Ketubot 75: When Women's Breasts are a Disadvantage

Because yesterday was Shabbat, I did not blog about Ketubot daf 75.  But I can't leave yesterday's daf without a bit of commentary.  The rabbis are discussing blemishes: if a woman discloses that she has a blemish and the man accepts that blemish before the betrothal and/or before the marriage, he cannot claim later that the blemish is cause for divorce.  But what is a blemish?  The rabbis discuss blemishes of women's bodies: moles on the face, moles with hairs, and low speaking voices. They find proof texts, too, of course, for example, the Song of Songs states in 2:14, "For your voice was sweet and your appearance is pleasant".  This means that a low voice in a woman is a blemish.  

In addition, women's breasts can be blemishes. The rabbis mention both size - breasts should be no larger than a handbreadth more than the norm - and placement.  Yes, placement.  A woman's breast should not be more than a handbreadth apart on her chest.  Some rabbis argue that the mention of  this 'placement' of breasts could mean that widely set breasts are perfection.  No, the rabbis decide, women's breasts should be three fingerwidths apart.  

There is no mention of a prooftext for that particular 'blemish'.  We can assume that the rabbis were discussing their personal preferences regarding women's body types within the context of Talmudic debate.  This is both infuriating and vindicating.  Infuriating because these great minds were using their power to create traditions of valuing women according to sexual attributes; leading generations upon generations of men to feel righteous in critiquing women's bodies.  Validating because this is clear proof that our rabbis were not simply concerned with clarifying Torah and understanding G-d's intentions.  Instead they used their privileged positions to put certain women at a disadvantage based on the bodies given to them by G-d.