Jewish Wedding Traditions
Filled with meaningful rituals and steeped in tradition, a Jewish wedding is symbolic of the beauty of the relationship of the husband and wife. There are many significant components of a traditional ceremony that will express the bride and groom's obligations to each other and the Jewish people. It's important to understand the traditions and the significance of following certain guidelines during the ceremony.
The wedding day is considered a personal Yom Kippur for the couple and allows them to have all mistakes forgiven as they merge their lives into one. There is traditional dress involved in this holy day. As guests arrive for the ceremony, the bride (kallah) and groom (chatan) greet the guests separately, as they won't be able to see one another before the ceremony begins. This part of the Jewish wedding tradition is called the Kabbalat Panim. Next in the ceremony comes the Badeken. This involves the veiling of the bride and groom. The wedding ceremony will then take place under the Chuppah, or canopy. The Chuppah is symbolic of the home the couple will build with one another.
The Blessings of Betrothal, or Kiddushin, is the part of the ceremony in which two cups of wine are shared by the couple after being blessed by the rabbi. According to Jewish law, a marriage becomes official with the groom gives the ring to the bride. The ring is traditionally plain, with no stones or embellishments. The rest of the traditional Jewish wedding ceremony involves the Ketubah, or marriage contract, the Seven Blessings, breaking the glass, and the festive meal. Carefully following these traditions is important to a Jewish couple. These meaningful rites of passage allow the couple to enter into the sacred bond of marriage and begin their life together. This beautiful and sacred ritual is an important tradition to the whole family.
The wedding day is considered a personal Yom Kippur for the couple and allows them to have all mistakes forgiven as they merge their lives into one. There is traditional dress involved in this holy day. As guests arrive for the ceremony, the bride (kallah) and groom (chatan) greet the guests separately, as they won't be able to see one another before the ceremony begins. This part of the Jewish wedding tradition is called the Kabbalat Panim. Next in the ceremony comes the Badeken. This involves the veiling of the bride and groom. The wedding ceremony will then take place under the Chuppah, or canopy. The Chuppah is symbolic of the home the couple will build with one another.
The Blessings of Betrothal, or Kiddushin, is the part of the ceremony in which two cups of wine are shared by the couple after being blessed by the rabbi. According to Jewish law, a marriage becomes official with the groom gives the ring to the bride. The ring is traditionally plain, with no stones or embellishments. The rest of the traditional Jewish wedding ceremony involves the Ketubah, or marriage contract, the Seven Blessings, breaking the glass, and the festive meal. Carefully following these traditions is important to a Jewish couple. These meaningful rites of passage allow the couple to enter into the sacred bond of marriage and begin their life together. This beautiful and sacred ritual is an important tradition to the whole family.
