Ketuvah
Expectations for Jewish Men
When a Jewish man enters into a marriage, he has certain responsibilities he must fulfill. It is up to him to live up to his end of the marriage vows. It is so serious, in fact, that he must sign a Ketuvah, or marriage contract, before he can live with his new wife. There are many things outlined in this document, and the man must adhere to all of them.
First, the contract states the man must provide certain things for his new wife. He will have to provide food and clothing to her throughout their marriage. That means he will have to work so he can support his family. He is obligated under the contract to provide her with the things needed to be comfortable. That is, of course, within reason.
The contract also states the new wife has conjugal rights. These rights can be enforced, or the contract will be broken.
The contract also documents what will be done in case of divorce. The bride will be entitled to a certain amount of money and property if a divorce were to occur. This is done to protect the woman. She will then be able to support herself if a divorce were to occur.
It is important to note that Jewish women do not have to sign such a contract. The contract is put in place to protect the women, and it is the man’s responsibility to make his wife happy.
The man must also pledge to stay by his new wife’s side for the first year of marriage. He is not supposed to allow outside forces or obligations keep him away from his new bride.
Jewish men have a great deal of responsibility in a marriage. By fulfilling their responsibility they are able to be a part of a healthy marriage where both people are happy and feel loved.
-- The author, Adherents, runs the website adherents.com which collects and presents statistics and other information on religion. Adherents.com is the leading authority when referencing religious statistics for the TV news and print media. © 2008 http://www.adherents.com - All Rights Reserved
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