Ketubot

No allowance for wine is made for a woman.  And should you point out the Scriptural text, I will go after my lovers, that give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax. mine oil and my drink,  [it may be replied that the reference is to] things which a woman desires.  And what are they? Jewellery. R. Judah of Kefar Nabirya  (others say: of Kefar Napor  Hayil) made the following exposition: Whence is it derived that no allowance for wines is made for a woman? — [From Scripture in] which it is said, So Hannah rose up after she had eaten  in Shiloh, and after drinking.  only 'he had drunk' but she did not drink. Now, then, would you also [interpret:] 'She had eaten'  that he  did not eat? — What we say is [that the deduction may be made] because the text has deliberately been changed. For consider: It was dealing with her, why did it change [the form]?  Consequently it may be deduced that it was 'he who drank' and that she did not drink. An objection was raised: If [a woman] is accustomed [to drink] she is given [an allowance of drink]! — Where she is accustomed to drink the case is different. For R. Hinena b. Kahana stated in the name of Samuel, 'If she was accustomed [to drink] she is given an allowance of one cup; if she was not accustomed [to it] she is given an allowance of two cups'. What does he mean? — Abaye replied: It is this that he means: If she was in the habit [of drinking] two cups in the presence of her husband she is given one cup in his absence; if she is used [to drink] in the presence of her husband only one cup, she is given none at all in his absence. And if you prefer I might say: If she is used [to drink] she is allowed some wine for her puddings  only. For R. Abbahu stated in the name of R. Johanan: It happened that when the Sages granted the daughterin-law of Nakdimon  b. Gorion a weekly  allowance of two se'ahs of wine for her puddings she  said to them, 'May you grant such allowances to your daughters'. A Tanna taught: She was a woman awaiting the decision of the levir.  Hence they did not reply Amen after her. A Tanna taught: One cup  is becoming to a woman; two are degrading. [and if she has] three she solicits publicly.  [but if she has] four she solicits even an ass in the street and cares not. Raba said: This was taught only [in respect of a woman] whose husband is not with her; but if her husband is with her [the objection to her drinks] does not arise.  But, Surely. [there is the case of] Hannah whose husband was with her!  — With a guest  it is different,  for R. Huna stated Whence is it inferred that a guest is forbidden marital union? [From Scripture in] which it is said, And they rose up in the morning early and worshipped before the Lord, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah; and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the Lord remembered her,  only  then  but not before. Homa, Abaye's wife, came to Raba  and asked him, 'Grant me an allowance of board', and he granted her the allowance. 'Grant me [she again demanded] an allowance of wine'. 'I know', he said to her, 'that Nahmani  did not drink wine'. 'By the life of the Master [I swear]'. she replied. 'that he gave me to drink  from horns  like this'.  As she was showing it to him her arm was uncovered and a light shone  upon the court. Raba rose, went home and solicited R. Hisda's daughter.  'Who has been to-day at the court?' enquired R. Hisda's daughter. 'Homa the wife of Abaye'. he replied. Thereupon she followed her, striking her with the straps  of a chest  until she chased her out of all Mahuza.  'You have', she said to her, 'already killed three [men].  and now you come to kill another [man]!' The wife of R. Joseph the son of Raba came before R. Nehemiah the son of R. Joseph and said to him, 'Grant me an allowance of board', and he granted her. 'Grant me also an allowance of wine' [she demanded], and he granted her. 'I know', he said to her, 'that the people of Mahuza drink wine'. The wife of R. Joseph the son of R. Menashya of Dewil  came before R. Joseph and said to him, 'Grant me an allowance of board', and he granted her. 'Grant me', she said, 'an allowance of wine', and he granted her. 'Grant me', she said again. 'an allowance of silks'. 'Why silks?' he asked. 'For your sake', she replied. 'and for the sake of your friend and for the sake of your associates'. HE MUST ALSO PROVIDE HER WITH A BED, A MATTRESS etc. Why  should he give her A MATTRESS AND A RUSH MAT?  — R. Papa replied: [This is done only] in a place where it is the practice to girth the bed with ropes.  which would hurt  her. Our Rabbis taught: She  is not given  a cushion and a bolster. In the name of R. Nathan it was stated: She is given a cushion and a bolster. How is this to be understood? If it is a case where she is used to it,  what [it may be objected] is the reason of the first Tanna?  And if it is a case where she is not used to it,  what [it may be asked] is the reason of R. Nathan?  — [The statement was] necessary only in the case where it  was his habit but not her habit.  The first Tanna  is of the opinion that [her husband] may say to her, 'When I go away  I take them and when I return I bring them back with me',  while R. Nathan holds the opinion that she can tell him, 'It might sometimes happen [that you will return] at twilight  when you will be unable to bring them  and so you will take mine  and make me sleep on the ground'.  HE MUST ALSO GIVE HER [ONCE A YEAR] A CAP. Said R. Papa to Abaye: