How Does a Jewish Wedding Ceremony Go?
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Jewish Tradition
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A Jewish wedding ceremony is full of tradition, love and celebration. There are a lot of sections to the wedding that involve several blessings, wine sipping, broken dishes and a lot of time apart between the bride and groom. This article will discuss how the Jewish wedding is performed.
Before The Ceremony Begins
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The week before the wedding, the bride and groom are treated as royalty by the Jewish community. They are not allowed to be seen in public unescorted. The bride and groom are also forbidden to see each other. A special ceremony called the Aliyah is held in the groom's honor, while the bride has a "forshpiel" party. At both celebrations, they are thrown raisins and nuts as a symbol of beginning a fruitful marriage.
On the day of the wedding, two receptions are held: one for the bride, one for the groom. They still cannot see each other yet. Right before the exchange of vows, the bride, groom and their respective parents sign a written document called the "Tena'im" that points out stipulations for the marriage. Once the Tena'im is read aloud, a wedding plate is broken to signify that the engagement is official. The groom then recites a Chassidic declaration of what marriage represents. -
Approaching The Chuppah
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As the ceremony begins, the groom is escorted by his father and father-in-law to his bride at the altar. "The Alter Rebbe's Niggun of Four Stanzas" is sung while he proceeds. When he arrives at the altar, he puts the veil down on the bride's face, symbolizing that she is no longer approachable. The parents and grandparents then bless the bride. The groom's knots on his special wedding garment are then untied, representing that all bonds but marriage are eliminated from their relationship.
The bride and groom then walk to the "chupah," or the actual wedding location that is traditionally under an open sky. They carry lit candles to symbolize fire that occurred when God bound Israel as his chosen land. Once they arrive at the chupah, the bride and her family circle the groom seven times. The bride then stands at his right. A special reading of the "Rebbe" is done in honor of the Chabad Movement mentor, Menachem Schneerson. A cantor represents the wedding witnesses and officially welcomes the couple. A special priest called the "Kohen" then blesses the wedding attendees.
Broken Glass
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Special witnesses are called to stand under the chupah before the actual benediction starts in two parts. The first part, Kiddushin, calls for a sip of wine. The second half, Nisuin, involves seven blessings given to the bride and groom, followed by another sip of wine. The groom then places a simple gold ring on the bride's hand and says to her "Harei At Mekudeshes Li B'taba'as Zo Kedas Moshe V'Yisrael---Behold, you are consecrated to me with this ring according to the laws of Moses and Israel."
The marriage contract is then signed by the bride and groom, read aloud by the Rabbi and then given back to the groom. Another special set of blessings called the Sheva Berachot is read. The bride and groom sip from the cup. Then the wedding glass is broken by the groom as he steps on it with his right foot in remembrance of the Temple in Jerusalem's destruction. The official ceremony concludes once the glass is broken.
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