Jewish Wedding Heritage, Customs and Traditions, Including the Ketubah, Chupah, Breaking Glass

Jewish TraditionThe actual Jewish wedding ceremony is
Ever wondered about the Chuppah, Ketuba,conducted under a Chuppah or canopy.
The chuppah, which is either a tallit - prayer shawl,
Jewish tradition does not considers the weddingor a decorated* square of cloth held up by four
ceremony and the ensuing marriage as a merepoles, symbolizes the new home being created by
social arrangement or contractual agreement, butthe couple. It is open on all sides, just as Abraham
as a full commitment to "sanctification" orand Sarah had their tent open all sides to
"dedication." The Hebrew word kiddushin, stemswelcome friends and relatives in unconditional
from the word kadosh meaning holy. It indicateshospitality. It is customary for the bride and
that what is happening is a holy spiritual bondinggroom to honor four of their best friends and - or
and that as of the wedding ceremony andsiblings ro hold the poles during the ceremony.
throughout their lives, the couple have anThis adds love, warmth and intimacy to the
exclusive relationship, that involves completeceremony. The bride and groom stand under the
dedication to each other.chuppah during the ceremony, with the bride to
Engagementthe right of the groom. Traditionally, Jewish
When a Jewish couple, gets engaged to bewedding ceremonies were held out doors under
married, the families usually announce the occasionthe stars as a reminder of God's blessing,
and the wedding date with an engagement party.bestowed upon Abraham that his children shall be
There is an almost un-heard of ritual performedwill be as numerous "as the stars of the heavens."
by the bride's and groom's mothers to emphasizeIn Orthodox Jewish weddings that separate men
the seriousness of the commitment of the manfrom women, the groom is led to the chuppah by
and the woman who formally announced their planthe 2 fathers or other 2 male relatives, while the
to marry.bride is led by the mothers. In Conservative and
It is, the act of breaking a ceramic plate.Reform - less restrictive Jewish weddings, the
Customarily, the bride's mother and the groom'sgroom is accompanied to the chuppah by his
mother, drop the well wrapped plate onto a hardparents and the bride is accompanied to the
surface. Breaking the plate indicates that just aschuppah by her parents.
breaking the plate is final, so too the engagementUnder the chuppah, the Rabbi recites the marriage
is final, not to be terminated.blessings and a blessing over wine, and then a
It is customary, though not frequently practiced,blessing that praises and thanks God for giving us
that at that time of the engagement party, thelaws of sanctity and morality to preserve the
families sign a contract, that declares thesanctity of family life and of the Jewish people.
obligations of each side concerning the wedding. InBoth the bride and the groom then drink from
the more traditional Jewish Circles, the bride andthe wine.
groom stop seeing each other, one week before*If you are looking for a great chuppah idea, read
the wedding. This, in order to have them missthe article "Wedding Quilt - Chuppah, A Gift of
each other. Thus, enhancing the joy of seeingLove" But instead of creating a quilt, create a
each other at their wedding.If the ketubah is lost,chuppah.
a new one must be written.Circling the groom
Before the weddingTraditionally, though it is not obligatory that the
It is customary that on the Shabbat morningbride alone or with both her mother and the
before the wedding, the groom is honored bymother of the groom circle the groom. That is go
being called up to the reading of the Torah in thearound and around him. Because the number 7 is
synagogue or temple. After he recites the lastso significant in Judaism 7 circlings have become
blessing, members of the congregation throwthe norm. The most beautiful explanation is that in
candies and raisins at him to wish him a sweet lifecircling him 7 times, the bride enters the 7
with his wife.spheres of her beloved´s souls.
Tradition calls for the bride and groom to fast onThe Wedding Ring The groom, now takes a plain
the day of their wedding, until after thesolid gold ring and places it on the index finger of
ceremony. Though the reason given is so theythe bride's right hand and in the presence of two
purify their souls, the actual benefit is that thoughwitnesses, recites "Behold you are sanctified to
they may be nervous, neither will suffer a queezyme with this ring, according to the Law of Moses
stomach.and Israel."
