride and ________________ the groom are entering, is a Holy Covenant like the ancient covenants of our people, made in faithfulness and peace to stand forever. It is a covenant of protection and hope like the covenant God swore to Noah and his descendants, saying: "When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures, all flesh that is on earth." And God said to Noah: "This shall be the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on earth." It is a covenant of distinction, like the covenant God made with Israel, saying : "You shall be my people, and I shall be your God. " It is a covenant of devotion, joining hearts like the covenant David and Jonathan made, as it is said: "And Jonathan's soul was bound up with the soul of David. Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself." It is a covenant of mutual loving kindness like the wedding covenant between God and Zion, as it is said: "I will espouse you forever. I will espouse you with righteousness and justice and loving kindness and compassion. I will espouse you in faithfulness and you shall know God."
The following are the provisions of the marriage covenant into which ___________________the bride and_________________ the groom now enter: ______________ and __________ declare that they have chosen each other as companions, as our Rabbis teach: Get yourself a companion. This teaches that a person should get a companion, to eat with, drink with, to study with, to sleep with, to confide all one's secrets, secrets of Torah and secrets of worldly things. ______________ and __________ declare that they are setting themselves apart for each other and will take no other lover. bride and groom hereby assume all the rights and obligations that apply to family members: to attend, care, and provide for one another 1. and for any children with which they may be blessed.2. and for ___________ , child/children of _________. ____________ and __________ commit themselves to a life of kindness and righteousness as a Jewish family and to work together toward the communal task of mending the world. ______________ and __________ pledge that one will help the other at the time of dying, by carrying out the last rational requests of the dying partner, protecting each other from indignity or abandonment and by tender, faithful presence with the beloved until the end, fulfilling what has been written: "Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm, for love is stronger than death."