Ketubot 48: Food, Clothing, Conjugal Rights; Moving on up; Transfer of Authority from Father to Husband

She'era, kusata, and sonata must be provided to women upon marrying their husbands.  There is some conflict regarding the definitions of these words, but it seem s that many agree that she'era refers to flesh, meaning the skin to skin contact required in conjugal relations.  She'era could also refer to appropriate clothing, often defined as kesuta, which should be age and seasonally appropriate.  Onata could refer to the time of year that clothing should be changed to reflect one's needs in each season.  Of note here is the mention made of Persians who have intercourse with their clothing on.  This discussion seems to suggest that intercourse requires flesh to flesh contact in Jewish context.

We learn that a husband must bury his wife according to the high status of them two of them.  If she married into a higher social status, he should provide a burial reflective of that standard.  If she married a man of lower social status, she is to be buried in the social status of her first family.  Similarly, the rabbis begin a conversation about how a family should be provided for if the father of that family goes overseas for more than three months.  There are different guidelines for women, young women, orphans, babies, younger children and older children.

A new Mishna teaches us that a woman is under her father's authority until she is under her husband's authority.  The exact transfer of responsibility is discussed.  If the woman is delivered by messengers to messengers, for example, there may be a lapse in authority.  Would women figure our this loophole and attempt to escape the authority of men?  Would they never be taught this Mishna?  Or would they realize that the window was just too tight to ensure getaway?  And where would they go, anyway?  If the woman's only option was to be under a man's authority, what other choices would she have?

To further understand when a woman becomes her husband's property and not her father's property, today's daf delves into related questions: when can a bride partake of teruma?  when can a husband claim her inheritance?  exactly when is she married if she does not have intercourse under the wedding canopy?