Obj. ID: 53516
Hebrew Illuminated Manuscripts  Zeh ha-Sefer shel Shnei Ketubot shel Shavuot, Ancona, circa 1800

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 holiday of Shavuot, at the beginning of the summer, records the receipt from God of the Torah by the people Israel. An unusual custom was the making of a Ketubah, or marriage contract, for Shavuot, recording the contract between God and the people Israel as a marriage.  This custom was generally practiced in North Africa and in Italy.

The texts of this manuscript are a fine presentation of the special custom of reading a Ketubah for Shavuot, celebrating the marriage of the Lord to the people Israel.  The holiday is for the commemoration of the giving of the law on Mount Sinai. This manuscript presents a Ketubah for each of the two days of Shavuot. This custom was primarily observed in the Sephardic communities.

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