Obj. ID: 48904
Hebrew Illuminated Manuscripts  Ketubbah, Gibraltar, 1833

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.

An extremely striking Ketubah, this was made for the marriage of Sephardic families in Gibraltar.  The European influence is dominant, as it was in the city under British rule.  The Ketubah is rendered as a classical theater stage, with fine perspective.  This object represents what happened with the culture of the North African families who lived in this city under European control and culture. The Ketubah is unusual as well in the use of a horizontal format. There is another Ketubah, a Shavuot Ketubah by the same artist, in the collection of the JTS Library in New York. Later Ketubot from Gibraltar came to use a very standardized form with the text surrounded by a decorated wreath.

This wedding took place in Gibraltar on Wednesday 

Bride:                                Aisa bat Machlouf ben Avraham Amsalam

Groom:                             Sa'adia ben Rachamim ben Aharon Ibn Chaim