Jewish Marriage
as a rite of passage
Components of Rites of passage
Time
Refers to the
age of applicant.
Place
Is there
specific
time when
occurs?
Where?
EgaChurch,
other
sacredthis
area,
or other.
Participants
Who is involved?Charter
This includes divine power,
ritual
experts,
the
initiated
and
the
community
The belief system.Set
What
do participants believe
Form
concerning
this
of passage,
andofhow
are
The
inner logic
orrite
pattern
of the rite
passage.
Symbol
system
sacred
writings associated
related to this
rite?
What
are
the
symbols
with
this
rite
of
Hierarchical and Role Relations
passage.
Where does the
participant now fit in this new
Transformation
status?
How
do
they
now
relate
to
others?
From what to what? Eg. Child to adult.
Time
• In Old Testament
times men were to
marry from the age
of eighteen and
girls from the age
of twelve.
Time
• Tenakh ages for marriage overridden by
Australian civil law.
• A man and a women then, must be 18 years
of age before they can legally consent to be
married.
Time
• Marriage at a younger age (14 for females
and 16 for males) is possible with the
consent of the parents.
• Where a parent refuses to give consent, the
person can seek permission from a judge or
magistrate.
Time
• Jewish weddings can take place on any day
except Shabbat and festivals because
• “we must not mix one joy with another”
(Talmud, Moed Katan, 8b).
• Most Jewish weddings take place on a
Sunday, usually in the afternoon.
Time
• Tuesday is considered a
luck day to get married in
Judaism as it is the only
day, in the biblical story of
Creation, for which God
said “it was good”, not
once but twice.
Time
• The bride will try to plan
the wedding for a time of
the month when she
expects not to be
menstruating, as sexual
relations may not take
place at this time.
Place
• May take place inside a
synagogue or outside.
• It always takes place under
a chuppah (a canopy)
Under the Chuppah
Indoors in the
synagogue
or outdoors
Inside
or
outside
The Chuppah may be simple
Often the Chuppah is elaborately
decorated and supported by four
poles covered in flowers.
Place
• Sometimes it is simply
a prayer shawl held
over the heads of the
couple.
The participants
•
•
•
•
•
•
kallah (bride)
chassan (groom)
Two official witnesses
Friends and family
rabbi (officiates)
God is present
A rabbi usually officiates
• Though it can be any observant Jew
sufficiently familiar with the requirements,
because
• marriage, under Jewish law,
• Is essentially a private contractual agreement
between a man and a woman.
A minyan
• is required to be present
• because of the communal emphasis of the
seven blessings.
• Thus an Orthodox ceremony requires 10
adult males to be present
• Progressive requires 10 adults
• Why?
The Charter
In Judaism marriage is
• the ideal human state.
• rated very highly.
• seen as the way to emotional and spiritual
fulfilment.
• desirable for both man and woman.
The Charter
Marriage is considered
• To be the basic social
institutional in Judaism.
• Judaism presents the woman
as the home-builder.
The Charter
The sanctification of the home
• is expressed in the woman’s special mitzvah,
• the mikveh,
• and all the food laws which the woman has to
maintain.
• It is in these ties and obligations of marriage
that God is to be sanctified.
The Charter
Marriage can provide
• Physical fulfilment in the form of sexual
expression.
• When Orthodox Judaism speaks of a sexual
relationship
• it means marriage.
The Charter
The Hebrew
word for marriage
• Kiddushin (sanctification) expresses its
sanctity.
• marriage is not only a sacred relationship,
• but the sacred relationship.
The set form of
Jewish Marriage
Marriage as a rite of passage
A marriage ceremony is a rite of
passage.
• A rite of passage is One or more rituals that
transport individuals from one role, phase of
life, or social status to another from the
• Pre-liminal (before) through the
• Liminal (during) to the
• Post-liminal
Pre-liminal stage
• Refers to the pre-ritual status of the individual
who is in the old role, phase of life or social
status,
• preparing for the new role, phase of life or
social status.
In the pre-liminal stage
• Candidates are isolated from
their given world or social
group via a series of rituals
of separation.
• Candidates are provided
with a sponsor or guide to
help them overcome the
coming ordeals.
The liminal stage
• Refers to the
• ‘betwixt-and-between’ stage in
which the individual is educated
and transformed so as to learn
those things necessary for their
new status.
During the liminal stage
• The candidates are marked
with one or more signs that
link them to those who have
already attained their new
status.
Post-liminal stage is
• Characterised by
absorption into the
faith community as
a member who has
achieved a new,
higher status
Candidates are
• Welcomed into their new state via a series of
rituals of inclusion (dances, songs, prayers,
greetings, communal meal, etc).
Rites of inclusion are
• Performed by ritual experts who have
already reached the new, higher state and
• have the power to perform the rituals.
You know
I’m an
expert!
Yes I’m
sure it’s
7 times!
Rites include
word
symbol
• Handed down by
the religious
tradition.
That’s 3
times 4
to go
gesture
Candidates undergo a
• Series of rituals of
incorporation, whereby
they return to the
community, but have a
new status.
The candidate’s new status
• Is marked by some kind of celebration.
The Set Form
in Jewish
Marriage
Set Form – pre-liminal
When the families have met, and the young
couple have decided to marry,
• the families usually announce the occasion with
a small reception, known as a vort
(engagement).
• Some families sign a contract, that delineates
the obligations of each side regarding the
wedding and a final date for the wedding.
Set Form – pre-liminal
The couple are required
• to meet the Rabbi a number of times before
they marry, so he can offer advice about the
meaning of marriage.
Set Form – pre-liminal
There is also a meeting
• between the bride and the rabbi’s wife who
will explain what is expected of each partner
in a marriage.
Set Form – pre-liminal
Two weeks before the
Orthodox wedding
• the groom must obtain a Ketubah.
Set Form – pre-liminal
One weeks before the
Orthodox wedding
• the bride and groom stop seeing each other,
• in order to enhance the joy of their wedding
through their separation.
• From a few days prior, until a week after the
wedding, the couple are considered royalty and
are, therefore, not to be seen in public without a
personal escort.
Set Form – pre-liminal
A few days prior to the wedding
• the bride will visit the mikveh to immerse
herself as required by the Torah.
Set Form – pre-liminal
On the Shabbat before the wedding
• The groom is called to the
reading of the Torah.
• People throw nuts and raisins or
sweets on him as a symbol of a
sweet life.
Set Form – pre-liminal
On the same Shabbat
• the Kallah's family
and friends arrange a
party for her,
• expressing their
same wishes for her.