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Babylonian Talmud: Tractate KethubothFolio 10aIt was stated: Rab Nahman said [that] Samuel said in the name of R. Simeon b. Eleazar: The scholars ordained for the daughters of Israel [as follows]: for a maiden two hundred [zuz1] and for a widow a maneh2 [one hundred zuz].3 And they trusted him, so that when he said, 'I have found an open opening', he is believed.4 If so, what have the Sages accomplished with their ordinance?5 — Said Raba: The presumption is [that] no one will take the trouble of preparing a [wedding-]feast and will then spoil it.6 One has taught: Since it7 is a fine [instituted] by the sages she8 shall collect only from the worst land9 [of the husband's estate]. [You say] a fine! Why a fine?10 — Say then: since it is an ordinance of the sages,11 she shall collect only from the worst land [of the husband's estate]. Rabban Simeon b. Gamaliel says: The kethubah of a wife is from the Torah.12 But did Rabban Simeon b. Gamaliel say so? Surely it has been taught: [It is written in the Torah] He shall pay money according to the dowry of virgins;13 [this teaches us that] this14 is [as much] as the dowry of the virgins15 and the dowry of the virgins is [as much] as this.16 But,17 the Sages found a support for [the rule that] the kethubah of a wife is from the Torah. Rabban Simeon b. Gamaliel Says: The kethubah of a wife is not from the words of the Bible, but from the words of the Soferim!18 — Reverse it.19 And why does it appear to you right to reverse20 the latter [teaching]? Reverse the former [teaching]!21 — We have [already] heard that R. Simeon the son of Gamaliel said that the kethubah is from the Bible, for we learnt: Rabban Simeon b. Gamaliel says: He22 gives her23 [the kethubah] in Cappadocian coins.24 And if you wish, you may say: The whole of it25 is [according to] Rabban Simeon b. Gamaliel. only26 it is defective27 and it teaches thus:28 Here the Sages found a support for [the rule that] the kethubah of a wife is from the Torah. The kethubah of a widow [however] is not from the words of the Torah but from the words of the Soferim, for Rabban Simeon b. Gamaliel Says: The kethubah of a widow is not from the words of the Torah but from the words of the Soferim.29 Someone came before R. Nahman [and] said to him: I have found an open opening.30 R. Nahman answered:31 Lash him with palm-switches; harlots32 lie prostrate before him.33 But it is R. Nahman who said that he [the husband] is believed!34 — He is believed, but [at the same time] one lashes him with palm-switches. R. Ahai answered: Here35 [it speaks] of a young man,36 there [it speaks] of one who was married before.37 Some one came before Rabban Gamaliel [and] said to him, I have found an 'open opening'. He [Rabban Gamaliel] answered him: Perhaps you moved aside.38 I will give you an illustration: To what is this like? To a man who was walking in the deep darkness of the night39 [and came to his house and found the door locked];40 if he moves aside [the bolt41 of the door] he finds it open, if he does not move aside [the bolt of the door] he finds it locked. Some say [that] he [R. Gamaliel] answered him thus: Perhaps you moved aside wilfully42 and you tore away the door and the bar.43 I will give you an illustration: To what is this like? To a man who was walking in the deep darkness of the night [and came to his house and found the door locked]; if he moves aside [the bolt of the door] wilfully44 he finds it open, if he does |