Maimonides, On Marriage, Mishnah Torah 3:11

By Published On: September 8th, 20260.9 min read
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A father may consecrate his daughter without her knowledge while she is a minor. Even when she is a na’arah, he still possesses this right, as [implied by Deuteronomy 22:16]: “I gave my daughter to this man.”

[The money received as] kiddushin belongs to her father. Similarly, he has the right to [any ownerless property] she finds, [the wages she receives for] her labor, and [the money she receives as stipulated in] her ketubah if she is divorced or widowed before the marriage bond is consummated. He is entitled to all these until she becomes a bogeret.
Therefore, a father is entitled to receive kiddushin on behalf of his daughter from the day she was born until she becomes a bogeret. Even if she is a deaf mute or intellectually incompetent, if her father consecrates her [to another man], she is his wife.

If a girl is older than three years and one day, she can be consecrated through sexual relations with her father’s consent. Should she be below this age, if her father has her consecrated through sexual relations, the marriage bond is not established.

– Rabbi Moses Maimonides

FRANZ KAFKA

Shall they say of me that at the beginning of my trial I wanted to end it, and now, at its end, I want it to begin again? I don’t want them to say that. I’m grateful they’ve sent these half mute insensitive men to accompany me on this journey and that it’s been left to me to say myself what needs to be said.