Study Ketubot folio 17A with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
One recites praise of the bride as she is, emphasizing her good qualities. And Beit Hillel say: One recites: A fair and attractive bride. Beit Shammai said to Beit Hillel: In a case where the bride was lame or blind, does one say with regard to her: A fair and attractive bride? But the Torah sta
When Rav Dimi came from Eretz Yisrael to Babylonia, he said: This is what they sing before brides in the West, in Eretz Yisrael: No kohl, and no rouge, and no braiding of the hair, and yet she is comparable to a graceful ibex. The Talmud relates: When the rabbis ordained R' Zeira, this is what the
On a related note, the Talmud relates: When the rabbis ordained R' Ami and R' Asi, this is what they sang to them: Anyone from people of this kind and anyone from people of that kind, ordain them for us. Do not ordain for us others, neither from those who corrupt [sarmisin] halakhot, nor from those
The Talmud relates another instance of singing the praise of the rabbis: When R' Abbahu would come from the academy to the house of the emperor, the female slaves of the emperor’s house would go out to greet him, and this is what they sang to him: Master of his people and leader of his nation, candl
With regard to the mitzva of bringing joy to the bride and groom, the Talmud relates: The rabbis said about R' Yehuda bar Elai that he would take a myrtle branch and dance before the bride, and say: A fair and attractive bride. Rav Shmuel bar Rav Yitzḥak would base his dance on 3 myrtle branches tha