CHUPPAH
The wedding ceremony takes place beneath a wedding canopy, called a chuppah, which symbolizes the new home which the couple is establishing together.
PROCESSIONAL
The couple is treated like royalty on their wedding day, and is therefore accompanied to the chuppah by an entourage of family and close friends.
THE CEREMONY
The Jewish marriage ceremony is divided into two parts: betrothal (called erusin) and nuptials (called nissuin). Once separate events, up to a year or more apart, the betrothal and marriage ceremonies were combined in the 11th century C.E.
Erusin includes the betrothal blessing and the ring ceremony. Nissuin consists of the reading of the ketubah, the seven blessings (the sheva brachot), and yichud (the private time that the couple shares immediately after the conclusion of the public ceremony).
THE BETHROTHAL BLESSING
Erusin begins with a welcome to family and friends and a prayer for God's presence and blessing over the marriage. The blessings are recited, and the couple drinks from a cup of wine, symbolizing the joy and abundance they hope to share in their lives.
THE RING CEREMONY
The exchange of rings is the central act of the marriage ceremony. In Jewish law, a verbal declaration of marriage is not legally binding. There must be an act of formal physical acquisition of some object of known value.
Traditionally, the ring is placed on the index finger of the right hand so that witnesses can see the ring easily. Following the ceremony, the ring is moved to the more familiar fourth finger of the left hand, due to the belief that a vein runs directly from this finger to the heart.
Traditionally, the ring must be a band of metal with no holes and no gems - one solid piece. Jewishly, a union of two people involves the achievement of shleimut – wholeness – represented by the wholeness of the wedding band.
KETUBAH
Nissuin begins with the reading aloud of the wedding contract, or ketubah. This is one of the oldest and most essential parts of the Jewish wedding. The ketubah was considered a great advance for its time (the end of the first century, C.E.) because it provided women with legal rights in a marriage.
The ketubah sets forth responsibilities that both partners accept. It promises something unwritten...a covenant between two people who promise to be partners in life and care for one another.
The bride and groom sign the ketubah before the wedding during a private ceremony with the Rabbi and two witnesses.
SHEVA BRACHOT – SEVEN WEDDING BLESSINGS
The seven wedding blessings are the heart of the marriage ceremony. They show that marriage is not just a transaction or contractual relation but a sanctification of two souls to a Jewish way of life. The creation of this loving partnership is woven into the Divine fabric of the universe; each marriage is the beginning of a new world. The beloveds drink wine from the same cup after the blessing to show that they have begun their life together.
The following are the Sheva Brachot:
1. We praise You, Eternal our God, Ruler of the universe, Creator of the fruit of the vine.
2. We praise You, Eternal our God, Ruler of the universe, Creator of all things for Your glory.
3. We praise You, Eternal our God, Ruler of the universe, Creator of man and woman.
4. We praise You, Eternal our God, Ruler of the Universe, who creates us to share with You in life's everlasting renewal.
5. We praise you, Eternal our God, who has given us a vision of paradise we dream of creating with our lives, and calling it redemption. We praise you, Our God, who created the commitment of marriage as a foretaste of redemption.
6. We praise You, Eternal our God, who causes bride and groom to rejoice. May these loving companions rejoice as have Your creatures since the days of creation.
7. We praise You, Eternal our God, ruler of the universe, Creator of joy and gladness, bride and groom, love and kinship, peace and friendship. May there always be heard in the cities of the world and in the streets of Jerusalem: the sounds of joy and of happiness, the voice of the groom and the voice of the bride, the shouts of young people celebrating, and the songs of children at play. We praise You, our God, who causes the bride and groom to rejoice together.
BREAKING THE GLASS
At the end of the wedding ceremony, a covered glass is shattered to remind the couple that even in times of great joy, they must be aware of life's difficulties.
The broken glass symbolizes the destruction of the ancient Temples in Jerusalem and reminds us that we live in a shattered world that we must help to redeem.
It also symbolizes that the couple can take the pieces of their separate lives and build them into one life. After the glass is broken, the public wedding ceremony is complete. It is traditional for everyone to wish the couple good luck by saying "Mazel Tov!"
RECESSIONAL
During the recessional, it is traditional to sing Siman Tov U’Mazal Tov – A Good Sign and Good Luck:
"Siman tov u’mazal tov, u’mazal tov v’siman tov (3x)
Y’hei lanu.
Y’hei lanu, y’hei lanu u’l’chol Yisrael" (4x)
YICHUD
After the recessional, the bride and groom are afforded a few minutes of privacy. It is a time for them to embrace, reflect on the significance of the ceremony, and prepare to re-enter the world as a couple, united in love and commitment.
THE WEDDING FEAST
This is the "seudat mitzvah," the meal that accompanies the fulfillment of a religious act, such as a wedding or bar/bat mitzvah. Music and dancing are usually a part of the festivities. Jewish tradition considers it an obligation and good deed for guests to rejoice heartily at a wedding.
We hope this information has helped on planning your Jewish wedding ceremony.
Mazel Tov.
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