A mistake in a kesuba that might cost half a million shekels

Mistakes can sometimes be expensive. Channel 2 News has reported on a mistake that might end up costing nearly half a million shekels.

10 years ago a couple got married, and is now divorcing. Upon pulling out the kesuba to verify what was written for determining how much the husband would have to pay to his wife upon divorce, a major mistake was discovered. The mistake was almost minor - just an extra zero, though it was written out in words rather than numbers. And then they used the video form the wedding ten years ago to figure out if a mistake had happened and how it happened, or if someone was remembering incorrectly. The husband was claiming that he had offered in the kesuba 3 times 18,000 totaling 54,000 NIS, while in the kesuba was actually written 540,000. A difference of nearly half a million shekels.

In the wedding video, it turns out, the officiating rabbi asked him how much he wants to write in. He clearly says 3 times 18, 000, being 54,000. After a bit of arguing over the math, they come to the correct total and agree on 54,000 NIS. Yet the rabbi, Rav Dovid Abuchatzeira (not the famous Rabbi Dovid Abuchatzeira who is a brother of the late Baba Elazar from Beer Sheva and a grandson of the Baba Sali, though perhaps they are related), wrote into the kesuba 540,000.

The sum had been read out under the chupa with no shock or surprise fromthe groom, but the husband says at the time he had not been paying attention, full of excitement and emotion. he did not notice what had been read out.

Despite the video showing that the groom had wanted to offer only 54,000 NIS, at the end of the day there is a signed contract for 540,000 NIS. His lawyer is appealing the Rabbanut to void the kesuba from day 1 claiming it to be invalid from the outset..

The rabbi simply responded that he does not know how such a mistake happened, and there is no way he would write anything without the agreement of the groom and the father of the bride, though mistakes do happen and now he is here to fix the mistake.

A simple mistake that might cost nearly half a million shekel. And, the wedding video is good for something, even if you have no intention to watch it every year on the anniversary....

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