Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1846-10-22
Ceremonies at a Jewish Wedding.

Ceremonies at u Jewish Wedding.
! A Jewish marriage is an imposing spectacle
! Formerly most of their marriages took place IN
the synagogue, bu, lalterly they have been more
| frequently solemnized in their houses. Al the
hour appointed, the bride and bridegroom are
severally conducted, the bridegroom by male
friends, and the bride by friends OF her own
sex, to the place appointed for The celebration
of the ceremony. The company assembled 10
witness the ceremony, is usually very large
Sometimes there are as many friends as from
two to three hundred There must be len men,
otherwise the marriage would not be valid
When The company have all assembled, and
the priest or reader who ofIicaes on The oecs-
sion, is ready, The bride and bridegroom are led
! from another room into the place where the
ceremony is performed, under velvet canopy,
which is supported by four poles; the bride
being supported on the arms OF TWO women,
and the bridegroom on the xrms of TWO men,
! These are always the parents of the parties
about 10 be married, provided the parents be
alive and able to be present II not. then The
! task is confined 10 The nearest relations. The
bride, on being conducted 10 the place where
The marriage is 10 be solemnized, is invariably
yelled, in token Of the assumed modesiy of her
character When they reach the spot. the
bride is placed opposite the bridegroom, and
the pries,--nol The rabbi, as some persons er-
roneously suppose--having taken glass OF
wine in his hand, says brief prayer, OF which
the following are the leading passages:
BLESSED ar, thou, o Lord our God, King of
the universe who hath prohibited unto US the
belrohed, but hath allowed unto us those ths,
are named by the means of canopy and we'd
ding ring. Blessed art thou, 0 Lord Saucll-
I fer Of his people Israel by The means of the
canopy and wedock Blessed art thou, Q
Lord, our Lord; King of The universe! who has
created Joy and gadness bridegroom and bride;
delgh, asd song, pleasure and sympathy.----
Speedily, o Lord our God. let there be heard
in the cities Of Judah and in the streets of Je-
rusalem, the voice Of JOY and the voice Of glad
ness; the voice of merrment Of the bridegrooms
from out their canopies, and youths for their
musical feasls Blessed arr thou, o Lord. the
rejoicer Of the brdegroom with The bride"
After this prayer is said by The priest, the
bridegroom and bride severally drink of the
wine laid before them; and the bridegroom goes
III b.iJ ~ md ho hYI Ide
the bridegroom twice The bridegroom then
takes the ring and puts il on the brides finger.
and addresses her thus :---"Behold thou art be-
lro,hsd unto me with this ring, according 10 The
rites of Moses and Israel"
The marriage contract, which is an iridispen-
sable thing in all the Jewish marriages, is next
read, in which the bridegroom binds himself to
take the bride as his lawful wife, according 10
the law of Moses and Israel, and that he will
maintain, honor, and cherish her. his farther
} distinctly specified that be shall keep her in
decent clothing. The sun he is TO settle on
her in the event of his dying first is also spe-
cited The priest then drinks another glass
Of wine, and after shor, prayer, the bride and
bridegroom partake of the wine. The empty
glass is then laid upon the ground aud the
, bridegroom stamping upon it, breaks it into pie
ces. The lesson meant TO be taught the new
Iy-married parties by the breaking of the glass
beneath the bridegroom's feet, is that they must
; ALSO sooner or later, fall beneath the power Of
, death. and ,ha, they ought, consequently, so TO
keep the world under their feet as that, when
they come TO die, they may have no ground for
fear.
This parl of The ceremony being over. all
| present shout with one voice in Hebrew,.-.-
MAY i. turn on, happily" and The whole affair
is then ended The scene is altogether very
imposing. and The effect is very considerably
heightened by the personal attractions and
} handsome dresses of the Jewesses, and the
touching Hebrew melody played during the
greater part of the ceremony by band special
ly engaged for the purpose. When the cere'
mony is concluded, the evening is spent IN re-
jecing and fesivliy.
Before concluding my account oi the efre'