Marriage as an Expression of Jewish Beliefs

Marriage as an Expression of Jewish Beliefs


The covenant of marriage is a reminder of God's covenant with Jewish people and a reminder of their covenantal obligations. Marriage in a way, acts as a metaphor for God's relationship with Israel and the marriage ceremony actually contains a verbal affirmation of God's benevolence.

It is strongly believed in Judaism that God actually knows/chooses your spouse - in the Talmud it is said that 40 days before a male child is conceived, a voice from heaven announces who's daughter he is going to married - this is literally a match made in heaven. The Jewish term for these soul mates is 'Bashert' (Rich, 2011).

Jews believe that marriage is not only a holy state of being, but that to be unmarried is an unnatural state - according to the Talmud an unmarried man is constantly thinking about sin. It is also a fulfilment of the example God set in Genesis when he created Eve for Adam. Torah teaches that God created woman because it is not good for a man to be alone (Genesis 2:18). Therefore, the joining of a man and a woman in marriage is a fulfilment of what God intended for humans.

Further more it creates a loving platform for the fulfilment of the commandment for procreation "be fruitful and multiply" - the first commandment (mitzvot) in the Torah.

The Jews believe that it is not until someone is married that they enter fully into the Jewish community - a community that has responsibility and concern for the survival of the Jewish people and a care and responsibility for strangers. Until the man and women unite in marriage, their souls are incomplete but through marriage they find a new united voice that plays a vital role in their community (Lamm, 2011).

They also believe that love is not realised fully in a relationship until the point of marriage, where commitment allows the love to grow and be enriched. Their covenant of marriage also contributes to fulfil and partake in the original covenant between Abraham and God.

Below is how some of the aspects of a Jewish marriage relate to their beliefs:

Wedding Component	Belief it Represents
Kabbalat Panim	It is a Jewish belief that a person’s wedding day must be a joyous occasion. It is a responsibility of every person in the Jewish community to make the happen for the bride and groom. Kabbalat Panim is a community way of ensuring the bride and groom are supported and celebrated on their wedding day.
Badeken	The veiling is done to emphasis the Jewish belief in modesty and that the soul and character of a person are paramount, regardless of physical appearance - In Genesis 24:65, Rebekah covered herself with a veil when she went to marry Isaac.
Ketubah	The Ketubah is the written contractual belief that the groom will care for and provide for the bride during the course of their marriage.
Chuppah	This represents the belief that marriage and the family home is the cornerstone of the Jewish community. It is also a reference to the bible which said that Abraham and Sarah had their tent open on all sides to welcome people in unconditional hospitality.
The Ring	The plain ring that the groom presents the bride (and in more modern weddings, the bride to the groom) and recites “Behold, you are sanctified to me with this ring in according to the law of Moses and Israel” - it is believed that the ring is an object of value which make the marriage official. The ring is plain as it represents the belief that the marriage should be one of simple beauty.
Seven Blessings	These are exclamations of several Jewish beliefs, such as in the creator God, in God that gives us love and joy, in God that blesses the world with children and are used to bless and celebrate the couple.
Breaking of the Glass	There are many explanations as to the beliefs behind this tradition. Some of them include: Symbolic of the destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem A reminder that even in times of great joy there can be sorrow The broken shards of glass may symbolise that a broken relationship may never be fully repaired.

Further Reading:

www.myjewishlearning.com/article/marriage-community/



References:

• Rich, T. R, (2011) 'Marriage' accessed 30 October 2016 <http://www.jewfaq.org/marriage.htm> 
• Lamm, M (2011) 'Marriage and Community' accessed 31 March 2016 <www.myjewishlearning.com/article/marriage-community/>