Types of ketuba

Ketubah can be divided into several groups based on their design and visual appearance:

1. Handwritten simple one-page Ketubah
2. Printed simple one-page Ketubah
3. Decorated handwritten one-page Ketubah
4. Decorated handwritten booklet Ketubah with 4 or 6 pages
5. Decorated printed one-page Ketubah
6. Decorated printed booklet Ketubah
7. Decorated handwritten one-page Ketubah with a lion and sun design
8. Decorated handwritten one-page Ketubah with a rug design
9. Modern printed one-page Ketubah with modern designs
10. Decorated handwritten one-page Ketubah with a flower and plant design
11. Decorated handwritten one-page Ketubah with a flower and bird design
12. Decorated handwritten one-page Ketubah with an Islamic design
13. Decorated handwritten Ketubah with designs related to a particular city of choosing (e.g. Tehran, Isfahan, Shiraz, Hamadan, Kurdistan).
14. Miscellaneous Ketubahs with custom designs used by a specific family

Handwritten simple one-page Ketubah

Translation of the text on the Ketubah above:

And they blessed Rebekah and said to her, “Our sister, may you become thousands of ten thousand, and may your offspring possess the gate of those who hate him!”
Go out, O daughters of Zion, and look upon King Solomon, with the crown with which his mother crowned him on the day of his wedding, on the day of the gladness of his heart.
Date of the Ketubah: Tuesday, 5th Adar Sheni, 5407 Hebrew calendar, corresponding to 1644 AC.
Witnesses present: Benjamin son of Yitzhak (witness), Mullah son of Yitzhak.
Orthography: Kurdish, belonging to the northwestern regions of Iran.

Ketubah with a lion and sun design

The lion and sun are prominent designs in the Ketubahs of the Jewish community in Isfahan. The origin of this symbol in Ketubahs is unclear. In this type of Ketubah, two half-standing lions are painted facing each other, with a sun with a human face behind each lion. The lion and sun design is usually positioned at the top of the Ketubah, accompanied by beautiful illustrations of flowers, birds, peacocks, and cypress trees. The lion and sun are believed to represent the star of Leo and the sun in the Leo constellation, particularly in Middle Eastern countries, especially in Iran after the Islamic period (during the Safavid era).

Moreover, in mythical beliefs of ancient civilizations, the connection between these two symbols has always been intertwined with the culture and history of various nations. The lion is often seen as a symbol of power and kingship, while the sun signifies radiance and beauty. In Jewish culture, the lion is associated with the tribe of Judah (the fourth son of Jacob), and the sun represents the tribe of Issachar (the eighth son of Jacob).

According to certain narratives, following the arrival of the Children of Israel in Iran, the tribes of Judah and Issachar migrated to Isfahan and settled there. To uphold their national identity, they adopted symbols from both tribes on the Ketubah when marriages occurred between their members. Over time, the lion and sun symbol gained broader significance and was employed by other tribes, sometimes independently, to represent sovereignty. This symbol found its way onto flags, coins of kings, and various artistic works.

Anousi Ketubah

This category of Ketubahs became popular among Jews who had recently converted to Islam in the city of Mashhad in the early 19th century. With the start of the Pahlavi rule and the establishment of relative freedom for religious minorities, these Ketubahs — which were previously used for marriage contracts — became obsolete.

These marriage contracts are usually single-paged and, unlike other Ketubahs, are often in Persian or Arabic instead of Hebrew. The Decorated sentences are often verses from the Quran, the conditions being based on Islamic laws.

Therefore, most Jews of Mashhad would have two marriage documents. One marriage document followed the Islamic structure and incorporated elements from the marriage contracts of Muslims (a mixture of Persian and Arabic). The other document, known as Ketubah, followed the structure of their ancestors’ Ketubahs, written in Aramaic (Hebrew) and aligned with Jewish religious laws. It should be noted that Ketubahs written in Aramaic always used Hebrew names.

The distinguishing feature of Anousi Ketubahs from other Ketubahs is the use of miniature designs, Termeh patterns, Jeghe (a special decoration used on the crowns of the kings of Iran and the region, such as the ottomans), flowers, vases, and mostly the absence of bird images. As a group of Mashhadi Jews migrated to Herat and Afghanistan after converting to Islam, striking similarities emerged in their Ketubah designs with the marriage contracts of these regions.

Flower and Plant Ketubah:

The use of flower and plant designs is a special feature not only found in most Jewish Ketubahs but also in most marriage contracts among Muslims, with a combination of jasmine, daffodils, and rose flowers being commonly used. Additionally, birds such as doves and nightingales are used for decoration in the side margins of bird and flower Ketubahs too, to add further beauty to the flowers and plants. This type of decoration was prevalent in both Isfahan’s Ketubahs and the marriage contracts of Muslims in Iran. The distinguishing feature of Isfahan Ketubahs from other cities is the use of a lovebird motif instead of birds.

Handwritten booklet Ketubah

This type of Ketubah was used from the early 19th century in some cities, especially Tehran and Shiraz. It was usually prepared as a booklet with four to six pages. Several verses from the holy book were written on the first page, and the details of the bride and groom, the amount of dowry and mahr (i.e. the obligation, in the form of money or possessions, paid by the groom to the bride), and the marriage laws that both parties were obliged to follow were recorded on the next pages.

Designs of red flowers and images of birds with soft and joyful colors adorned the margins of the Shirazi Ketubah. One of the features of these Ketubahs is the skillful Chiaroscuro design of patterns. Unlike other Ketubahs, these patterns have depth. The text is in cursive script, and the blessings are written in a book-style format with black ink.

