What is the role and function of the officiating celebrant in a Jewish wedding?

The officiating rabbi at a wedding, known in Hebrew as the mesader kiddushin, has two primary functions:

The first and primary function of the rabbi is to ensure that the entire wedding is properly conducted according to Jewish law and custom. He makes sure that all the "paperwork," i.e. the ketubah (marriage contract), is in order; that the marriage witnesses meet all halachic criteria; and that all other parts of the ceremony conform to halachic standards.

Secondly, there is a blessing that is technically the groom's responsibility to recite before placing the wedding ring on the bride's finger. Since the groom will likely be too nervous at this juncture to properly pronounce the blessing, the rabbi recites it in his stead.

Please visit our Wedding & Marriage Section for more information on Jewish weddings.

I hope that I've been helpful today. Please feel free to reply.

Yours truly,

Rabbi Menachem Posner

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5 Comments

Tricked Bride Bala Cynwd, PA December 26, 2023

Interesting I had an orthodox wedding in 1999. Very shortly after I the bride asked for a divorce. My husband was extremely controlling and abusive leaving me alone while he went out to bars at night with his friends. I have never gotten a dime from him after I spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on the wedding. The rabbi that married and was a witness on ketubah never agreed to help me. Reply

Taylor CA July 29, 2009

That's so great! I love that the rabbi pronounces the blessing for the groom, since he'd "likely be too nervous." I love Judaism. Can I get married right now? Reply

rochel Brooklyn, NY July 28, 2009

To annonymous from Columbus: Whether the Rabbi is authorized civilly to perform the marriage ceremony or not doesn't affect his religious role. Legallly (at least in NY), you can do separate religious and civil ceremonies. Most people simply find it convenient to do both together at once and prefer the Rabbi be legally authorized to fill out the appropriate forms. Reply

Anonymous Columbus, WI July 28, 2009

Doesn't the rabbi also serve a civil function? Most Western countries allow members of the clergy to certify the civil legality of a marriage on behalf of the state. The rabbi would have to perform that function under secular law for the couple to be legally married in their jurisdiction, right? Reply

Ted Lehmann New york, USA via chabadofthehamptons.com December 28, 2023

in response to Anonymous:

Not sure about this. I think that having a rabbi sign/certifying that wedding occurred, and there being no need for a separate civil ceremony is uniquely American. Strange that in a country that maintains a separation between religious law and customs, and the states' legal system, a member of the clergy (be he or she a rabbi, minister, or priest) is empowered to sign a civil document. My mother was one of eight children, all were successful in getting out of Germany in 1930s and going to different countries. So I have cousins in many countries. My French cousins had to have separate civil ceremonies, as did my Mexican cousins, and others. . I think only the US and the united kingdom, and probably Canada do not require a separate civil ceremony. Reply

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