Hebrew Wedding Ring
Marriage, in Jewish literature is known as kiddushin which means sanctification or dedication. It means a spiritual bond that shows the commitment of the couple to each other. The marriage consists of a number of stages. The first stage is the shidduch or matchmaking. Here a compatible life partner is searched for. The partners should be physically attractive and to make this possible a meeting is arranged so that the boy and girl can meet .
A ring (usually plain gold) given to the bride (and sometimes one is also given to the groom) at the wedding. The Hebrew wedding ring,also known as the wedding band, is simple with no carvings or designs or stones. It is so simple that one cannot make out the beginning or end. The jewish tradition forbids the use of carvings or any kind of decorations on the ring. The ring emphasizes the importance of attachment and commitment in the relationship. It throws light to a simple and pure beauty of the marriage. The ring should be the grooms sole property at the time of the wedding. Even though the ceremony signifies the use of one ring to be exchanged, there are occasions where both the couples exchange rings. The rings solid nature emphasizes the commitment and eternal nature of the ceremony. Most of the Jewish wedding rings are just a band of gold ,though now carvings of
Hebrew letters or names of the couple can be found. In this ceremony ,only the groom gifts his bride with a ring,unlike in non-jewish marriage where both the bride and groom exchange rings. The wedding ceremony is performed by the Rabbi or priest. During the ceremony, the groom repeats a Hebrew vow after the Rabbi, taking the wedding ring in his hand and declares to his wife, Hare at mekudeshet li betaba' at zo k'dat Moshe v' Yisrael meaning Behold, you are betrothed unto me with this ring according to the laws of Moses and Israel. After this he puts the ring on the fore finger of his brides right hand. This is considered to be the central point of the ceremony where it is considered that the marriage is complete. A traditional Jewish marriage symbolizes the beauty of the relationship of the couple.
Wedding rings are symbols of love and eternity, which are exchanged on the wedding day to be worn as a reminder of that love everyday of your married life. The wedding ring is of great importance in the marriage as it marks the beginning of a new journey together for the rest of their lives. Jewish wedding rings have their own traditions and characteristics, which make it fun to shop for and an absolute wonderful piece of jewelry to wear. The rings are selected as to give the wedding a perfection. According to the law, the wedding ring is given more priority in the marriage than the contract or the promises. According to the Jewish law ,the groom should present his bride something valuable. Earlier it used to be a coin but nowadays a simple band made of gold is given. The rings are selected with such care that each time the couple sees it , it makes them think of the eternity they have shared together. It makes them recall the love ,care, support they have for each other and helps in intensifying their relationship. The wedding ring is also related to the Shabbat. The ring in its circular shape gives the importance of an unending relation. Likewise the Shabbt speaks of the covenant relation between the couple. The gold metal that is worn is a reminder of the promises taken. Likewise the Shabbat is to be kept as a reminder that it also has an important place in the lifves of the couple. The Shabbat is the wedding ring that attaches the couple to God.
It is always a doubt as to why the women wear the ring on the forefinger of the right hand. Also there are questions as to why only the groom gives the ring to the bride. During the Biblical times ,the women were being gifted with jewellery to get engaged. About thousand years back it was said that the women wore the ring on the right forefinger. And from then it is known to been followed. There was a belief that the right forefinger was prominent among all fingers. Among the Sephardim,there was a custom to place the ring on the left middle finger. It was believed that doing so will place one nearer to God and therefore shows the bond between the groom and the bride. According to the Zohar , the reason the ring is placed on the right hand is because the right hand represents giving and loving-kindness. During the ceremony the groom gives the bride the ring and she is in possession of it. This signifies that the groom now has all the rights of the bride, that is she is his possession.
To buy a jewish wedding ring can be confusing as you have so many shops and now the internet also. But nowadays the internet proves to be more informative.depending on the ring size , the 14k or 18 gold etc. The prices usually range from $800-1000 down to $320-600. Also you can select from a wide range of options. The online retailerscan also customize any engraving ,either with Hebrew phrases or the bride and grooms names.
Other Articles
