Why does the bride circle the groom 7 times in a Jewish wedding?

In the Jewish tradition, after the bride and groom first enters the huppah (a canopy traditionally used in Jewish weddings), or the bride walks to the alter escorted by her father, the bride circles the groom seven times, representing the seven wedding blessings and seven days of creation, and demonstrating that the …

What does circling mean in Jewish wedding?

In Jewish tradition, the bride circles the groom seven times, symbolizing the creation of a new family circle and forming a “wall” of protection for the groom. We are adapting this ritual for our ceremony by each circling the other three times and then we will circle once together.

What are the 7 Jewish wedding blessings?

It blesses God for creating “joy and happiness, Groom and Bride, gladness, jubilation, cheer and delight, love, friendship, harmony and fellowship.” It also prays to G-d, to “let there speedily be heard in the cities of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem the sound of joy and the sound of happiness, the sound of a Groom …

What is a circle ceremony?

A ceremony in the round is a wedding ceremony setup whereby wedding guests are either seated (and/or standing) around the bride and groom in a full or partial circle.

What do the Sheva Brachot mean?

the seven blessings
Sheva Brachot (Hebrew: שבע ברכות‎) literally “the seven blessings” also known as birkot nissuin (Hebrew: ברכות נישואין‎), “the wedding blessings” in Jewish law are blessings that are recited for a bride and her groom as part of nissuin.

Who sits in the front row at a wedding?

Both wedding parties typically sit in the first row after processing down the aisle—if they’re not standing up at the altar with you. 3. Immediate family is seated just before the ceremony begins. Siblings (if they’re not in the wedding party) are seated before grandparents and great-grandparents.

What do you say when you smash the glass?

After the glass is broken everyone yells “Mazel Tov,” which means good luck. The fragility of the glass suggests the frailty of human relationships. The glass is broken to protect this marriage with the implied prayer: “As this glass shatters, so may your marriage never break.”

What does it mean when the bride circles the groom?

The bride circling the groom symbolizes the delineation of their own private world within the outer world, with her husband-to-be at its center. She continues to circuit seven times, symbolizing that she, the “foundation of the home,” is founding a lasting edifice that will be complete until the end of time.

Who is the center of a Jewish wedding ceremony?

The groom (the “conqueror”), who takes the initiative to create the union, is initially the center of the new Jewish home. He is the first to take his place under the chuppah. The bride circling the groom symbolizes the delineation of their own private world within the outer world, with her husband-to-be at its center.

Why circle at my wedding?

Why circle at my wedding? At a traditional Jewish wedding, after the processional but before the actual start of the ceremony, the bride will circle clockwise around the groom seven times. Circling, or “hakafot” in Hebrew, is one of a number of public affirmations performed to attest to one’s consent, in this case, to be married.

What happens during a traditional wedding ceremony?

During the marriage ceremony, all barriers between the bride and groom are broken down. Sometimes, the mothers of the bride and groom also partake in this ritual to represent the closeness of the families. After the circling has been completed, the service begins with two blessings over wine.