The Practices Of Jewish Commitment Services

By Raymond Fisher


Whether one is actually a Jew or just interested in Jewish commitment services, this ceremony is one of the most beautiful wedding ceremonies a culture can have. While it does have some elements of a usual contemporary marriage, there are more symbolic practices that the couple will have to perform. Here are some practices that the couple will have to do while they participate in the ceremony.

A very crucial part of this ceremony would be where the couple will break a glass. This is more of a symbolic act telling the story of the destruction of the Temple and where a new era is ushered where the couple will have a newer relationship with God. This also signifies that the couple will now communicate with God as one entity.

A second rite that is done in this wedding ceremony is when the bride circles the groom. This is to symbolize that the bride and groom will now be joining each other in a more symbolic meaning. This is done with the bride walking around the groom seven times while they are both holding each others rings. Their eyes are connected the whole time until the act is done.

The Eirusin is a main rite in this ceremony. It is the rite in which the bride and groom will be changing their marital statuses from single to married. This is where the bride will be given away to the groom, as per the traditional halacha. This is where the Rabbi will witness the monogamous union of a couple wherein the couple has to share a cup of wine.

After the first rite, the second main rite is the Kiddushin and the marriage proper. The first act is the giving of Kesef which is the wedding gifts or dowry in some cultures. From there, the shtar, which is the signing of marriage documents, is done with the witnesses there to see. The third is the biah or the sexual intercourse between the bride and groom for marriage consummation. However, this act is postponed and done through exchanging of wedding rings instead.

After that, a document called the ketubah is read by the Rabbi in which the Rabbi will pass it over to the bride. This is the second to the last act where the Rabbi will unite the two in holy matrimony. It is very similar to how a priest or pastor will offer prayers and passages in a normal church wedding.

The final part of this service is the Nisuin or the public acknowledgement of this union. The last acknowledgement of this union is done by the recitation of sheva berachot. When this last document is recited, then publicly, this couple is now united in holy matrimony.

Basically, these are some practices that can be found in the commitment ceremony or wedding ceremony of Jews. The most interesting thing about these practices is that they have been around ever since the origin of Judaism. Whether one is a Jew or not, this ceremony is a beautiful one to watch because of its very interesting practices.




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