Ketubot

And the children of Israel smote them not, because the princes of the congregation had sworn unto them.  And what is considered 'many'? R. Nahman b. Isaac said: Three [men]; [for the expression of] 'days'  implies two [days] and 'many'  three. R. Isaac replied: Ten; [for the term] congregation  was applied to them.)  [Now] 'R. Meir ruled: In the case of a vow [the disallowance of which] necessitates the investigation of a Sage he may not remarry her' [and] 'R. Eleazar said: The prohibition [against remarriage where the disallowance of the vow] required [the investigation of a Sage] was ordained only on account [of a vow] which required [no such investigation]'.  on what principles do they  differ? — R. Meir holds the view that 'a man does not mind his wife's being exposed to the publicity of a court of law' and R. Eleazar holds the view that 'no man wants his wife to be exposed to the publicity of a court of law'. Raba replied:  Here  we are dealing with the case of a woman from a noted family in which case the man  could say,  'I have no wish to be forbidden to marry her relatives'.  If so,  [consider] the final clause where it is stated, 'But if he  went  to a Sage who disallowed his vow or to a physician who cured him, his betrothal of the woman is valid', [why, it may be asked, was it not] stated, 'the betrothal is invalid' and  explained,  'Here we are dealing with the case of a man from a noted family concerning whom the woman  might plead. 'I have no wish to be forbidden to marry his relatives'?  — A woman is satisfied with any sort [of husband] as Resh Lakish said. For Resh Lakish stated: 'It is preferable to live in grief  than to dwell in widowhood'.  Abaye said: With a husband [of the size of an] ant her seat is placed among the great.  R. Papa said: Though her husband be a carder  she calls him to the threshold and sits down [at his side].  R. Ashi said: Even if her husband is only a cabbage-head  she requires no lentils  for her pot. A Tanna taught: But all such women  play the harlot and attribute the consequences  to their husbands. ALL DEFECTS WHICH DISQUALIFY etc. A Tanna taught: To these  were added  [excessive] perspiration, a mole and offensive breath.  Do these, then, not cause a disqualification in respect of priests? Surely we have learned,  'The old, the sick and the filthy'  and we have also learned, 'These defects whether permanent or transitory, render human beings  unfit [for the Temple service]!  — R. Jose b. Hanina replied: This is no contradiction. The former refers to perspiration that can be removed;  the latter, to perspiration that cannot be removed. R. Ashi said [in reply]: You are pointing out a contradiction between 'perspiration' and 'one who is filthy' [which in fact are not alike, for] there, in the case of priests,  it is possible to remove the perspiration  by the aid of sour wine, and it is also possible [to remove] an offensive breath by holding pepper in one's mouth and thus performing the Temple service, but in the case of a wife  [such devices are for all practical purposes] impossible. What kind of a mole is here meant? If one overgrown with hair, it would cause disqualification in both cases; if one with no hair, [then, again], if it is a large one it causes disqualification in both cases  and if it is a small one it causes no disqualification in either; for it was taught: A mole which is overgrown with hair is regarded as a bodily defect; if with no hair it is only deemed to be a bodily defect when large but when small it is no defect; and what is meant by large? R. Simeon b. Gamaliel explained: The size of an Italian issar!  — R. Jose the son of R. Hanina said: One which is situated on her forehead.  [If it was on] her forehead he  must have seen it and acquiesced!  — R. Papa replied: It is one that was situated under her bonnet and is sometimes exposed and sometimes not. R. Hisda said: I heard the following statement from a great man (And who is he? R. Shila). If a dog bit her  and the spot of the bite turned into a scar [such a scar] is considered a bodily defect. R. Hisda further stated: A harsh voice in a woman is a bodily defect; since it is said in Scripture, For sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely. R. Nathan of Bira learnt: [The space] of one handbreadth between a woman's breasts.  R. Aha the son of Raba intended to explain in the presence of R. Ashi [that this statement meant that '[the space of] a handbreadth' is to [a woman's] advantage,  but R. Ashi said to him: This  was taught in connection with bodily defects. And what space [is deemed normal]? Abaye replied: [A space of] three fingers. It was taught: R. Nathan said, It is a bodily defect if a woman's breasts are bigger than those of others. By how much? — R. Meyasha the grandson of R. Joshua b. Levi replied in the name of R. Joshua b. Levi: By one handbreadth. Is such a deformity, however, possible?  — Yes; for Rabbah b. Bar Hana related, I saw an Arab woman who flung her breasts over her back and nursed her child. But  of Zion it shall be said: 'This man and that  was born in her; and the Most High Himself doth establish her;  R. Meyasha, grandson of R. Joshua b. Levi, explained: Both  he who was born therein and he who looks forward to seeing it. Said Abaye: And one of them  is as good as two of us.  Said Raba: When one of us, however, goes up there  he is as good as two of them. For [you have the case of] R. Jeremiah who, while here,  did not understand what the Rabbis were saying, but when he went up there he was able to refer to us as 'The stupid Babylonians'. MISHNAH. IF SHE  WAS AFFLICTED WITH BODILY DEFECTS WHILE SHE WAS STILL IN HER FATHER'S HOUSE,  HER FATHER  MUST PRODUCE PROOF THAT THESE DEFECTS AROSE AFTER SHE HAD BEEN BETROTHED AND [THAT, CONSEQUENTLY, IT WAS THE] HUSBAND'S FIELD THAT WAS INUNDATED.  IF SHE CAME UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF HER HUSBAND,  THE HUSBAND  MUST PRODUCE PROOF THAT THESE DEFECTS WERE UPON HER BEFORE SHE HAD BEEN BETROTHED AND [THAT CONSEQUENTLY] HIS BARGAIN WAS MADE IN ERROR. THIS IS THE RULING OF R. MEIR. THE SAGES, HOWEVER, RULED: THIS  APPLIES ONLY TO CONCEALED BODILY DEFECTS;