Several different traditions in the Jewish wedding
However, there are some things that are common to all Jews in the Jewish diaspora at a wedding ceremony, The most well-known of which are the canopy, breaking the glass, the ketubah, and more.
In this article, we will try to answer the question and explain the reason for the customs, for example why break glass in a Jewish wedding, Jewish wedding break glass, and what is written in the ketubah.
According to Sages, the Jewish groom has been likened to a king and the Jewish bride to a queen. A week before the wedding according to Halacha, The Jewish bride and groom do not see each other. The wedding begins with a reception, The bride and groom’s families entertain the guests, and the groom signs the ketubah, a contract containing his obligations to the bride. In Orthodox rabbinic Judaism, the bride does not sign an undertaking and does not have to read the canopy statement. A ring from the bride to the groom is also optional.
After the bride and groom meet the groom covers the bride with a veil and the march towards the canopy begins. It is customary for the groom’s family to accompany the groom and the bride’s family to accompany the bride, before entering the canopy, it is customary in an Ashkenazi tradition that the bride circles the groom seven times. When the bride and groom arrive at the canopy, the engagement and sanctifying ceremony begin. The organizer of the ceremony or the rabbi takes the wine and blesses it:
Blessed art thou, O LORD our God, the King of the world, who made the fruit of the vine:
Blessed art thou, O LORD our God, the King of the world, who sanctified us in his commandments, and commanded us not to commit fornication, and forbid us to commit adultery. And allowed us to marry them, by a canopy and a sanctuary. Blessed are you, O LORD, who sanctifies the people of Israel by the canopy and the sanctuary:
The rabbi gives the cup to the groom and the mother of the bride and recites the blessing. The mother gives the bride a drink from the cup.
And commanded us not to commit incest, and forbid us to commit fornication. And allowed us to marry.
The consecration ceremony includes the wearing of the ring: the groom places the ring on the finger of the bride and says “In this ring you are sanctified to me as the religion of Moses and Israel, sanctified, sanctified, sanctified.”
Between the engagement (sanctification) and marriage, an excerpt of the Ketubah is read. A ketubah is a contract in which the groom promises the bride to provide her with food, clothes, marital relations, and more. The Ketubah also symbolizes the covenant between God and His people. After the reading, the ketubah is passed over to the groom and he gives it to his Jewish bride.
Jewish Marriage According to Jewish Wedding Traditions – Jewish weddings traditions
The Seven Blessings at the Jewish Wedding
After the Kiddushim and the reading of the Ketubah, the marriage ceremony begins. The marriage ceremony begins with seven blessings. It is customary to let friends and acquaintances bless each of the blessings. The first blessing is on the wine, “Creator of the Vine,” The blessings that follow begin with the words “that all things were created for him”; “Creator of man”; “Who created man”; “The barrenness will surely exult”; “Loving companions will surely gladden”, and the last blessing, “He Who created joy and gladness, groom and bride”.
Breaking the glass at the Jewish wedding – break the glass Jewish wedding
After reciting the seven blessings, the act of breaking the glass begins, a cup is wrapped in paper or cloth and the groom steps on it smash it to pieces, and says, “If I forget you Jerusalem let my right hand forget its ability let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth
If I, If I forget you If I forget Jerusalem above all, above my highest joy”.
Why break the glass at the Jewish wedding – why Jewish wedding break glass
Why do Jews break the glass? why in Jewish wedding break glass. The reason for breaking the glass is in memory of the destruction of Jerusalem, and the goal is that even through joyous moments, Jews remember the destruction. After breaking the glass the audience shouts good luck and it is customary that after breaking the glass a song is played. Hence the custom among Jews to say congratulations when a plate or glass is broken.
The Yichud (seclusion) room
As stated, from a halakhic point of view, the bride and groom are not allowed to meet for a week before the marriage ceremony. So after the ceremony, the bride and groom go to a locked room where they are isolated for a few minutes. At this time they have time only for themselves while the hustle and bustle continue outside. In many Jewish communities, it is customary to fast on the wedding day, so that the prayers will be out of seriousness and also because this day is like Yom Kippur. The iniquities of the bride and groom are forgiven. The custom of the Sephardim Sephardic Jewish is that the Yichud (seclusion) is done only after the whole wedding ceremony and not after the canopy.
