Img. ID: 493652

The following description was prepared by William Gross:

A Ketubah (Hebrew: כְּתוּבָּה ; "written thing"; pl. Ketubot) is a special type of Jewish prenuptial agreement. It is considered an integral part of a traditional Jewish marriage, and outlines the rights and responsibilities of the groom, in relation to the bride. The content of the Ketubah is in essence a one-way contract that formalizes the various requirements by Halacha (Jewish law) of a Jewish husband vis à vis his wife. The Jewish husband takes upon himself in the Ketubah the obligation that he will provide to his wife three major things: clothing, food and conjugal relations, and also that he will pay her a pre-specified amount of cash in the case of a divorce. Thus the content of the Ketubah essentially dictates security and protection for the woman, and her rights in the marriage.

This document is signed and then given to the bride as her property. In Italy and most of the Islamic countries in which Jews resided, such a Ketubah was often decorated, a tradition originating with the Jews in Spain. Today, generally, printed Ketubot are used.

The booking form of the Ketubah was not the normal form in Iran.  This manner of presentation appears to have been utilized only in Teheran and Meshed, examples of which from both communities are in the Gross Family Collection. The use of the form appears to have begun in the last part of the 19th century. This document is unusual in that it records a Levirate marriage, in which a brother of the deceased husband marries the widow, as required by Jewish law.  Such wedding documents are extremely rare, as in almost all cases the intended couple was released from the obligations through the performance of a particular ceremony called "Chalitza". This wedding took place in Teheran on Thursday 13 Iyyar 5691 (April 30, 1931).

Groom:                             Chaim Yitzhak ben

Bride:                                Rivka Zalchah bat Shlomo