And she shall remove the garment of her captivity from upon her, and she shall remain in your house and weep for her father and her mother a full month; and afterward you may come to her and possess her, and she shall be your wife.
English: “And you shall possess her” — this teaches that you have with her only the mitzvah of bi’ah (relations) alone.
On the daf / in context: Sifrei’s language is taken by some to mean that kiddushin is effected solely by relations. Rambam, however, requires formal kiddushin and a kesubah; he reads the derasha as teaching that after all the preparatory acts the only remaining step is to approach her in the manner of marriage.
Type of Learning
Derash on the verse (Sifrei) — the force of “u-ve’alta.”
What Is Learned
After the prescribed process the relationship is consummated by bi’ah; authorities differ whether formal kiddushin by money or document is also required.