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The
Chuppah (Wedding Canopy)
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Meaning and origins of the
Chuppah
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When
a baby is brought into the Jewish covenant a traditional blessing is said:
Just as this baby has entered the covenant so may s/he enter the Torah, the chuppah
and good deeds. The chuppah
has come to symbolize the entire Jewish marriage ceremony. Someone who says,
I am going to Gwen and Jeremys chuppah
in June, means she will be attending Gwen and Jeremys wedding ceremony.
God
constructed ten chuppot for Adam and
Eves wedding, according to the Midrash. (Jewish Legend) Ten
is a mystical number in kabbalistic thought referring to the ten divine
attributes through which God relates to the physical world.
The
word chuppah refers to covering
with garlands. In the Talmudic era, brides and grooms wore laurel wreaths during
the ceremony. Early Jewish practice named the bridal chamber, where the marriage
was consummated, as the chuppah. Wealthy
fathers in those times would employ gold and expensive scarlet cloth in the
construction of their sons chuppot.
(Sanhedrin 108a, Sotah 49b) Today
the four sides of the chuppah
represent the first home a new couple shares.
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Who Holds the Chuppah?
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Since
a chuppah may be a free-standing
structure, even halacha shies away
from spelling out who must hold the chuppah. With four
poles to support, chuppah-holding
honors are a good way to include a host of people in your wedding.
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Make Your Own Chuppah?
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The
originality and personalization of a chuppah
are limited only by your imagination.
Florists will only be too happy to show you the garlanded chuppot
they have created with clouds of tulle and twinkling lights. Artists will batik
dye, tie dye, weave, paint or hammer out chuppot based on your personal preference.
Outdoor
gazeboes can be pressed into service.
Couples have commissioned landscape artists to create chuppot
out of woven vines and greenery.
Chuppot fashioned from a tallit
and four poles are simple and elegant.
Some couples ask friends and relatives to embroider or decorate cloth
squares, which are then sown into a chuppah
quilt that is later hung in the home.
Options
available:
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If
you are getting married in a Jewish establishment, such as s synagogue,
temple, or Jewish Community Center, a chuppah may be available for your
affair.
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You
may wish to use a talit (prayer shawl) and four poles as your chuppah.
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Chuppot
may be purchased - and later displayed as wall hangings in your new
home. Many artists create a variety of chuppot.
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Chuppot
for rent is another, less expensive alternative
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