📜 Mishnah Ketubot 8

הָאִשָּׁה שֶׁנָּפְלוּ לָהּ נְכָסִים עַד שֶׁלֹּא תִתְאָרֵס, מוֹדִים בֵּית שַׁמַּאי וּבֵית הִלֵּל שֶׁמּוֹכֶרֶת וְנוֹתֶנֶת וְקַיָּם. נָפְלוּ לָהּ מִשֶּׁנִּתְאָרְסָה, בֵּית שַׁמַּאי אוֹמְרִים, תִּמְכֹּר, וּבֵית הִלֵּל אוֹמְרִים, לֹא תִמְכֹּר. אֵלּוּ וָאֵלּוּ מוֹדִים, שֶׁאִם מָכְרָה וְנָתְנָה, קַיָּם. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה, אָמְרוּ לִפְנֵי רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל, הוֹאִיל וְזָכָה בָאִשָּׁה, לֹא יִזְכֶּה בַנְּכָסִים. אָמַר לָהֶם, עַל הַחֲדָשִׁים אָנוּ בוֹשִׁין, אֶלָּא שָׁאַתֶּם מְגַלְגְּלִין עָלֵינוּ אֶת הַיְשָׁנִים. נָפְלוּ לָהּ מִשֶּׁנִּשֵּׂאת, אֵלּוּ וָאֵלּוּ מוֹדִים שֶׁאִם מָכְרָה וְנָתְנָה שֶׁהַבַּעַל מוֹצִיא מִיַּד הַלָּקוֹחוֹת. עַד שֶׁלֹּא נִשֵּׂאת וְנִשֵּׂאת, רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר, אִם מָכְרָה וְנָתְנָה, קַיָּם. אָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בֶּן עֲקִיבָא, אָמְרוּ לִפְנֵי רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל, הוֹאִיל וְזָכָה בָאִשָּׁה, לֹא יִזְכֶּה בַנְּכָסִים. אָמַר לָהֶם, עַל הַחֲדָשִׁים אָנוּ בוֹשִׁין, אֶלָּא שֶׁאַתֶּם מְגַלְגְּלִים עָלֵינוּ אֶת הַיְשָׁנִים:

With regard to a woman to whom property was bequeathed before she was betrothed, and she was then betrothed, Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel agree that she may sell or give the property as a gift, and the transaction is valid. However, if the property was bequeathed to her after she was betrothed, Beit Shammai say: She may sell it as long as she is betrothed, and Beit Hillel say: She may not sell it. Both these, Beit Shammai, and those, Beit Hillel, agree that if she sold it or gave it away as a gift, the transaction is valid. Rabbi Yehuda said that the Sages said before Rabban Gamliel: Since he acquired the woman herself through betrothal, will he not acquire the property from the moment of their betrothal? Why, then, is her transaction valid? Rabban Gamliel said to them: With regard to the new property that she inherited after marriage, we are ashamed, because it is unclear why she cannot sell it, as it is hers; and you also seek to impose upon us a prohibition with regard to the old property that she owned beforehand? If the property was bequeathed to her after she was married, both these, Beit Shammai, and those, Beit Hillel, agree that if she sold the property or gave it away, the husband may repossess it from the purchasers. If she inherited the property before she was married and then was married, Rabban Gamliel says: If she sold or gave the property away, the transaction is valid. Rabbi Ḥanina ben Akavya said that the Sages said before Rabban Gamliel: Since he acquired the woman through marriage, will he not acquire the property? Rabban Gamliel said to them: With regard to the new property we are ashamed, and you also seek to impose upon us a prohibition with regard to the old property?

רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן חוֹלֵק בֵּין נְכָסִים לִנְכָסִים. נְכָסִים הַיְדוּעִים לַבַּעַל, לֹא תִמְכֹּר. וְאִם מָכְרָה וְנָתְנָה, בָּטֵל. שֶׁאֵינָן יְדוּעִים לַבַּעַל, לֹא תִמְכֹּר. וְאִם מָכְרָה וְנָתְנָה, קַיָּם:

Rabbi Shimon distinguishes between one type of property and another type of property: Property that is known to the husband she may not sell once she is married, and if she sold it or gave it away, the transaction is void. Property that is unknown to the husband she may not sell, but if she sold it or gave it away, the transaction is valid.

נָפְלוּ לָהּ כְּסָפִים, יִלָּקַח בָּהֶן קַרְקַע וְהוּא אוֹכֵל פֵּרוֹת. פֵּרוֹת הַתְּלוּשִׁין מִן הַקַּרְקַע, יִלָּקַח בָּהֶן קַרְקַע וְהוּא אוֹכֵל פֵּרוֹת. וְהַמְחֻבָּרִין בַּקַּרְקַע, אָמַר רַבִּי מֵאִיר, שָׁמִין אוֹתָן כַּמָּה הֵן יָפִין בְּפֵרוֹת וְכַמָּה הֵן יָפִין בְּלֹא פֵרוֹת, וְהַמּוֹתָר, יִלָּקַח בָּהֶן קַרְקַע וְהוּא אוֹכֵל פֵּרוֹת. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים, הַמְחֻבָּרִין לַקַּרְקַע, שֶׁלּוֹ. וְהַתְּלוּשִׁין מִן הַקַּרְקַע, שֶׁלָּהּ, וְיִלָּקַח בָּהֶן קַרְקַע וְהוּא אוֹכֵל פֵּרוֹת:

If money was bequeathed to a woman as an inheritance while she was married, land is acquired with it, and the husband consumes the produce of the land while the principal remains hers. If she inherited produce that is detached from the ground, it is considered like money; therefore, land is acquired with it and he consumes the produce of the land. With regard to produce that is attached to the ground, Rabbi Meir says: One evaluates how much the land is worth with the produce, and how much it is worth without the produce, and the difference between these sums is the surplus value that belongs to the woman. Land is then acquired with the surplus and he consumes the produce. And the Rabbis say: That which is attached to the ground is his, as he is entitled to the produce from her property and he may therefore eat from it. And that which is detached from the ground is hers, like all other money she brings to the marriage, and land is acquired with it and he consumes the produce.

רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר, מְקוֹם שֶׁיָּפֶה כֹחוֹ בִכְנִיסָתָהּ, הוּרַע כֹּחוֹ בִיצִיאָתָהּ. מְקוֹם שֶׁהוּרַע כֹּחוֹ בִכְנִיסָתָהּ, יָפֶה כֹחוֹ בִיצִיאָתָהּ. פֵּרוֹת הַמְחֻבָּרִין לַקַּרְקַע, בִּכְנִיסָתָהּ שֶׁלּוֹ וּבִיצִיאָתָהּ שֶׁלָּהּ. וְהַתְּלוּשִׁין מִן הַקַּרְקַע, בִּכְנִיסָתָהּ שֶׁלָּהּ וּבִיצִיאָתָהּ שֶׁלּוֹ:

Rabbi Shimon says: In a case where his right is superior upon her entrance to the marriage, his right is inferior upon her exit if he divorces her. Conversely, in a case where his right is inferior upon her entrance, his right is superior upon her exit. How so? With regard to produce that is attached to the ground, if she married while owning such produce, upon her entrance it is his, in accordance with the opinion of the Rabbis, and upon her exit, when he divorces her, it is hers, as it is considered part of her property. But in the case of produce that is detached from the ground, upon her entrance it is hers, and if such produce is detached before their divorce, upon her exit it is his, as he was already entitled to all the produce of her property.

