Seven Blessings at a Jewish Wedding

[emptym]

I've been asked to do one of these. I'm told there are common readings, but this couple wants the people to choose or write their own.

Anyone have any suggestions? Are there any common themes?

I have one idea: I'd talk about how we tend to think of life as a competition and of love as self-sacrifice. But more fundamental to human relationships is cooperation, particularly in partnerships of marriage, in which two become one by love. I'd mention how Lev. 19:18 says we should love our neighbor as ourselves, and so proper love of the other flows from proper love of self. Then I'd acknowledge that sometimes, of course, self-love and love-for-the-other can conflict... (pause and hope for some laughs) and end with my hope and prayer that as these two become one through marriage, their loves would be inseparable and their times of cooperation would far outweigh their times of competition.

What do you think? I'd appreciate any ideas, particularly from those w/ more experience and knowledge of Jewish weddings.

 

[globetrotter]

http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Ble...blessings.html

this is a nice thing to be invited to do - for us it was mostly parents of our best friends, and a friend with a really nice voice who we asked to do this, it is like being in the extended wedding party.

take a look at the traditional blessings. the format should be "blessed are you, our god, who did X" work on the "X" part if you are so inclined, or loose the traditional structure completly.

good luck

 

[West24]

bring up bagels or interest compunded daily or something.

 

[emptym]

LOL. I'm a little nervous. This is the kind of thing I could screw up in multiple ways.

 

[globetrotter]

Originally Posted by emptym

LOL. I'm a little nervous. This is the kind of thing I could screw up in multiple ways.

here's another little piece of advice - don't get drunk and throw up on the groom. if you do that, you are already doing pretty well.

 

[emptym]

Then we really are screwed.

 

[NorCal]

The only advice I can give is the same I give any one making a speech at wedding: make it short.
There is nothing that needs to be said that can't be said in under a minute. That and practice your speech a few times to get the flow and timing down.