We're having a Jewish ceremony and the Rabbi has left it up to us which rituals/components/traditions we would like to include.
After the processional is the hakafot, the circling, where the bride walks 7 rounds around the groom to symbolize 3 things: the world was created in 7 days, there are 7 wedding blessings, and a marriage is a 7-days-a-week act of creation. Another variation is to do 3 circles to represent from the bible: "I will betroth you to me forever, I will betroth you to me in righteousness, and in justice and in lovingkindness, and in compassion; and I will betroth you to me in faithfulness." It also represents the 3 obligations husbands have to their wives: food, clothing, and conjugal relations.
We are planning to do a more egalitarian version where I circle around him 3 times, he circles around me 3 times, and we circle each other (at the same time) for the 7th circle.
I love the meaning behind it, but feel silly and awkward doing it. The other issue is my dress and his mother - I have a train, not super long, but long enough that the mob and mog will need to walk behind me and hold it up. This is more than just functional, it is also a way for the mothers to participate. However, the mog is totally uninvolved with this wedding. She is so wrapped up in her own insecurities and whatever goes on in her crazy head that she is barely agreeing to walk the groom down the aisle, much less participate in the ceremony! Sad - she can't step outside of herself for a couple minutes and be a normal mom for her son and daughter-in-law.
Are there any other Jewish brides out there? What are you doing/did?
Any suggestions? I'm tempted to cut the circling from the ceremony - it is more of an Orthodox tradition today and I am certainly not Orthodox, but like I said, I like the symbolism.
