What is the Lieberman included on some ketubot?
Since we carry many ketubot at Dayenu, we have lots of variations in design and text. One of the variations is, of course, the addition of the Lieberman clause to Conservative ketubot as an attempt to address the problem of husbands who will not grant their wives a divorce according to halakha; this effectively prevents the wife from remarrying in accordance with Jewish law. While it is easy to find discussions about the clause, and even the full text of it in English, and it is equally easy to find pictures of ketubot which contain the clause, I have found it extremely difficult to find the actual text of the Lieberman clause in Hebrew (or perhaps more accurately the Lieberman clause in Aramaic) either on the internet, or in books which I might expect to have it. So, here it is, followed by what I believe is a good literal translation.
דאן יסיק אדעתא דחד מינהון לנתוקי נישואיהון או אן איתנתוק נישואיהון בערכאות דמדינתא דיכול דין או דא לזמנא לחבריה לבי דינא דכנישתא דרבנן ודבית מדרשא דרבנן דארעתא דקיימא או מאן דאתי מן חילה וליצותו תרוייהו לפסקא דדיניה בדיל דיכלו תרוייהו למיחי בדיני דאורייתא
... should either contemplate dissolution of the marriage, or following the dissolution of their marriage in the civil courts, each may summon the other to the Bet Din of The Rabbinical Assembly and The Jewish Theological Seminary, or its representative, and that each will abide by its instructions so that throughout life each will be able to live according to the laws of the Torah.
Note that there are some differences between this and the version of the Lieberman clause in English which is invariably displayed on web sites - whether this indicates a change in the clause over the years, or an intentional difference between the clause in its two languages, I cannot say:
... And both together agreed that if this marriage shall ever be dissolved under civil law, then either husband or wife may invoke the authority of the Beth Din of the Rabbinical Assembly and the Jewish Theological Seminary of America or its duly authorized representatives, to decide what action by either spouse is then appropriate under Jewish matrimonial law; and if either spouse shall fail to honor the demand of the other or to carry out the decision of the Beth Din or its representative, then the other spouse may invoke any and all remedies available in civil law and equity to enforce compliance with the Beth Din's decision and this solemn obligation.
דאן יסיק אדעתא דחד מינהון לנתוקי נישואיהון או אן איתנתוק נישואיהון בערכאות דמדינתא דיכול דין או דא לזמנא לחבריה לבי דינא דכנישתא דרבנן ודבית מדרשא דרבנן דארעתא דקיימא או מאן דאתי מן חילה וליצותו תרוייהו לפסקא דדיניה בדיל דיכלו תרוייהו למיחי בדיני דאורייתא
... should either contemplate dissolution of the marriage, or following the dissolution of their marriage in the civil courts, each may summon the other to the Bet Din of The Rabbinical Assembly and The Jewish Theological Seminary, or its representative, and that each will abide by its instructions so that throughout life each will be able to live according to the laws of the Torah.
Note that there are some differences between this and the version of the Lieberman clause in English which is invariably displayed on web sites - whether this indicates a change in the clause over the years, or an intentional difference between the clause in its two languages, I cannot say:
... And both together agreed that if this marriage shall ever be dissolved under civil law, then either husband or wife may invoke the authority of the Beth Din of the Rabbinical Assembly and the Jewish Theological Seminary of America or its duly authorized representatives, to decide what action by either spouse is then appropriate under Jewish matrimonial law; and if either spouse shall fail to honor the demand of the other or to carry out the decision of the Beth Din or its representative, then the other spouse may invoke any and all remedies available in civil law and equity to enforce compliance with the Beth Din's decision and this solemn obligation.
