What Does the Ketubah Say? 7 Ketubah Texts for Every Situation

Wondering what’s actually written on the Ketubah? You’re in the right place!

Some of our customers at Ketubah.com have been spooked after a little research online. They’ve read about an Aramaic text that mentions two hundred silver coins and giving the bride “all your property”.

Does every Ketubah need to say this?

In this article, I want to clear up all the confusion for you. You’ll learn:

• What Jewish Law (Halacha) says must be written on the Ketubah
• How modern, liberal and reformist adaptations look
• How to choose a beautiful text that honors the wedding you’re looking to celebrate

Does the Ketubah Have One Mandatory Script?

It can be confusing for people trying to figure out what the Ketubah should say. They get conflicting answers. They start out expecting some poetic language about loving promises, and instead read up about:

• The groom’s obligations to his wife (for example, in terms of providing her and any of her offspring with food, clothing, shelter, etc.)
• A dowry of 100 pieces of silver paid to the groom
• A legal agreement obliging the groom to financially provide for the bride in the event of divorce (i.e. doubling that dowry to 200 pieces of silver)

I mean, it is fascinating that divorce has been permitted in Judaism for thousands of years. But let’s step back a little. We first need to explain that there are two very different ways of writing a Ketubah, which are mainly:

• The ancient way guided by Halacha
• The modern way rooted in Jewish tradition, but adaptable

The Question That Determines What Your Ketubah Text Should Say

There’s a question that determines Ketubah text:

What your Ketubah says depends on whether your wedding will be guided by Halacha or not.

The ancient texts, are only really relevant to people who continue to live by the principles of Halacha. There’s nothing wrong with removing traditional elements from your Ketubah. Your Ketubah is no less “Jewish”.

Did You Know?: Around 27% of all purchases at Ketubah.com are for couples celebrating Orthodox or Conservative weddings. It’s only in these cases that a Ketubah must be printed with the traditional text, according to Halacha.

Since you’re not required to use the ancient texts, you’re free to write whatever you want on your Ketubah. You can make vows that reflect your own personal beliefs and values.

At Ketubah.com, we have a library of Ketubah texts for all kinds of weddings and values. Let me walk you through the most popular ones below.

7 Ketubah Texts for Every Situation

Orthodox Ketubah Texts

Our Orthodox/RCA Ketubah texts are the original, ancient texts that are fully in line with Halacha. These are legal and financial contracts – an ancient ‘prenup’ if you will – that outlines the groom’s responsibilities towards the wife.

The essential components of this text are as follows:

• It functions as a legal and financial contract (not a contract of love).
• It outlines the specific responsibilities that the groom has towards the bride in their marriage (for example, providing food, shelter and clothing, as well as other conjugal rights).
• It outlines an amount the bride is entitled to in the event of her husband’s death, or if their marriage ends in divorce, so she is not left with nothing and has to fend for herself
• It also outlines what kind of dowry she is expected to bring to the marriage (traditionally, one hundred silver pieces).
• Traditionally, this text would be in Aramaic, although it may be accompanied by an English translation (this translation is often not word for word as it doesn’t sound that great in modern English, so an adaptation is often provided).
• It is traditionally worded in such a way that the groom is the one who is able to ask for a divorce (get) and not the bride.

Below, you can see an example of our Orthodox Ketubah script, written in traditional Aramaic text by the Rabbinical Council of America (RCA). We also include our own English translation in case you’re curious to see what it says.

