The Tripartite Agreement
Instructions for Signing
Signing Instructions
1. At the “chatan’s tisch”, the Mesader Kiddushin should arrange for 2 (or 3 if necessary) kosher male unrelated (to each other and to the chatan or kallah) adults to accompany him, thus forming a Beit Din. In the case where there are two separate sets of עדי קידושין and עדי יחוד, the עדי קידושין can be part of the Beit Din. If the same couple of witnesses are used for kiddushin and yichud then there should be a panel of three men forming the beit din and the two witnesses stand as a separate unit. All should witness the following:
- a. The Mesader Kiddushin should have the chatan initial the first page and sign the
Tripartite Agreement in the space labeled Signature of Groom/חתימת החתן - b. The Mesader Kiddushin should arrange a קנין סודר with the chatan on the document.
- c. The same process should take place with the kallah: The Mesader Kiddushin should have the kallah initial the first page and sign the Tripartite Agreement in the space labeled Signature of Bride/חתימת הכלה.
- d. The Mesader Kiddushin should arrange a קנין סודר with the kallah on the document.
- e. The chatan should sign in the space labeled Signature of Groom accepting bride’s conditional acceptance/ תנאי הכלה לקבלת חתימת החתן and the Mesader Kiddushin should arrange a קנין סודר with the chatan on the document once again.
- f. The Mesader Kiddushin should note, in his handwriting on the document that a קנין סודר was done with the chatan and the kallah in front of him, the Beit Din and in front of the two witnesses.
- g. The Mesader Kiddushin and the two members of the Beit Din should sign on the bottom of the document in the allotted spaces (one section before the end). If the עדי קידושין are part of the Beit Din, they sign after the kiddushin.
- h. The document should be given to someone for safekeeping.
- i. Under the chuppah, at the time of the kiddushin as the chatan places the ring on the kallah’s finger, he should state the following:
“הרי את מקודשת לי בטבעת זו כדת משה וישראל על פי התנאים שכתבנו וחתמנו” - He can say the last part in a low voice (that the two םידע can hear) without the microphone.
- j. It is recommended that the kallah should reply in a low voice (that the two עדים can hear): “הרי אני מקבלת טבעת זו כדת משה וישראל על פי התנאים שכתבנו וחתמנו”
- k. The “עדי יחוד” should sign the very bottom of the document after yichud.
2. ***In Israel – After the wedding it is recommended that the document should be brought to the moetza datit and at least three photostats be made, each stamped by the moetza datit as מתאים למקור העתק. One copy should be filed in the couple’s תיק נישואין, one copy is given to the chatan, while the original and one copy go to the kallah.