Jewish Glossary

Badeken

Veiling of the bride before the wedding ceremony

In a "first look" before the ceremony, the groom approaches and veils the bride, calling back to the stories of the marriages of Isaac and Jacob in the Torah. The veil also symbolizes that the groom is marrying the bride for her inner beauty, not just for her outer beauty.

Chatunah

A Jewish Wedding

Our sages teach that each marriage ceremony is a reenactment of the marriage between G-d and the Jewish people that took place at Mount Sinai, and that the wedding day is the holiest and most auspicious day of one's life. The ceremony has two parts: the erusin (also often called "kiddushin" meaning "sanctification") and the nisuin. The erusin involves recitation of blessings and the exchanging of rings, and the nisuin involves the recitation of more blessings and the breaking of the glass.

Chuppah

Wedding Canopy

The chuppah is a canopy open on all four sides, demonstrating the couple's commitment to establish a home that will always be open to guests, as was the tent of Abraham and Sarah. It is tradition to, when possible, hold the chuppah ceremony outdoors so that the chuppah is under the sky. "Chuppah" literally means "canopy" in Hebrew. It is believed that the Divine Presence visits every chuppah ceremony.

Hora

Celebratory dance involving lifting chairs

The hora is a celebratory circle dance performed at Jewish ritual events that, when performed at weddings, involves lifting the bride and groom onto chairs. The modern hora was first composed and choreographed by Romanian Jewish dancer Baruch Agadati for the Ohel Theater Company in what was then Mandatory Palestine, and was quickly adopted and popularized within the Zionist movement. The dance itself originates in the Balkans and southeastern Europe, amongst other similar folk circle dances. At Jewish weddings, it is tradition for all available guests to participate in dancing the hora.

Kallah and Chatan

Bride and Groom

The wedding day is said to be a particularly spiritual time for the bridal couple, steeped in symbolism. A high regard is placed onto the bridal couple, as if they were a king and queen on their special day.

Ketubah

Marriage Contract

The Ketubah is the Jewish marriage contract, listing the groom's obligations to the bride as husband. The ketubah is signed by two unrelated witnesses before the ceremony and becomes the property of the bride after the ceremony. Traditionally only immediate family attends the signing of the ketubah.

Kiddush

Blessing over wine

Kippah/Kippot

Ritual head covering

Mazal Tov

Congratulatory remark, literally meaning "good luck"

Mitzvah/Mitzvot

A good deed, or commandment

A mitzvah (plural: mitzvot) is translated as a commandment, referring to the commandments in the Torah. A mitzvah is commonly understood to also mean a good deed or act of kindness. It is considered a mitzvah (in this case, both a good deed and an obligation) for wedding guests to bring joy to the bridal couple. Many interpret this to mean dancing with the bride and groom or visiting with them at some point during the reception.

S'eudah Mitzvah

Celebratory meal following a ritual ceremony

Participating in a wedding feast is considered a great mitzvah. The Torah says that even the greatest sages who studied nonstop their entire lives would pause to celebrate with the bridal couple.

Sheva Brachot

Seven marriage blessings recited under the chuppah

These seven blessings are a callback to ancient weddings of Jewish royalty and priests in the Torah, which would comprise of feasts and festivities that lasted for seven days. Discussion of the recitation of seven blessings under the chuppah is recorded in religious texts as old as the Babylonian Talmud, which was compiled between 200 and 500 CE. The blessings express gratitude and good wishes for the bridal couple's relationship, the relationship of the bridal couple and their community, and for the world.

Simcha

A celebration or joy, literally meaning "happy"

Tallit

Prayer shawl