the obligations of the husband to the wife during the course of marriage and provides financial protection in the event of divorce. The next major step in the ceremony is called bedeken or the veiling of the bride. The groom, surrounded by male family and friends, is escorted into the room where the bride is sitting with her female friends. The men approach the bride in song and the groom brings the veil down over the brides face. At this time the fathers of the couple lay their hands on the head off the bride and give a blessing (Scott, Warren, 431).All Jewish wedding ceremonies must be performed under a chuppah or bridal canopy to symbolize the couples intimate household. During the ceremony the bride and the groom do not stand alone, they are accompanied by their parents. This is a symbol that they do not marry in isolation and that they will not live their future life without family support. Next the bride will approach the groom and walk around him seven times with her mother and mother-in-law following her. This is done to symbolize the interrelationship between the man and the woman by drawing an invisible circle around the two of them (Scott, Warren, 432). Next comes the erusin, which are two betrothal blessings that the rabbi recites. One is over wine and the other is over the actual marriage, which will follow. Unlike most marriages where somebody else pronounces the couple man and wife, in Jewish marriage it is strictly an act between the two partners. The man places a ring on the brides right index finger and says, Behold, thou art consecrated unto me, according to the laws of Moses and of Israel, (Scott, Warren, 432). The brides acceptance of the ring is a sign of her consent to the marriage and the ceremony continues to the reading of the ketubah. The marriage contract is read aloud by an honored guest who hands it to the groom who then hands it to the bride. It is the brides to keep and usually it will be giv...
