Is Just Like Yom Kippur,
and Other Unexpected
Rabbinical Views of Marriage
Jason Cohen
JE Staff
ONE OF THE MOST JOYOUS OCCASIONS IN A PERSON’S
life is their wedding. While the extravagant ceremony with food,
drinks and dancing is fun, it is really about the journey to marriage
and starting a Jewish life as a married couple.

Rabbi Yochonon Goldman of Historic Congregation B’nai Abra-
ham in Center City, Rabbi Eric Yanoff of Temple Adath Israel in
Merion Station and Rabbi Elyse Wechterman, the executive director
of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association spoke to the Jewish
Exponent about how marriage is similar to the High Holidays, what
different customs there are at weddings and what it’s like to get to
know the bride and groom.

They all agreed: Getting ready for marriage is as important as the
wedding. “The wedding gets a lot of attention,” Goldman said. “Part
of the reason why preparing for the wedding is so important is because
Name: Jewish Relief Agency
Width: 3.625"
Depth: 4.75"
Color: Black plus one
Comment: SIMCHAS
you want to start things on the right foot. Leading up to the wedding
is the foundation for which we enable them to have solid beginning.”
He explained that a wedding is linked to the High Holidays sea-
son. God is considered the groom, the Jewish people the bride and
people are courting God throughout the month of Elul. Then on
Rosh Hashanah, God proposes and the sounding of the shofar is
the acceptance.

The wedding itself is the equivalent to Yom Kippur because it says
in the Talmud that all sins are forgiven on the day of the wedding and
the bride and groom fast on the day of the wedding as well.

“The wedding day is like a couple’s personal Yom Kippur,” Gold-
man said.

There are several customs at a wedding. In addition to being re-
quired to have the chupah outside, it also represents a Jewish home.

Name: Declaration of Invitations
Width: 3.625"
Depth: 4.75"
Color: Black plus one
Comment: SIMCHAS
together we’re stronger!
Jewish Relief Agency’s Annual Event to End Hunger
www.declarationofinvitations.com declarit@gmail.com
Wednesday, December 2 • 6:30pm-9:30pm
Moulin at Sherman Mills
3502 Scotts Lane, Philadelphia
Honoring Jennifer & Nathan Hoffman and Family
F For ro event
e ev v e n t inf
information: o rm ati o n: 6 610.660.0190
1 0. 6 6 0.0 19 0 or www
www.jewishrelief.org .je wishr e li e f. ro g
22 OCTOBER 29, 2015
SIMCHAS JEWISHEXPONENT.COM