Avital & Shlomo
Jewish Wedding Traditions
Kabbalat Panim
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Kabbalat Panim (Receiving of Faces) is the stage of the wedding where Avital and Shlomo greet their wedding guests. As "King and Queen" of the evening, Shlomo and Avital will each "hold court" in separate pre-ceremony receptions. Avital will be seated on a throne in the cocktail reception area to greet guests and give out blessings. Shlomo will be hosting a separate Tisch (Yiddish for table), where family and friends will recite words of Torah and dance with him. At the Tisch, the Tanaim (betrothal agreement) and Ketubah (marriage contract) are signed. After the tanaim are signed, Avital and Shlomo's mothers together will break a plate to symbolize the seriousness, and finality of the agreement.
Badekin
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Towards the end of the cocktail hour, Shlomo will be danced from his Tisch towards Avital for the Badekin. At this point Shlomo and Avital will not have seen each other for a week. This is a ritual in which Shlomo checks that the woman who will soon be walking down the aisle will in fact be his bride, Avital. Avital will receive blessings from her grandfather, father, and father-in-law-to-be. Shlomo will then lower her veil, and meet her at the Chuppah! The tradition of the Badekin commemorates the Biblical story of Jacob being tricked into marrying Leah, instead of her sister, Rachel, because he could not see her face. Therefore, the groom lowers the veil himself after checking that the bride is the person he intends to marry.
Chuppah
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The Chuppah symbolizes the home that the newlyweds will create together. It is open on all sides, like the tent of Abraham and Sarah, to show that it will always be open to welcome guests. When she enters the chuppah, Avital will circle Shlomo seven times. The number seven has great significance in Judaism: seven verses in the Torah begin with “When a man takes a wife,” and Shabbat (the seventh day) marks the completion of creation. Here, it symbolizes the completion of their search for each other and the creation of a new couple. The circles unite them under their symbolic home structure as they start a new life together.
Wedding Ceremony
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The ceremony itself consists of two parts, Erusin (betrothal) and Nissuin (nuptuals), separated by the reading of the Ketubah (marriage contract). During Erusin, Rabbi Greenberg will recite a blessing over a cup of wine, and Shlomo will place a ring on Avital's finger. YAY they're married! In the second stage, Nissuin, friends and family members will be honored with reciting one of the Sheva Brachot (seven blessings). These seven blessings will be repeated after dinner and for the entire week after the wedding. At the completion of the ceremony, Shlomo will break a glass under his foot to symbolize the destruction of the Beit Hamikdash (temple). Even in moments of great joy, we remember the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, and our responsibility to Tikkun Olam, repairing the world.
Dancing to the Yichud Room
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After Shlomo breaks the glass, everyone will yell “Mazel Tov!” and begin to sing and dance the couple back up the aisle, escorting them to the Yichud (seclusion) room. Two friends guard the door of the room to ensure that Shlomo and Avital are not interrupted as they share their first moments together as a married couple. Other guests will be guided to the reception for dinner and dancing until the couple is ready to rejoin the party.
Seudat Nissuin (Party!)
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While the couple takes a few minutes in private, guests are invited to start eating, drink l'chaims, dance, and get the party goin'! Avital and Shlomo will make a grand entrance and then be whisked away for traditional Jewish dancing. In Judaism, it is a mitzvah (religious obligation) to rejoice with the newlyweds after the ceremony. At one point during the dancing, Avital and Shlomo will be seated on the dance floor and will be entertained by various surprises, AKA Schtick (Yiddish for comedy). Friends and Family will come prepared with props and dances to entertain the couple (and the crowd). Bring your A-game. The party continues with more dancing, food, drinks, people raised in chairs, and much more love and fun!