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20 [1] Our Sages decreed that a man give a certain portion of his holdings to his daughter as a dowry. This is referred to as *parnasah*. When [a man] marries off his daughter, he should provide her with at least the wardrobe that is given to the wife of a poor Jewish man, as we have explained.
When does the above apply? When [the bride's] father is poor. If he is wealthy, he should provide for his daughter according to his standards. [2] If a father explicitly tells the prospective husband that his daughter does not possess anything, and that [his intent is that] he marry her although she does not possess a wardrobe, [the bride] is not entitled to anything of her father's.
[In such a situation, the prospective] husband should not say: "When she comes to my home, I will provide her with a wardrobe." Instead, he should provide her with a wardrobe while she is living in her father's home. [3] When a father dies and leaves [at least one son and] a daughter [she is provided with a dowry from his estate]. We estimate what the father would have desired to give the daughter as a dowry, and she is given [that sum].
How is it possible to arrive at such an estimate? [We survey the habits of] his friends and acquaintances, his business affairs and his standard of living. If he married off a daughter during his lifetime, we base our estimate [on what she was given]. If the court is unable to determine what he would have desired [to give his daughter], she is given a tenth of his estate as a dowry. [4] When a man leaves [a son and] many daughters, the first [daughter] who desires to marry is given a tenth of the estate. The second [daughter to marry] receives a tenth of what was left after providing the first [daughter with her dowry]. And the third daughter receives a tenth of what was left after providing the second [daughter].
If all [a man's] daughters come to marry at the same time, [money is set aside for them according to the above pattern,] even if there are ten daughters [or more]. Afterwards, [all the allotments are pooled], and then divided equally among the daughters. The remainder of the estate is given to the sons. [5] The allotment of a tenth [of the estate] as a dowry is not one of the provisions of the *ketubah*. Therefore, even according to the enactment of the later Sages, it is only to be collected from landed property. It may, however, be collected from rent due for landed property. If, however, [a girl's] brothers desire to give her money in lieu of a tenth of the landed property, they have that right. [6] With regard to this allotment of a tenth [of the estate], the daughter is considered to be a creditor of her brothers. Therefore, she is entitled to collect it from property of intermediate quality. An oath is not required of her.
If her brothers die, she is entitled to collect it from their sons, [expropriating] property of inferior quality, and an oath is required of her. For she is collecting property from heirs, and [it is an accepted principle that] a person who comes to collect property from heirs may collect only from that of inferior quality and is required to take an oath [before doing so], as will be explained in the laws of loans. [7] Should her brothers have sold the landed property of their father's estate, or given it as collateral, the daughter may collect her dowry from the purchasers, just as other creditors are entitled to collect from the purchasers, as will be explained in the laws of loans. [8] When a man has [several daughters, but] no sons, [his estate] is divided equally [among his daughters at the time of his death]. Although he married off the older daughters during his lifetime [and provided them with dowries], we do not grant dowries to the younger daughters and then divide the estate. [9] [The following rules apply when a man] has died, leaving two daughters and a son. The older daughter received a tenth of the estate as a dowry, but before the younger daughter had collected her dowry, the son died [without leaving any heirs], and [the two sisters] inherited the entire estate. [In this situation,] the younger sister is not entitled to her tenth of the estate. Instead, the entire estate is divided equally, but the older sister is granted the tenth [she had received previously]. [10] When a man gives an order at the time of his death: "Do not give my daughters a dowry from my estate," his words are heeded. [The rationale is that a dowry] is not one of the provisions of a *ketubah*. [11] [The following rules apply when] a man dies, leaving a widow and a daughter. It has already been explained that the support of a man's widow takes precedence over the support of his daughter. Similarly, if the daughter marries, she is not entitled to collect her tenth [of the estate], because of [the obligation to] support the widow.
Even if the daughter dies after she marries, her husband is not entitled to inherit the dowry that should have been given her. For the entire estate is considered to be in the possession of the widow so that she can derive her sustenance. [12] When an orphan girl is married off by her brothers or her mother as a child with her consent, and she is given 50 or 100 *zuz* as a dowry, she is entitled to collect the dowry that is due her - according to the estimation of her father's desires or one tenth of the landed property [of his estate] - from them after she attains the age of majority.
[This applies] even if her brothers did not provide her with sustenance, and even if she did not object at the time of the wedding. For a minor is not capable of making an objection [in court]. [13] When a daughter marries after she reaches majority - whether as a *na'arah* or as a *bogeret* - and does not demand her dowry, she forfeits her dowry. If, however, she protested at the time of her marriage, she may collect her due whenever she desires.
[A further point must be considered when] she reaches the age of *bagrut* and remains in her father's house - regardless of whether she reaches *bagrut* after his death, or [he died] when she had already reached the age of *bagrut*. If her brothers have already ceased providing her with her sustenance, which is their prerogative, as we have explained, and [the girl] remained silent and did not demand her dowry, she forfeits her dowry. If she protests, she does not forfeit her dowry.
If, however, her brothers had not ceased providing her with her sustenance [although] she reached *bagrut*, she is not considered to have forfeited her dowry as long as they continue to provide her with her sustenance, even though she did not protest. For she can claim that she did not demand her dowry because [her brothers] are supporting her although they are not obligated to do so, and she has not yet married. [14] [The following rules apply when a man] stated - whether while making an oral will before death or while healthy - that his daughter should be given a specific sum of money as a dowry, and that this sum should be used to purchase landed property, and [then] died [afterwards].
When the money is in the possession of a third party and the daughter states: "Give the money to my husband and let him do with it as he desires," [the third party should do as follows]. If [the daughter] has reached the age of majority and has married, she is granted this prerogative. If she is [past majority, but merely] consecrated, the third party should follow the instructions he was given. And if she is a minor, even if she is already married, her request is not heeded. Instead, the third party should carry out her father's instructions.
Version: Mishneh Torah, trans. by Eliyahu Touger. Jerusalem, Moznaim Pub. c1986-c2007
Source: https://www.nli.org.il/he/books/NNL_ALEPH001020101/NLI
License: CC-BY-NC