From: Anonymous Dear Rabbi, I was not raised religious. A few years ago I met a girl who was raised religious and who was religious at the time. We started a relationship that was really meaningful with a lot of promise for the future. It was very important to her that I become religious. We[…]
From: Anonymous Dear Rabbi, I’d like to discuss a Jewish marriage with you. My husband and I were married this year in a non-traditional wedding ceremony. He is Jewish, I am not. However we would like to remarry in a traditional Jewish ceremony. I’ve been doing some research and have learned about the ketuba, chuppa,[…]
From: David in Calgary Dear Rabbi, I don’t understand the Jewish way of setting up marriages. Why in today’s day and age should two adults submit themselves to being set up in an arranged marriage? How could they possibly rely on the judgment of a stranger rather than on their own feelings regarding something as[…]
From: Lisa Dear Rabbi, I have been dating to marry for a while. I finally met a guy who seemed like it could be it. We were serious enough to meet each other’s families. After I met his parents, he broke it off and told me that I didn’t act nicely around them since I[…]
From: R. in San Diego Dear Rabbi, I have become religious over the past year-and-a-half or so, and feel that I am getting ready to start dating for marriage. The problem is that there are certain things that I did before becoming religious and in college that I am embarrassed about, and I’m also concerned[…]
From: Susan in London Dear Rabbi, I was at a religious wedding where I noticed the groom break a glass with his foot, then everyone said, “Mazal tov!” I asked someone what’s the meaning behind breaking the glass. She said it’s in commemoration of the Holy Temple that was destroyed. It seems strange to me[…]
From: Dan Blum Dear Rabbi, Hi. I was hoping you could help me with a wedding question that I have. In a Jewish wedding, the groom gives the bride a ring. I was wondering if this has always been the case? Does this tradition go back as far as Abraham? If this is a more[…]
From: Anonymous Dear Rabbi, Why should a person get married? Dear Anonymous, I’ll first explain some ideas behind the Jewish notion of marriage and why it’s essential, and then refute some common arguments against getting married. One of the main reasons for getting married is to help each other grow through a life-long process of[…]
From: Name Withheld in New York Dear Rabbi, My son is marrying, G‑d willing, in June and we have heard of a pre-marriage ceremony called “The Breaking of the Plate.” Would you be so kind as to share the significance of this ceremony as well as the actual performance (ritual).Thank you. Dear Name Withheld, First,[…]
From: Name Withheld Dear Rabbi, I have been shomer Shabbat (Sabbath-observant) for 6 years, keep kosher, taharat haMishpacha (family purity), and every day I pray, recite tehillim (Psalms) and study Torah. I’m 40 years old, have two teenage children, a good husband, and until 2 months ago this was enough. But I met a young[…]