Obj. ID: 55061
  Sacred and Ritual  Be-Siman Tov, Amsterdam, 1663

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.

A magnificent copy of a finely copper engraved Ketubah, this marriage contract is created very much in the style of Shalom d’Italia.  The earliest of this series is from 1661, and this example is the third oldest recorded copy.  This Ketubah was in use by the Sephardic community and variations of its design continued in use for more than 250 years in the Sephardic world. As is typical of the Sephardic custom, in the bottom cartouche the “Tenaim", or conditions, are written separately from the text of the Ketubah contract itself. This marriage is listed in the communal archives in Amsterdam, noting that the groom, Jacob da Costa was born in 1633 in Pinheiro and the bride, Rachel Athias was born in Brazil in 1639. At the top of the Ketubah, in the left-hand corner, is depicted "Charity" and in the right-hand corner "Marriage". The artist of this copper-engraved Ketubah is unknown. The wedding took place on Wednesday, June 20, 1663 (15 Sivan 5423). One of the signing Rabbis was the first rabbi to serve the Jewish community in Brazil.

An artistic copy was made of this frame. It was produced from a photograph of this ketubbah (text removed), and printed on decorative paper (49.1 x 35 cm.). 035.012.004A.

Groom:                             Ya'akov da Costa

Bride:                                Rachel Athias