NY WEDDING RABBI LEV HERRNSON​

Ani l'Dodi v'Dodi Li So many others have "reprinted" this particular entry of mine that it's high time I present here once again. (First published in April 2015) Source and Meaning of the Verse Ani l’dodi v’dodi li—“I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine,” is excerpted from “The Song of Songs” (Chapter 6, Verse 3a). This verse, commonly associated with Jewish weddings and Ketubot (plural of Ketubah—the Jewish wedding contract), represents half of one verse among the eight

Why break a glass at a Jewish wedding? It’s a custom that’s defined Jewish weddings for centuries. Breaking the glass is the last act—other than a kiss under the wedding canopy—that is performed in public, thus confirming the happy couple’s mutual consent to spend the rest of their lives together. But why a glass? Presumably a spare drinking glass was easily found at wedding celebrations, even centuries ago. As for the custom itself, that’s a matter of history. Ancient Hi

Why break a glass at a Jewish wedding? It’s a custom that’s defined Jewish weddings for centuries. Breaking the glass is the last act—other than a kiss under the wedding canopy—that is performed in public, thus confirming the happy couple’s mutual consent to spend the rest of their lives together. But why a glass? Presumably a spare drinking glass was easily found at wedding celebrations, even centuries ago. As for the custom itself, that’s a matter of history. Ancient Hi

One way to make your wedding celebration more memorable is to include family heirlooms and other cherished personal items. Use of your family’s prized possessions in the ceremony can both bring meaning and enhance what is already meaningful. Take, for instance, wedding rings. Wedding Ring(s) Is there a family heirloom ring that you can use for the ceremony, one that belongs or belonged to a beloved family member or even the family’s matriarch? No, you won’t wear the ring a

While every wedding is magical, festive and beautiful, there’s something special about a wedding that takes place outdoors. Flowers, shrubbery, manicured lawns and a green forest as a backdrop, together with a refreshing breeze and a sunset in the distance all add to the majesty of the ceremony. Still, an outdoor wedding is vulnerable to changes in weather that can undo months of planning. My comments below address concerns that are specific to a planning an outdoor Jewish

The chuppah is the single most recognizable symbol of a Jewish wedding—other than breaking a glass at the conclusion of the ceremony. What is a chuppah? A chuppah is a temporary structure similar to a canopy, under which the Jewish wedding rituals take place. The word “chuppah” is derived from the Hebrew meaning “cover.” The bride and groom, under the sheltering presence of the chuppah, but in full view of family and friends, enter the covenant of marriage. There’s lots o

Source and Meaning of the Verse Ani l’dodi v’dodi li—“I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine,” is excerpted from “The Song of Songs” (Chapter 6, Verse 3a). This verse, commonly associated with Jewish weddings and Ketubot (plural of Ketubah—the Jewish wedding contract), represents half of one verse among the eight chapters of The Song of Songs, a short book of poetry in the Bible attributed to King Solomon. But why is ani l’dodi v’dodi li associated with Jewish weddings? W

At a traditional Jewish wedding, after the processional but before the actual start of the ceremony, the bride will circle clockwise around the groom seven times. Circling, or “hakafot” in Hebrew, is one of a number of public affirmations performed to attest to one’s consent, in this case, to be married. Other publically observable acts involved in the wedding ceremony include the exchange of rings, sipping of wine from a Kiddush cup, acceptance of a handkerchief or napkin