Ketubot 66 - Shabbat September 10, 14 Elul

This week's learning is sponsored by Mark Ziering in loving memory of Lea Ziering. There is a debate between the rabbis and Rabbi Akiva about a woman who finds a lost item – does she get to keep it for herself or does it go to her husband? There are different opinions about who held by which opinion. Is finding a lost item more like extra salary a woman makes that she works hard to make or that comes easily to her? Is a woman who multi-tasks and can do several jobs at once – is that categorized as hard work or something that comes easily to her? The Mishna had a debate regarding whether the husband gets part of the humiliation of his wife. The Gemara compares it to other situations where one may be humiliated on account of embarrassment caused to someone/thing else and yet the other person does not receive the humiliation payment. Why is the law different regarding one’s wife? If the father promised a dowry to his daughter’s fiancé and he died, he does not have to commit to give the dowry to the yabam, brother of the deceased who now needs to marry the widow. The husband commits in the ketuba to give the woman 50% more than the cash that she brought into the marriage in her dowry. However, any moveable items she brings, he commits to 1/5 less than their assessed value. Why? The Mishna brings several examples illustrating this past ruling. Why were all of the cases necessary? For every 100 dinar (maneh) the wife brings into the marriage, the husband needs to give her ten dinar for perfume. It is unclear how often he needs to give this to her. A story is told of the daughter of Nakdimon ben Gurion, a very wealthy man, who went to court to receive this money. Another story of her is told in the aftermath of the destruction in which she is incredibly impoverished and begs Rabban Yochanan ben Zakai to help feed her. Why did Nakdimon lose all his wealth?