WitnessesThe ring symbolizes the concept of the groom
One of the most essential elements of the legalencompassing, protecting and providing for his
aspect of a Jewish wedding is the presence ofwife. After the ring was placed on the bride's
witnesses. Proper witnesses are needed toindex finger, the Ketubah is read aloud and given
observe the signing of all documents andto the bride.
contracts, the actual ceremony when the groomAt this point, the bride can place a ring on the
places the ring on his brides finger and recites thegroom's finger.
prescribed statement, and when the bride andThe ring symbolizes the concept of the
groom now Mr, and Mrs. enter the celebration -wholeness of th union and of the groom
reception.encompassing, protecting and providing for his
Ketubawife. The reason for the solid plain unblemished
The first thing usually done by the groom upongold ring is three fold.
arrival, is the completion, signing and witnessing ofA solid, un-blemished ring represents complete
the Ketubah - marriage contract.wholeness in the marriage with no holes or
The authentic text of the Ketubah is the textobstacles.
written by Simeon ben Shetach in 80 B.C.E. and isThe bride and groom should consider the marriage
in Aramaic, the language used by Jews during thatand devotion to each other without considering
period. Thus, historically, the ketubah marked awealth.
great leap forward in the thinking about the rightsSo every groom could afford to buy a ring for his
of women.bride.
You may call this contract an ancient pre-nuptialIf the groom is too poor, someone from the
agreement since it details not only the husband'scommunity would buy it for him, as the ring given
obligations to his wife concerning food, clothing,to the bride must belong to the groom and no
shelter and pleasure, it also creates a lien on all hisone else.
property to pay her a sum of money andAfter the ring was placed on the bride's finger,
support, should he divorce her.the Ketubah is read aloud and given to the bride.
The document is signed by the groom andSeven Blessings
witnessed by two people. It has the standing of aThe Rabbi recites seven blessing over a full cup
legally binding agreement, that in many countries isof wine. After this, the couple again share in
enforceable by secular law. If the ketubah is lost,drinking the cup of wine, and the groom breaks a
a new one must be written.glass by stamping on it.
Like everything else, Ketubot (plural) haveBreaking a Glass in Jewish Weddings
evolved in their form.This custom puzzles many who seek explanation.
In all but Orthodox Judaism The Ketuba can beActually, this custom dates back to Talmudic
presented in the traditional Arameic, Hebrew and -times, to remind us of the destruction of the holy
or English and both bride and groom can committemple in Jerusalem. Another interpretation given
and sign. However, they still need two witnesses.is that the smashing of the glass is irrevocable
The Ketubah is a document of the highestand permanent. So too should the marriage be.
importance yet, thorough out history, it wasAs the bride and groom bond together, the glass
proudly and prominently framed it and displayed inshould be the last thing to break, between them.
the home. Hence, since at least the fourteenthYet another interpretation is that uniting a man
century, the Ketubah has evolved into aand a woman and creating a new family is divine.
wonderful form of art. It is often calligraphed onThus, even at an occasion of such great rejoicing,
an illuminated and illustrated manuscript thatone must take measures to ensure that the
becomes a treasured family heirloom, to pass oncelebration remains within bounds of propriety and
to the following generations.holiness.
Unveiling the brideAfter the breaking of the glass the musicians play
After the signing of the Ketubah, light snacks andand the guests shout "Mazal tov! Mazal tov" -
some hard liquor for the Lechayim - To Life, areGood Luck. When the bride and groom arrive at
served. Remember the "To life - Lechayim,"the reception, as Mr. and Mrs., everyone joins in
scene from the Fiddler on the Roof?dancing around the "king and queen."
In Orthodox Jewish weddings, during this time, inPERMISSION TO RE_PRINT
another room, the bride sits like a queen*, on aLooking for content of interest to brides and
throne-like, especially decorated chair. She isgrooms? CLICK HERE
surrounded by her family and friends, receivingCopyrights © 2007 All Rights Reserved Nily
her guests. Following the Lechayim, the groomGlaser,
together with his father and future father-in-law,You may post this article in your newsletter, on
musicians and male guests walks over to his bride,your website, andforward it to your friends.
whom he has not seen for a week and coversYou may publish it in print and send us a copy of
her face with her veil. This ceremony is so theyour publication.
groom identifies his bride before the wedding. IfIf you post or otherwise publish this article, you
Jacob did so, he would not have been conned tomust follow theguidelines as published here.
marry Leah instead of his beloved Rachel.Be sure to have "Contributed by Nily Glaser"
*In Jewish tradition, a bride and groom are akin tofollow the titleand actively hyperlinked to
king and queen and sit on chairs that are highlyAdditionally post an active hyperlink to the site
decorated to resemble thrones. It is a Mitzvah -from theauthor byline.
commandment and an obligation, to cause thePost the article as is with NO additions or
bride and groom to rejoice. This is why in manydeletions.
Jewish wedding celebrations the bride and groomKeep all links in tact and active.
are lifted on their special chairs, by their friendsPost the copyright information.
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The best way to rejoice with the bride andintact.
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