Ketubot 104 - October 18, 23 Tishrei

Today's daf is sponsored by Jessica Shklar in honor of her sister, Hadran stalwart Ruth Leah Kahan. "In appreciation for hosting my boys and their miscellaneous friends who have been visiting Israel over the last few months. Thank you for giving them a home."

As Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi was about to die, the rabbis decreed a fast, prayed for his recovery, and declared that anyone who says Rebbi died will be stabbed by a sword. His maidservant realized at a certain point that Rebbi was suffering terribly so she threw a jug from the roof to distract them from the prayers and as soon as they stopped praying for a moment Rebbi died. How did they declare his death if they had forbidden people from saying he was dead? What were Rebbi's final words and how was he accepted in the heavens? How are the righteous greeted by the angels in heaven and what about evil people? The Mishna discusses a widow's ability to receive the money of her ketuba after twenty-five years. Can she still demand it? According to Rabbi Meir, if she was living the whole time in her husband's house then after twenty-five years she can no longer get her ketuba. According to the rabbis, it is an issue only if she is living in her father's house. What is the logic of each position? Difficulties are raised against each position and are resolved. Rav and Rabbi Elazar disagree about the rabbi's position - is it that she has a ketuba in hand or only if she does not have a ketuba? Two difficulties are raised against Rav's position (that she does not have a ketuba) but are resolved. A braita is brought to support Rav's position. Another question is raised about the debate in the Mishna - is it referring to the whole ketuba or only to the main part of the ketuba? A story is told of a woman whose brother-in-law no longer wanted to pay for her food or ketuba as twenty-five years had passed. She succeeds in getting a court ruling to collect her ketuba but as he refuses to fulfill the court order, the story drags on and she tries to claim proceeds from the land from the time of the ruling in her favor to now and although she tries to bring good halachic arguments, the court brings counter-arguments and awards her only the ketuba, but not the proceeds.