Kiddushin, Daf Tet, Part 4

 

Introduction

The Talmud discusses whether a betrothal document needs to be written with the woman s consent.

 

איתמר כתבו לשמה ושלא מדעתה רבא ורבינא אמרי מקודשת

רב פפא ורב שרביא אמרי אינה מקודשת

 

It was stated: If it [the deed of betrothal] is written for her sake, but without her knowledge: Rava and Ravina say: She is betrothed;

R. Papa and R. Sheravia say: She is not betrothed.

 

The deed was written with her in mind, but he wrote it before he told her (or her father) he was writing it. Maybe he was trying to be romantic?

In any case, there is a dispute over whether this document is valid.

 

אמר רב פפא אימא טעמא דידהו ואימא טעמא דידי אימא טעמא דידהו דכתיב ויצאה והיתה מקיש הוייה ליציאה מה יציאה לשמה ושלא מדעתה אף הוייה נמי לשמה ושלא מדעתה

 

R. Papa said: I will explain their reason and I will explain mine. I will explain their reason: And she departs [i.e., divorced] . . . and she becomes [another man’s wife] (Deuteronomy 24:2): this compares betrothal to divorce: just as divorce must be [written] for her sake but may be written without her consent, so too betrothal must be written for her sake, but may be written without her consent.

 

R. Papa first explains the reasoning of his disputants. A get must be written for the woman s sake, with that particular woman in mind. But it need not be written with her consent. After all, she can be divorced against her will. So too when it comes to marriage, the document must be written for her sake, but not necessarily with her consent.

 

ואימא טעמא דידי ויצאה והיתה מקיש הוייה ליציאה מה יציאה בעינן דעת מקנה אף הוייה בעינן דעת מקנה

And I will explain my reason: And she departs [i.e., divorced] . . . and she becomes [another man’s wife] (Deuteronomy 24:2): this compares betrothal to divorce: just as in divorce, the giver’s knowledge is required, so too in betrothal, the giver’s knowledge is required.

 

R. Papa also compares the divorce document with the betrothal document. When it comes to divorce, the one giving something must consent the man is giving her herself, so too when it comes to betrothal, the giver, this time the woman giving herself in marriage, must consent to the writing of the document.

 

מיתיבי אין כותבין שטרי אירוסין ונשואין אלא מדעת שניהן מאי לאו שטרי אירוסין ונשואין ממש

 

They raised an objection: Deeds of betrothal and marriage may be written only with the consent of both. Does this not refer to actual deeds of betrothal and marriage?

 

This baraita seems to state explicitly that both the man and woman must consent to the writing of the documents of marriage and betrothal.

 

לא שטרי פסיקתא וכדרב גידל אמר רב דאמר רב גידל אמר רב כמה אתה נותן לבנך כך וכך לבתך כך וכך עמדו וקדשו קנו הן הן הדברים הנקנים באמירה :

 

No: [this refers to] deeds of stipulation and it is in accordance with that which R. Giddel said in the name of Rav: How much do you give your son? Such and such an amount. How much do you give your daughter? Such and such an amount. If they arose and made a betrothal, they acquire a title [to the promised sums], and these are the things which are acquired verbally.

 

The Talmud reinterprets the baraita such that it refers to deeds of stipulation. These are deeds written at the time of betrothal in which the fathers of the groom and bride promise to endow their children with gifts. Once the betrothal occurs, the fathers owe this money even if a more formal act of acquisition (kinyan) has not occurred. However, a document is not written out without their consent. It might be that they prefer to keep this a verbal obligation. We should note that there is a bit of a paradox here the Talmud calls them deeds of stipulation but then says that they need not be written down.