Escorting to the Chuppah
The bride and groom are escorted to the chuppah. On their wedding day, they are like a queen and king. They should be escorted and not walk alone.
Here candles are carried by the escorts. The Hebrew word for candle is ner. The word ner has a numerological value of 250 (nun is 50, raesh is 200). A man has 248 organs, and a woman has 252 organs. Two candles (2x250) has a value of 500, and when you combine a man and a woman you have 500 organs. The candles symbolize the oneness which will come about as the couple is united under the chuppah.
Circling the Groom
There is a tradition followed by some whereby the bride walks around the groom under the chuppah before the rabbi begins the wedding ceremony. This tradition has ties to Jeremiah 31:21, where the prophet says that a woman encompasses and protects a man.
Some brides will circle three times. This tradition comes from Hosea 2:21-22 where God says to the Jewish people: "I betroth you to myself forever; I betroth you to myself in righteousness and in justice, in love and in mercy; I betroth you to myself in faithfulness..."
Other brides circle seven times. As Joshua circled the wall of Jericho seven times, and then the walls fell down. So, too, after the bride walks around the groom seven times, the walls between them will fall and their souls will be united.
While the bride circles, the groom prays. The wedding day is like Yom Kippur. It is traditional for the bride and groom to fast all day. It is believed that as the groom stands under the chuppah on his wedding day, he is especially close to God. Often the groom will pray for friends of his who are not yet married or for someone who is sick. Some people give the groom notes and ask the groom to say a special prayer.
First Blessing over the Wine
The service begins with two betrothal benedictions over a cup of wine. This first wine blessing is for the couple's engagement. Both the bride and groom drink from the glass of wine.
The bride and groom are escorted to the chuppah. On their wedding day, they are like a queen and king. They should be escorted and not walk alone.
Here candles are carried by the escorts. The Hebrew word for candle is ner. The word ner has a numerological value of 250 (nun is 50, raesh is 200). A man has 248 organs, and a woman has 252 organs. Two candles (2x250) has a value of 500, and when you combine a man and a woman you have 500 organs. The candles symbolize the oneness which will come about as the couple is united under the chuppah.
Circling the Groom
There is a tradition followed by some whereby the bride walks around the groom under the chuppah before the rabbi begins the wedding ceremony. This tradition has ties to Jeremiah 31:21, where the prophet says that a woman encompasses and protects a man.
Some brides will circle three times. This tradition comes from Hosea 2:21-22 where God says to the Jewish people: "I betroth you to myself forever; I betroth you to myself in righteousness and in justice, in love and in mercy; I betroth you to myself in faithfulness..."
Other brides circle seven times. As Joshua circled the wall of Jericho seven times, and then the walls fell down. So, too, after the bride walks around the groom seven times, the walls between them will fall and their souls will be united.
While the bride circles, the groom prays. The wedding day is like Yom Kippur. It is traditional for the bride and groom to fast all day. It is believed that as the groom stands under the chuppah on his wedding day, he is especially close to God. Often the groom will pray for friends of his who are not yet married or for someone who is sick. Some people give the groom notes and ask the groom to say a special prayer.
First Blessing over the Wine
The service begins with two betrothal benedictions over a cup of wine. This first wine blessing is for the couple's engagement. Both the bride and groom drink from the glass of wine.
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