Last week, we enjoyed attending my nieces wedding in NY.
Having driven my niece many hundreds of time to school in Boston over the years, it was a true honor to be able to drive her one more time, but this time to her Chuppah Ceremony.
The wedding was beautiful, uplifting and joyous on so many levels and there were so many moments of joy, happiness, dancing and more. Yet at the same time, there is also always a somber, special and deep moment at one or two moments of the ceremony, which encapsulate so much of what a wedding is about.
At one point, which we refer to as the Bedekken ceremony, the groom walks over to the bride, shortly before the Chuppah, to see that it is her and to cover her with a veil. It is a moving moment as the bride, who is surrounded by her mother, mother in law, sisters, grandmothers and friends, greets her groom who is accompanied by his father, father in law, four grandfathers, and lots of friends.
At that moment, as the moving melody of the Alter Rebbe is played in the background, everyone takes a turn at giving a silent blessing to the bride.
Watching generations of those who came before her, at this moving moment right before the wedding takes place, give her the blessings that you know are laced with love, reflect the depth and experiences of life, and the deep sentiments and prayers of people who worked so hard to nurture the child who is now going to her wedding, or who nurtured one of her parents and are watching the grandchild make this giant step, is very powerful and moving.
One knows that as these blessings are being given, the histories of each family, the generations of those who came before them, and certainly the experiences and understandings of the things that have shaped their destiny, are all intertwined in the blessings that they were now giving.
Looking around the room, more than a few tears or eyes welled up with tears could be seen, the sign of love, affection, and prayers that the home that this couple will build, will be an eternal one of blessings, meaning, children, and goodness.
It is then, that we moved on to the Chuppah, which took place outside the Rebbe's House in Brooklyn.
As solemn and special of an event, no ceremony can take place these days, without a mention of our brothers and sisters in Israel, and everything that they are going through. The Bride and the Groom and everyone assembled began this ceremony with a prayer for Israel and with the hopes that at this auspicious moment we can pray for peace and for a return of the hostages.
Indeed as we spoke in the car on the way over to the Chuppah about the power of this special moment, and the power of the prayers of the Bride and the Groom, I shared with my niece the names of some of the hostages, that she could have them in mind for salvation, at a time when she is drawing down new blessings to the world.
The ceremony continued with many other moving moments including when the melody for remembering Jerusalem was played at the end, right before the groom broke the glass.
Mazal Tov to Meir & Risa the glass was broken, they were now married!
Their new home has been built!
The dancing and celebrations continued for hours and the night was a blur of joy, happiness and blessings.
May it be a Bayit Neeman BeYisrael and a home that helps bring blessings to all!
Shabbat Shalom & Good Shabbos
Yisroel