An Eternal Covenant
„In our humanity there is nothing as sacred and as worthy of being exalted as the holiness of the bond of the marriage covenant.”From Ein Ayah, Shabbat
At a certain period in Jewish history, Rabbi Shimon ben Shetach decided to institute the ketubah. Until that time, bonds would end the moment the parties no longer desired them. Shimon ben Shetach instituted the ketubah so that people would not divorce over momentary or financial decisions - so they would know there is a price tag to leaving. In the Jewish conception, the bond between a man and a woman is one of free will; it is not by coercion or force. Yet together with this comes the ketubah, to increase the responsibility toward the bond. And all this on account of the holiness of the marriage bond, and its immense importance in being pure, true, and exalted.
*
The study is dedicated to the memory and the return of Ravid Katz, may God avenge his blood (51), who was abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz.
From the community archive of Mishpetei HaRav Kook — studying Rav Kook's teachings since 2011.