Aliyah's Wedding Day

or A Medieval Wedding

MARRIAGE CONTRACT

Marriage Contract of Aliyah and Áindle

On the first day of the week, the nineteenth day of the month of Tamuz, in the year five thousand forty one since the creation of the world, according to our count here in the city of Jerusalem in the holy land of Israel, the groom Áindle son of Tigernach , said to the virgin Alianor daughter of Asriel haCohen::

"Be my wife according to the practice of Moses and Israel, and I will cherish, honor, support and maintain you according to the custom of Jewish husbands, who cherish, honor, support and maintain their wives faithfully. And I here present you with the marriage gift of virgins, two hundred silver zuzim, which belong to you according to the law of Moses and Israel. And I will also give you your food, clothing, and necessities, and live with you as husband and wife according to the universal custom."

And Alianor, the virgin consented and became his wife. And the property which she brought with her - including all silver, gold, valuables, clothing, furnishings, and linen - Áindle the groom accepted this in the sum of one hundred silver zuzim and Áindle the groom consented to increase this amount from his own property with the sum of one hundred silver zuzim, making two hundred silver zuzim in total.

And thus said Áindle, the bridegroom, "I accept upon myself and upon my heirs after me the responsibility to pay this your price, this the value of your goods, and this my additional gift, such that they will be paid from the best part of my estate and acquisitions, all I have under the heavens, that which I own now and that which I will come to own in the future. All my property, land and chattels, even the shirt from my back, shall be held mortgaged to pay this price, this value of goods, and this additional gift, during my lifetime and after my life, from this day and forever."

Áindle the groom has taken upon himself the responsibility to pay this price, value of goods, and additional gift, according to all the restrictive usages of all marriage contracts and gifts therein which are customary for Jewish women, as enacted by our Sages of blessed memory. It should not be regarded as a matter unworthy of consideration, or as merely a formality.

And we have performed ritual acquisition from Áindle son of Tigernach, the groom, on behalf of Alianor daughter of Asriel haCohen the virgin, and we have used a garment legally fit for the purpose, to strengthen all that is stated above.

Áindle ÓDiarmada
Asriel haCohen
Wilhelm Von Eisenburg Auf Odra