1,523. Writing a Kesubah

Hilchos Ishus 10:6

If a man consecrates a woman and recites the marriage brachos but is not secluded with her in his home, she is still considered to be betrothed. This is because the marriage is not cemented by reciting the marriage brachos but rather by entering the chuppah. If a man consecrates a woman and they enter the chuppah but do not recite the marriage brachos, the woman is considered married in all regards. The marriage brachos may even be recited several days later. A woman in a state of niddah should not be wed until she has gone to the mikvah; the marriage brachos are not recited for her until then. However, if a person acts counter to the law and marries a woman in a state of niddah and the marriage brachos are recited, they are not repeated later.

Hilchos Ishus 10:7

A man must write a kesubah (marriage contract) for his wife before they enter the chuppah, after which he may live with her. The groom is responsible to pay the sofer’s fee. The minimum value of a kesubah is 200 dinar if the bride is a virgin, otherwise 100 dinar. This is called the baseline amount of the kesubah; if the groom wishes to add to it, he may – even a talent of gold. The laws of this addition are essentially the same as those of the baseline amount. Therefore, whenever the kesubah is referred to without explanation, it includes both the baseline amount of the kesubah and any additional amounts. Writing a kesubah is a rabbinical enactment, designed to make divorce something one would not do impulsively.