נָפְלוּ לָהּ עֲבָדִים וּשְׁפָחוֹת זְקֵנִים, יִמָּכְרוּ וְיִלָּקַח בָּהֶן קַרְקַע וְהוּא אוֹכֵל פֵּרוֹת. רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר, לֹא תִמְכֹּר, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהֵן שְׁבַח בֵּית אָבִיהָ. נָפְלוּ לָהּ זֵיתִים וּגְפָנִים זְקֵנִים, יִמָּכְרוּ לְעֵצִים וְיִלָּקַח בָּהֶן קַרְקַע וְהוּא אוֹכֵל פֵּרוֹת. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, לֹא תִמְכֹּר, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהֵן שְׁבַח בֵּית אָבִיהָ. הַמּוֹצִיא הוֹצָאוֹת עַל נִכְסֵי אִשְׁתּוֹ, הוֹצִיא הַרְבֵּה וְאָכַל קִמְעָא, קִמְעָא וְאָכַל הַרְבֵּה, מַה שֶּׁהוֹצִיא הוֹצִיא, וּמַה שֶּׁאָכַל אָכָל. הוֹצִיא וְלֹא אָכַל, יִשָּׁבַע כַּמָּה הוֹצִיא וְיִטֹּל:

If elderly slaves or maidservants were bequeathed to her, they are sold and land is acquired with them, and the husband consumes the produce of the land. Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says: She need not sell these slaves and maidservants, because they are assets of her paternal family, and it would be shameful to the family if they were sold to others. Likewise, if old olive trees or grapevines were bequeathed to her, they are sold and land is acquired with them, and he consumes the produce. Rabbi Yehuda says: She need not sell them, because they are assets of her paternal family. With regard to one who pays expenditures for his wife’s property in an effort to improve it, if he paid a large amount in expenditures and ate only a small amount of produce before he divorced her, or if he paid a small amount in expenditures and ate a large quantity of produce, that which he spent he has spent, and that which he ate he has eaten. Therefore, none of it need be returned. However, if he paid expenditures for the property and did not eat any part of it, he takes an oath with regard to how much he paid and then takes his expenditures.

שׁוֹמֶרֶת יָבָם שֶׁנָּפְלוּ לָהּ נְכָסִים, מוֹדִים בֵּית שַׁמַּאי וּבֵית הִלֵּל שֶׁמּוֹכֶרֶת וְנוֹתֶנֶת וְקַיָּם. מֵתָה, מַה יַּעֲשׂוּ בִכְתֻבָּתָהּ וּבַנְּכָסִים הַנִּכְנָסִין וְהַיּוֹצְאִין עִמָּהּ. בֵּית שַׁמַּאי אוֹמְרִים, יַחֲלֹקוּ יוֹרְשֵׁי הַבַּעַל עִם יוֹרְשֵׁי הָאָב. וּבֵית הִלֵּל אוֹמְרִים, נְכָסִים בְּחֶזְקָתָן, כְּתֻבָּה בְּחֶזְקַת יוֹרְשֵׁי הַבַּעַל, נְכָסִים הַנִּכְנָסִים וְהַיּוֹצְאִים עִמָּהּ בְּחֶזְקַת יוֹרְשֵׁי הָאָב:

When a married man dies childless, his brother, the yavam, is obligated to perform levirate marriage or release the widow, the yevama, through a ceremony known as ḥalitza. With regard to a widow waiting for her yavam who had property bequeathed to her, Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel agree that she may sell or give this property away, and the transaction is valid. If this woman died, what should they do with her marriage contract and with the property that comes and goes with her, i.e., her usufruct property? Beit Shammai say: Since she was not yet remarried, the husband’s heirs, such as his brothers or father, divide the property with her father’s heirs. And Beit Hillel say: The property retains its previous ownership status, and therefore the marriage contract is in the possession of the husband’s heirs, as they are responsible for its payment. As for the property that comes and goes with her, it is in the possession of the heirs of the woman’s father, as it belongs to the woman.

