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Kiddushin 2:2-3

Kiddushin 2:2

If a man says to a woman, “Be betrothed to me with this cup of wine” and it turns out to be a cup of honey, or vice versa, “with this silver coin” and it turns out to be a gold coin, or vice versa, “on the condition that I am wealthy” and he turns out to be poor, or vice versa - in all of these cases, she is not betrothed. Rabbi Shimon says that if he misled her to her benefit (such as if the “silver” coin is really gold), then she is betrothed.

Kiddushin 2:3

If he says, “Be betrothed to me on the condition that I am a kohein” and he turns out to be a Levi, or vice versa, “that I am a Gibeonite” and he turns out to be a mamzer, or vice versa, “that I live in a village” and he turns out to live in the city, or vice versa, “that my house is near the bathhouse” and it turns out to be far, or vice versa, “that I have a daughter or a maidservant who is a hairdresser” and it turns out that he doesn’t, or vice versa, “that I have no children” and it turns out that he does, or vice versa - in all of these cases, she is not betrothed to him even if she says that her intention was to be betrothed despite the condition. (This is because her intentions cannot trump his statements.) A betrothal is also ineffective if the woman misleads the man with misinformation (even if he intends for it to be effective anyway).

Author: Rabbi Jack Abramowitz