Orthodox/RCA Ketubah Script in English

On the ____ day of the week, the _____ day of the month ________ in the year five thousand seven hundred and ____ since the creation of the world, the era according to which we reckon here in the city of ____ that _____ son of said to this virgin ______ daughter of _______ “Be my wife according to the practice of Moses and Israel, and I will cherish, honor, support and maintain you in accordance with the custom of Jewish husbands who cherish, honor, support and maintain their wives faithfully.  And here I present you with the marriage gift of virgins, two hundred silver zuzim, which belongs to you, according to the law of Moses and Israel; and I will also give you your food, clothing, and necessities, and live with you as husband and wife according to universal custom.”  And Miss ____, this virgin consented and became his wife.  The trousseau that she brought to him from her father’s house, in silver, gold, valuables, clothing, furniture and bedclothes, all this ______, the said bridegroom accepted in the sum of one hundred silver pieces, and __________ the bridegroom, consented to increase this amount from his own property with the sum of one hundred silver pieces, making in all two hundred silver pieces.  And thus said _____, the bridegroom:  “The responsibility of this marriage contract, of this trousseau, and of this additional sum, I take upon myself and my heirs after me, so that they shall be paid from the best part of my property and possession that I have beneath the whole heaven, that which now I possess or hereafter acquire.  All my property, real and personal, even the shirt from my back, shall be mortgaged to secure the payment of this marriage contract, of the trousseau, and of the addition made to it, during my lifetime and after my death, from the present day and forever.”  _______, the bridegroom, has taken upon himself the responsibility of this marriage contract, of the trousseau and the addition made to it, according to the restrictive usages of all marriage contracts and the additions to them made for the daughters of Israel, according to the institution of our sages of blessed memory.  It is not to be regarded as a mere forfeiture without consideration or as a mere formula of a document.  We have followed the legal formality of symbolic delivery (kinyan) between _________ the son of ________, the bridegroom and ________ the daughter of __________ this virgin, and we have used a garment legally fit for the purpose, to strengthen all that is stated above, and everything is valid and confirmed.

Conservative Ketubah Texts (Lieberman Clause)

Our Conservative/Lieberman Ketubah texts are almost identical to the Orthodox, in terms of being guided by Halacha. They’re also a legal and financial contract. But they differ from the Orthodox text in one important way.

Conservative Ketubah texts include the Lieberman Clause, which essentially means that women are also allowed to ask for divorce. It means that a man cannot deny a woman a divorce if that’s what they want, and if the document were brought before a Beit Din, a court of Jewish Law.

Essential components of these kinds of text include:

• They retain the core components of the original text, including the groom’s responsibility to provide for his wife, as well as that she will be supported in the event of his death or a divorce.
• Importantly, it includes the Lieberman Clause, named after Rabbi Saul Lieberman, who introduced the clause in 1953.
• The main function of the clause is to avoid a situation in which the groom might withhold the rights to a divorce (gett) that the bride wants.
• The Liberman Clause is a pre-agreed condition that in the event of a breakdown of the marriage, both parties will come before a court of Jewish Law, a Beit Din, who will be able to resolve the dispute, effectively establishing a level playing field in which both parties have the power to end their marriage and not just the groom, as it was in the original text.
• Text remains in Aramaic.

See an example of our popular Life’s Journey Conservative/Lieberman text below.

Did You Know?: Many customers at Ketubah.com ask for a Ketubah with both Aramaic/Hebrew and an English translation – even for Orthodox or Conservative texts. However, the English will usually omit the legal aspects of the Aramaic and only translate the date and the vows.

Reform Ketubah Texts

Reform Judaism, also known as Liberal or Progressive Judaism, emphasises the evolving nature of the faith. It prioritizes ethical traditions over strict adherence to ritual laws.

As such, Reform Ketubah texts focus on equal partnership, mutual respect, shared values and the commitment to building a home together. In Canada, Reform Judaism has its own standardized text – but generally, Reform texts are non-standardized and are often written by the artist or publisher and focus on themes of equality and shared values.

Some of the main features include:

• Modern, beautifully written, poetic vows for couples as an alternative to the more traditional texts. 
• Space for witness signatures — including guidance on who qualifies — as well as the signatures of the Rabbi and the couple. See our full guide to signing the Ketubah for details on who signs and when.
• The verses include Jewish content in modern Hebrew along with an English translation. 

You can see an example of our popular Life’s Journey Reform/Egalitarian text below.