הִנִּיחַ אָחִיו מָעוֹת, יִלָּקַח בָּהֶן קַרְקַע וְהוּא אוֹכֵל פֵּרוֹת. פֵּרוֹת הַתְּלוּשִׁין מִן הַקַּרְקַע, יִלָּקַח בָּהֶן קַרְקַע וְהוּא אוֹכֵל פֵּרוֹת. הַמְחֻבָּרִין בַּקַּרְקַע, אָמַר רַבִּי מֵאִיר, שָׁמִין אוֹתָן כַּמָּה הֵן יָפִין בְּפֵרוֹת וְכַמָּה הֵן יָפִין בְּלֹא פֵרוֹת, וְהַמּוֹתָר, יִלָּקַח בָּהֶן קַרְק��ע וְהוּא אוֹכֵל פֵּרוֹת. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים, פֵּרוֹת הַמְחֻבָּרִים בַּקַּרְקַע, שֶׁלּוֹ. וְהַתְּלוּשִׁין מִן הַקַּרְקַע, כָּל הַקּוֹדֵם זָכָה בָהֶן. קָדַם הוּא, זָכָה. קָדְמָה הִיא, יִלָּקַח בָּהֶן קַרְקַע וְהוּא אוֹכֵל פֵּרוֹת. כְּנָסָהּ, הֲרֵי הִיא כְאִשְׁתּוֹ לְכָל דָּבָר, וּבִלְבַד שֶׁתְּהֵא כְתֻבָּתָהּ עַל נִכְסֵי בַעְלָהּ הָרִאשׁוֹן:

If his deceased brother left money as part of his estate, land to be used as a lien on her marriage contract is acquired with it, and the yavam consumes the produce. Similarly, if the deceased brother left produce that is detached from the ground, land is acquired with it and the yavam consumes the produce. If he left behind produce that is attached to the ground, Rabbi Meir says: One evaluates the properties to determine how much they are worth with the produce, and how much they are worth without the produce. And as for the surplus, which is the value of the produce, land is acquired with it and the yavam consumes the produce. And the Rabbis say: Produce that is attached to the ground is his. Therefore, it is not used in the purchase of land, but the yavam may eat it. As for the produce that is detached from the ground, which is not mortgaged to her marriage contract, whoever takes possession first has acquired it. If the yavam takes possession of the property first, he has acquired it and may use it as he wishes, but if she is first, land is acquired with it and he consumes the produce. After the yavam has married her, her legal status is that of his wife in every sense, except that the responsibility for payment of her marriage contract is carried out through mortgaging the property of her first husband, not that of the yavam.

לֹא יֹאמַר לָהּ, הֲרֵי כְתֻבְּתִיךְ מֻנַּחַת עַל הַשֻּׁלְחָן, אֶלָּא כָּל נְכָסָיו אַחֲרָאִין לַכְּתֻבָּה. וְכֵן לֹא יֹאמַר אָדָם לְאִשְׁתּוֹ, הֲרֵי כְתֻבְּתִיךְ מֻנַּחַת עַל הַשֻּׁלְחָן, אֶלָּא כָל נְכָסָיו אַחֲרָאִין לִכְתֻבָּתָהּ. גֵּרְשָׁהּ, אֵין לָהּ אֶלָּא כְתֻבָּתָהּ. הֶחֱזִירָהּ, הֲרֵי הִיא כְּכָל הַנָּשִׁים וְאֵין לָהּ אֶלָּא כְתֻבָּתָהּ בִּלְבָד:

Therefore, the yavam may not say to her: Your marriage contract is placed on the table. He may not set aside a designated sum of money for this payment. Rather, all of the first husband’s property is mortgaged for her marriage contract as long as he has not divorced her. And similarly, in general a man may not say to his wife: Your marriage contract is placed on the table. Rather, all his property is mortgaged for her marriage contract. If the yavam divorced her after performing levirate marriage, she has only her marriage contract, as she does not retain any rights to the rest of her first husband’s property. If he subsequently remarried her, she is like all women, and she has nothing but her marriage contract. In this case, the property of her first husband is no longer pledged for the payment of her marriage contract.