Ketubot 10A

איתמר, אמר רב נחמן אמר שמואל משום רבי שמעון בן אלעזר: חכמים תקנו להם לבנות ישראל, לבתולה מאתים, ולאלמנה מנה. והם האמינוהו, שאם אמר ״פתח פתוח מצאתי״⁠ — נאמן. אם כן ⁠— מה הועילו חכמים בתקנתם?

§ It was stated: Rav Naḥman said that Shmuel said in the name of R' Shimon ben Elazar: The rabbis instituted the marriage contract for Jewish women: For a virgin 200 dinars and for a widow 100 dinars. And they deemed the groom credible in that if he says with regard to his virgin bride: I encountered an unobstructed orifice and she is not a virgin, he is deemed credible, causing her to lose her marriage contract. The Talmud asks: If so, and the rabbis deemed him credible, what did the rabbis accomplish in their ordinance that the marriage contract of a virgin is 200 dinars, if his claim that she is not a virgin is effective?

אמר רבא: חזקה, אין אדם טורח בסעודה ומפסידה.

Rava said: The ordinance is effective due to the presumption that a person does not exert himself to prepare a wedding feast and then cause it to be lost. Investing in the wedding preparations clearly indicates that the groom’s intention is to marry the bride and rejoice with her. If, nevertheless, he claims that she is not a virgin, apparently he is telling the truth.

תנא: הואיל וקנס חכמים הוא ⁠— לא תגבה אלא מן הזיבורית. קנסא? מאי קנסא?! אלא אימא: הואיל ותקנת חכמים הוא ⁠— לא תגבה אלא מן הזיבורית. רבן שמעון בן גמליאל אומר: כתובת אשה מן התורה.

§ A Sage taught in a baraita: Since payment of the marriage contract is a penalty instituted by the rabbis, she may collect only from the husband’s land of the most inferior quality. The Talmud asks: A penalty? What penalty is there in a marriage contract? Rather, emend the baraita and say: Since it is a rabbinic ordinance and not a Torah obligation, she may collect only from the husband’s land of the most inferior quality. Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says: The marriage contract of a woman is an obligation by Torah law.