Chapter I
CHAPTER I.
§ 1. A virgin is espoused on the fourth day [of the week], a widow on the fifth; because in towns the Bethdin sits twice a week, [namely] on the second and on the fifth [day], so that should he [the bridegroom] have to complain of non-virginity, he [presents himself] early [the next morning] before the Bethdin.
§ 2. [If the person espoused is] a virgin, her Ketubah is two
hundred dinar; [if] a widow, [it is] a maneh. 2 A virgin [who is] a widow, or divorced, or has performed chalitza, after betrothment [only, the marriage ceremony not having been completed, or the marriage consummated, in all such cases] their Ketubah is two hundred dinar, and they are amenable to the accusation of non-virginity. 3 A proselyte, a captive, and a bondwoman, who have been ransomed, converted, or manumitted at less than three years and one day [old], their Ketubah is two hundred dinar, and they are amenable to the accusation of non-virginity.
§ 3. A minor, 4 with whom an adult [male] has had carnal intercourse, a nubile maiden who has had such intercourse with a minor, 5 and [a virgin] fractured by accident, 6 their Ketubah is two hundred dinar. Such is the dictum of R. Meir: but the sages hold [in the case of a virgin] fractured by accident [that] her Ketubah [is only a] maneh.
§ 4. A virgin [who is] a widow or divorced, or has performed chalitza after espousals [only, the ceremony having been completed, but the marriage not consummated, in all such cases] their Ketubah is a maneh, and they are not amenable to the accusation of non-virginity. A proselyte, a captive, and a bondwoman, who have been ransomed, converted, or manumitted at more than three years and one day [old], their Ketubah is a maneh, and they are not amenable to the accusation of non-virginity.
§ 5. He who in Judea has partaken [of the betrothment meal] at his father-in-law's without [any] witness [present], cannot prefer an accusation of non-virginity, because he was alone with her 7 [the bride]. A widow, whether she be [the daughter] of an Israelite or of a priest has [always] her Ketubah [of] a maneh. The sacerdotal
[paragraph continues] Bethdin fixed the Ketubah for a virgin [of sacerdotal race] at four hundred zooz, but the sages did not [interfere to] prevent them.
§ 6. He who espouses a wife, and discovers she has not her virginity, should she say, "After thou didst betroth me נאנסתי זנסתפחה שדך" 8 while he replies, "No, it is not so, but before I had betrothed thee [thou hadst lost thy virginity], consequently my bargain [with thee] was concluded in error:" 9 [in his case] R. Gamaliel and R. Eleazar say, "She is worthy of belief;" but R. Joshua saith, "Not by her assertion are we to be guided: she is presumed to have been deflowered previous to her betrothment, and that she deceived him, unless she adduces proof to [support her assertion]."
§ 7. Should she assert, "I have been fractured by accident," while he replies, "No, thou hast been deflowered by a man," R. Gamaliel and R. Eleazar say, "She is to be believed;" but R. Joshua saith, "Not by her assertion are we to be guided: she is presumed to have been deflowered by a man, unless she adduces proof to [support] her assertion."
§ 8. If she is seen conversing [intimately] with a man in the street, and being asked, "Who is that man?" she replies, "He is A.B., a priest [or of legitimate Israelitish descent]," R. Gamaliel and R. Eleazar say, "She is to be believed;" but R. Joshua saith, "Not by her assertion are we to be guided: she is presumed to have been deflowered 10 by a nethin or a bastard, 11 unless she adduces proof to [support] her assertion."
§ 9. If she is pregnant, and being asked, "by whom?" she replies, "By NN., who is a priest," R. Gamaliel and R. Eleazar say, "She is to be believed;" 12 but R. Joshua saith, "Not by her assertion are we to be guided: she is presumed to be pregnant by a nethin or a bastard, unless she adduces proof to [support] her assertion."
§ 10. R. José said, "It [once] happened that a girl went down
to draw water from the fountain, and she was violated [by a person unknown]." R. Jochanan ben Nouri decided, "That if the majority of the townsmen were [of pure descent and] qualified to intermarry with the sacerdotal race, this girl might be espoused by a priest."