Interfaith Ketubah Texts

Interfaith texts tend to be similar to Reform Judaism texts. They also emphasise equal partnership and mutual respect – but make room for those who are not Jewish.

The main difference with interfaith texts is that they don’t refer to a “Jewish” heritage. Instead, they might refer to a “joint heritage”.

These texts are almost as popular as Reform, and both are among the most purchased texts by our clients.

Some of the main characteristics include:

• Texts are still in modern Hebrew with an English translation
• References to a “respective heritages” rather than a Jewish heritage alone
• Beautiful, poetic vows that celebrate the values and wishes of the couple – almost like a “mission statement”

See below for an example of our popular “Life’s Journey Interfaith” Ketubah text.

Same-sex / LGBTQ+ / Non-binary Ketubah Texts

LGBTQ+ Ketubah texts prioritize gender neutral language and absolute equality, with a focus on the mutual love the couple share for one another. The texts include how they might best support one another, as well as those in the wider community.

It’s very common that texts might focus on social justice – although this is not limited only to LGBTQ+ texts and is also common in other, Reform or interfaith texts, for instance.

Ketubah.com makes sure that our texts are edited so as to replace all gendered terms and to ensure that equal partnership is reflected in every line.

• Instead of terms like ‘groom’ and ‘bride’, you’ll see terms like ‘beloved’
• Personalized vows that focus on social justice or community work

Below, you’ll see an example of a Best Friends for LGBTQ+ Ketubah text, created by Ketubah.com.

Sephardic Ketubah Texts

Sephadic Ketubah texts, like Orthodox and Conservative Ketubahs, are texts that are guided by Halacha.

Similarly, they function as a legal and financial contract but adhere to distinct traditions. These are customs based on the regions from which they originate (mainly the Iberian Peninsula, North Africa and the Middle East).

While they are Halachic, they are often chosen by these communities for cultural reasons, even if the couple is not strictly observant in their day to day.

Some key features include:

• Like Orthodox and Conservative Ketubahs, these texts are guided by Jewish law (Halacha) and function as a legal and financial contract.
• There is no one standard Sephardic Ketubah text. They can vary significantly depending on the local minhag (tradition), country, and the rabbi, and are often based on wording from the Talmud Yerushalmi.
• They are typically written only in Aramaic using Hebrew lettering. They may look different than other texts because the distinct regional traditions influence not only the wording of the text but also the art design, which contributes to their unique appearance.

Below, you can see our most popular Sephardic Ketubah text:

Custom Ketubah Texts

Custom Ketubah texts give couples the ultimate freedom to write their own vows from scratch. They let you honor this ancient tradition with a personal love letter to your spouse.

Some customers find this option daunting. But for others, it gives you the most freedom to write something that resonates with you both.

If it sounds interesting to you, then we have developed an AI Ketubah Text Assistant tool that can help you in writing it.

Try it here!

Custom texts can really contain anything, from personal statements to inside jokes.

I remember one vow written by one of our customers that went something along the lines of, “I promise to make you breakfast in bed every morning.” So this is your cue to be creative!

Where to Find Vetted Texts: Is There a Reliable Library for Every Ketubah Type?

We started with one problem and ended with another!

By now, you know you can get creative with your Ketubah text. But if you aren’t concerned with following the rules of Halacha, the question is:

“How do I decide on what to write?”

If you need some inspiration, feel free to explore our catalogue of Ketubah texts.

All of our texts have been written or approved by Jewish scholars and Rabbis. This is true whether they are considered to be more traditional or more liberal.

Did You Know? At Ketubah.com, we will always send a final “proof” for your approval before your Ketubah text is printed. This ensures you (and your Rabbi or officiant) are 100% happy with every word and detail.

If you browse any of our Ketubah text sub-sections, you’ll be pleased to know that they’re all ordered in descending order of popularity. This means you’ll be able to get a feel for what couples have chosen before you.

Good luck searching!