In the Shirazi booklet Ketubahs, the text is written in both broken Persian and Hebrew script. The design of Tehran Ketubahs are mostly geometric (resembling the modern style or Lucyne/Lucim painting). The use of vibrant colors aims to enhance the beauty of the Ketubahs. Important points and headings are written in Hebrew book-style script, while most of the text is written in broken Hebrew script.

Printed booklet Ketubahs

As time passed and major cities developed administrative structures at the beginning of the Phalvai era, a need to register and record these documents under civil laws and in compliance with constitutional regulations arose. This was to ensure legal registration of the marriage ceremony. Therefore, the government developed a Persian marriage contract for the Jewish minority. These contracts were carefully prepared and officially registered in designated offices, which were typically managed by qualified religious authorities within the Jewish communities across most cities.

These marriage contracts were usually printed as booklets with sixteen pages by the Ministry of Interior. A combination of colorful flowers in the margins, similar to Persian rug designs, decorated each page. An original design of a citrus with the name of God written in Hebrew was placed at the top of the second page. The remaining pages of these booklets contained complete details of the bride and groom, specifying the amount of dowry and considering the bride’s mahr, as well as the conditions and responsibilities of the husband towards his wife. It also included the circumstances under which the wife or husband could request a divorce from the court.

Translation of the Anousi Ketubah:

by Rabbi Suleiman Hakakian

In the name of God, with joy and gratitude, as He has clothed me with garments of salvation and covered me with a robe of righteousness. Like a glorious groom, he will adorn himself, and like a bride, she will adorn herself.

On Friday 12th Sivan 5641 after the creation (of Adam), which is the epoch we use to count years here in Mashhad — a city near the Gonaveh spring that is supplied from wells and springs.

Mr. Rahimi, son of Mr. Youssef, said to the chaste Miss Malika, daughter of Mr. Aharon, “Become my spouse according to the law of Moshe Ve’ Yisrael. I shall strive per God’s command (and with His assistance). I shall honor you, support you, and feed you. I shall provide for you and manage you. I shall dress you as is customary among working Jewish men who treat their wives respectfully and provide for them. I will give you a mahr of 200 silver dinars for your chastity, equivalent to 25 pure silver dinars, which you deserve. Your nourishment, clothing, and needs are my responsibility, and I marry you as is the norm.”

This chaste lady accepted and became his spouse. And this husband agreed to add ten more silver dinars to the original mahr. The total value of the dowry brought by the bride from her father’s house to her husband’s house was 30 tomans, half of which were Tabriz coins. The groom received it all and it came into his possession, considering it his debt. The groom told us that he took responsibility for the entire expenses of the Ketubah, the original Ketubah, the dowry, and additional expenses, which will be paid from the best and most valuable possessions he has under the sky, including what he has purchased and what he will purchase in the future, whether they are immovable properties or movable assets associated with those immovable properties. He made this commitment binding to his heir as well. They will all serve as collateral and guarantors for the payment of the principal amount of the mahr, dowry, and additional expenses. [He said] they will be paid during my lifetime, after my death, and even by the garment on my back. The legal transfer of these assets from the groom to the bride, which is done through a proper legal procedure, has been fully executed according to everything that has been written and explained above, not through verbal commitment (which is not sincere) or by filling out a contractual form, which is merely for educational purposes and has no legal validity. Instead, it has been done in accordance with the serious registration of valid documents, as is customary in the Ketubahs between Jews, and in accordance with the laws and regulations established by our esteemed jurists, may their memory be blessed.

And we (, the witnesses,) have signed this Ketubah at the time mentioned above. Everything is clear, firm, and valid.
May they be fruitful, multiply, prosper, and lead a long and prosperous life with righteous children and abundant sustenance, for the sake of Moses and the community of Israel, God willing, forever.

Witness signatures,
The humble scribe: Mardokhai, son of the late Rabbi Aghalar

The Seven Blessings (Sheva Brachot) in the Ketubah ceremony:
The culmination of the Ketubah religious ceremony is the recitation of the seven blessings, each conveying a sacred and special principle. The seven blessings are part of the wedding ceremony and are recited by relatives and friends when raising the cup of wine. The text of Sheva Brachot expresses gratitude and blessings to the Almighty and wishes happiness and well-being to the bride and groom at the inception of their married life.

First Blessing:
We thank the Lord for creating abundance and the fruit vine, symbolizing joy.

Second Blessing:
We give thanks to the Almighty for the creation of the world, as all creation reflects His glory and majesty.

Third Blessing:
We thank the Lord for creating us (humans) in His image.

Fourth Blessing:
We express gratitude to the Almighty for establishing laws that ensure unity and the survival of humanity.

Fifth Blessing:
We express the hope that Zion will not remain alone and that its children will gather with joy, blessed by a God who brings joy to Zion through the gathering of its children.

Sixth Blessing:
We pray to God to bring utmost joy to these two beloved hearts, as He did for the one He placed in the Garden of Eden.

Seventh Blessing:
We hope that the Creator of the bride and groom’s joy will create love, beauty, happiness, unity, tranquility, and intimacy for them [too]. We hope that the sounds of joy and happiness will soon be heard in the cities of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem — the sound of cheering [i.e. ululation] and happiness from the bridal chamber and the joyful melody of the young people at their festivities. We are grateful to You for the happiness You give the bride and groom.

Sources used:
Mythical Beliefs: Yusef Setareshenas

Other designs of single-page Ketubahs: