Marriage
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Women in the Torah
I am currently a student studying at the University level “Women in Religion”. Being of jewish background I found myself face to face being told a lot about a religion I know very little about. We are studying “texts of…
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Who did Jacob’s son’s marry?
Who did Jacob’s son’s marry (beside Joseph when the Torah tells us)? The Cannanities were looked down upon and were to be strongly avoided in the case of Isaac and Jacob. After Jacob’s encounter with Laban, I don’t think he…
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Two Religions In One Family
Is it ok for me to marry a catholic men? He wants to marry me in front of an catholic church. First, thanks for asking this question. It must have been hard to realize that the question needed to be…
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"Spreading a sheet" to prove virginity?
I was told that according to Jewish custom, when a man married a woman (contracturally) after the consummation of the marriage, the father of the bride was given a blanket soiled with the blood from the brides broken hymen which…
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Dates when Weddings are Prohibited
Please let me know what dates you cannot marry. Can you marry on Shabbat Shuvah? A wedding is considered one of the happiest and meaningful occasions in Jewish Life. For this reason, Jewish custom restricts the dates when a wedding…
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Festivities for a Week
Why do wedding festivities last for a week? The origin of the seven-day celebration of a wedding is Gen.29:27-28, where Jacob waited a week after marrying Leah before he married Rachel.
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Breaking a Glass
Why is a glass broken at a wedding? As a reminder of the destruction of Jerusalem, which we should remember at times of joy (Psalms 137:6); and so that our rejoicing should be tempered with trembling (Psalms 2:11).
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Adultery
The Torah requires a test for a wife who is suspected of unfaithfulness (Sotah; Num. 5:12-31). Is something similar required for an unfaithful husband? When the Sotah ceremony was performed for a suspected woman, her drinking the “bitter water” was…
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Polygamy
When was polygamy abolished for Jews? Polygamy was abolished for European Jews about 1000 years ago by a decree issued by R.Gershom of Mayence, who was the major European Rabbinical authority of that generation. It was never abolished for other…