LOVE AND MARRIAGE
A brief look at Birkat Erusin will further our understanding of how we have separated ourselves from the traditional understanding of marriage. The traditional blessing,“Blessed is Adonai our God, ruler of the universe, who has sanctified us with Your commandments and commanded us concerning the forbidden sexual relations/‘nakedness’(arayaot).” You have forbidden us the merely espoused(arusot) and permitted us those who have been fully wed to us(nesuot) by means of the bridal chamber and the holy setting aside(huppah vekiddushin). Blessed are You who sanctifies Israel by means of the bridal chamber and the(holy) setting aside(huppah vekiddushin).>®
It was eliminated in earlier versions of the CCAR Rabbi’s Manual, but it was reintroduced in Maaglei Tzedek in an egalitarian form.“We praise you, Adonai our God, Ruler of the universe, who hallows us with mitzvot and consecrates this marriage. We praise you, Adonai our God, who sanctifies our people Israel through kiddushin, the sacred rite of marriage at the chuppah.(Vehitir lanu et hanesuim vehanesuot lanu al yedi huppah vekiddushin).
The text in Forms of Prayer, the siddur of the Reform Synagogues of Great Britain, is“Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who makes us holy through doing His commands, and who makes His people Israel holy by the ceremony of chuppah and the sanctity of marriage.”* The text of the Union of Liberal and Progressive Synagogues is,“We praise you, Eternal God, Sovereign of the universe. You teach us the ways of holiness, and by Your laws Jewish marriage is sanctified”(Mekadeish amo Yisrael al yedei chuppah vekiddushin).
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