Essays and Insights

I'm getting married in a couple of months, but I'm riddled with doubts: Have I made the right decision? How can I know for sure? Some nights I just lie awake wondering...

You are engaged. You are definitely glowing, though you're not sure if it is from joy or sweat. Where is the fairytale that you pictured for so many years? What is wrong with you?

My fiancée is uncomfortable with it, and I'm not so excited about it myself. But everyone does it so I feel silly refusing. Is there a Jewish approach to bachelor parties?

Eliezer gave Rebecca a ring, betrothing her to Isaac; ever since, rings, circles and enveloping structures have facilitated the union of man and woman. The Kabbalistic masters delve into the mystery of the circle to understand the unifying force that violates all the laws of ego and identity

I am having my hair done, my nails, my makeup. But within, I am in a completely different world. My focus is on the new life I am about to embark upon. I keep his picture in my mind, his words in my heart, and his being engraved in my soul. It is my wedding day.

I want to do things right, but I'm not particularly turned on by the veil thing. It seems a bit outdated

There's an old stereotype when it comes to marriage. Men marry women for their looks. Women marry men for their money. There are of course many exceptions to this rule. But there is some truth to it too.

G‑d commanded the Israelites to walk around the walls of Jericho seven times; the walls came tumbling down and they were able to conquer the city. Try this at home with your husband

The text of the traditional engagement contract alludes to the cosmic energies which are unleashed by a Jewish marriage, a throwback to the supernal mechanisms which led to the creation of the worlds.

Every one of the seven blessings of the Sheva Brachot has a deep meaning, an important message for the bride and groom.

A treasury of thoughts and aphorism gleaned from the wisdom of the Torah and the Jewish sages which will enrich your wedding and marriage.

One of the reasons for the ancient Jewish custom to cover a bride's face during the marriage ceremony is to symbolize the complete acceptance that is integral to any enduring relationship

I understand that the traditional Jewish ketubah (marriage contract) is all about the husband's obligations to the wife, but there's nothing in there about the wife's obligations. Is that fair?

I was just at a friend’s wedding who I haven’t seen since college and who has become Orthodox. At the wedding, they never held hands and didn’t even kiss at the end of the ceremony. Is this how a couple that is supposedly in love acts?

This destruction of the Temple was a significant event in Jewish history, but it doesn't seem to have any personal relevance to me. What does a destroyed building have to do with my wedding?

Gila grew up in an observant home, Ben's family was less observant. Gila didn't know why Yosef thought to put them together...

Marriage in Jewish thought is not two people working together towards the same cause; it is the merging of two beings into one.

We are working on the menu for the festive meal at our daughter’s wedding. We all agree that dairy tastes much better than meat. Is it okay for the meal to be a dairy one?