Traditions in the Jewish wedding traditions in the various denominations
In the Ashkenazi custom as mentioned it is customary for the bride to circle around the groom seven times. Another Ashkenazi custom is to wear a robe (Kittel), a kind of white robe that symbolizes purity from sin. Among people of Eastern descent, it is customary to hold a henna ceremony about a week before the wedding, in which a blue-red substance is spread from the leaves of the white ransomed flower, the substance is spread in a round shape on the palms of the bride and groom. In many communities, the ceremony is held the night before the wedding and after the immersion in the mikveh. Sometimes it is customary for the ceremony to be held only for the woman, as the groom is not allowed to see her and she wears fancy clothes that vary according to the different denominations.
In India the bride and groom enter the procession together as petals are sprinkled upon them, the bride wearing a sari and led by a luxurious canopy called a “Dolly”. The groom is carried by the guests. The guests wear hats and use dance sticks. The bride and groom then put necklaces on each other, and they are fed sweet foods. At a Yemenite Henna ceremony, the bride wears a lot of jewelry that symbolizes both beauty and the heavy burden. At the ceremony, the groom or bride is received and then the henna is spread on them.
The ceremony is conducted separately for the bride and groom. In the past, the bride’s ceremony would last a week. In a Moroccan Henna ceremony, the couple is led together in traditional Moroccan costumes and music, and then they sit side by side and are given sweet foods.
The Shabbat Chatan in the Jewish wedding traditions Jewish wedding traditions
The Shabbat Chatan is a celebration held on the Shabbat day before the wedding or after the wedding. There are different customs in different denominations and different traditions but the main custom is that on this Sabbath the groom reads the Maftir, the last part of that week’s Torah portion. In addition to the aliyah to the Torah, a feast and a kiddush are held, and the wine is blessed. It is customary to sing to the groom. In the Hassidic communities, they sing to the groom all the way to the synagogue. Some practice singing before the aliyah to the Torah and some after the haftarah. When the groom ascends to the Torah, candies, and sweets are thrown at him and the children collect them. Ashkenazim celebrate this on the Shabbat before the wedding. Sephardim celebrate the Shabbat after the wedding.
The bridal Shabbat according to Jewish wedding traditions Jewish wedding traditions
The bridal Shabbat is a celebration held for the bride on the Shabbat before the wedding. According to Ashkenazi custom, the groom’s Shabbat is held before the wedding and he does not see the bride, the bride’s family is also with him on Shabbat. At this time the bride’s friends entertain her and amuse her. Although the Shabbat Chatan in Sephardi communities is not held prior to the wedding, the Shabbat Kala is still celebrated as in the Ashkenazi custom.
The banquet after the wedding
After the Jewish wedding, the bride and groom must rest from any work, they only need to eat, drink and celebrate. Every day of the seven days a feast is held with a minyan and one of the seven blessings of the Kiddushin is blessed. At this time the bride and groom are likened to a king and a queen, they may not leave the house alone but accompanied. But if they go out as a couple they do not need an escort. If it is a second marriage for both the groom and the bride, only a three-day feast is held.
The Jewish reform/conservative wedding
The wedding ceremony for the Reform movement has a more equal stance. The bride and groom can each make personal statements, they both give each other rings, of course, there are male and female rabbis and more. In the Conservative wedding, the situation is similar. Many couples prefer to replace the ketubah with a prenuptial agreement. In Israel, only Orthodox marriage is recognized. Therefore in order to get official status, many couples prefer to live as known to the public or get married abroad so their marriage is acknowledged. This is just a brief description of all the customs of Jewish wedding traditions that continue even now for Jews from all around the world Jewish population. You can learn more about how to host a Jewish ceremony through Jewish organizations in the United States – American Jewish committee