Subject: A Fresh Look at the Jewish Wedding - Part I Date: Thu, 23 Apr 1998 00:53:04 +0000 To: "Hebraic Heritage Newsgroup"<heb_roots_chr@geocities.com>
From: mayim <mayim@mail.doitnow.com> Organization: Mayim Hayim Ministry To: Hebraic Heritage Newsgroup<heb_roots_chr@geocities.com> Subject: A Fresh Look At The Jewish Wedding - Part I
Shalom Rooters,
One of the best books on the Jewish wedding that I have very read was Eddies, and if you have not taken the time to buy it or read it from on line, I advise you to do so. I got the book as soon as it came out, and what a blessing it was to me. Two months ago my Fellowship ask me to teach on the Wedding, and felt like telling all of them, 'just read Eddies book!' However, I asked our LORD to give me something "Fresh on the Jewish Wedding" and this is the fruits of that teaching.
If you would like to see it with all the pictures, and poems you can read it from Mayim Hayim's Web page, just click the Link: http://www.doitnow.com/~mayim/JewishWedding.htm If not just read below:
Thank you Eddie for your wonderful book on Jewish Wedding, its a classic!
Shalom, Barbara Di Gilio
>From Eddie: **************
Thanks Barbara! A couple months ago, I sold out of my "Seven Festivals of the Messiah" book. BUT, TODAY is was reprinted. I will receive the books the beginning of next week. I will be giving more info on how to order this book and my other book, "Who is the Bride of Christ?" as a SPECIAL newsgroup offer in celebration of the REPRINTING of the "Festivals" book tomorrow.
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A Mayim Hayim Study on:
A Fresh Look At The Jewish Wedding (Part 1 of 2)
When studying the Scriptures it becomes evident that intimacy between Yeshua and His E'dah (Congregation), is no better illustrated than in the ancient Jewish wedding customs. The L-rd gave us these things so that we could and would understand His attributes. This is His propose for every Believer. Yeshua, Himself, made several references to the Church, i.e. Congregation, in being like a Bride waiting for her Bridegroom. I will not site them here however they will be found throughout this study. Let's take a look at it:
The marriage consists of two parts. First, the betrothal - Erusin or Kidushin. Then about one or two years later, the second part took place. This is the wedding ceremony called, Nisuin or Huppah.
The betrothal is a parallel to the engagement in most ways except that in the ancient Jewish custom, it was binding! It was so binding that it could not be broken without a orthodox divorce. You were considered bound together from the period you entered the betrothal contract until the wedding day. When Joseph discovered that his betrothed wife Mary was with child he had real grounds to obtain a orthodox divorce and would have if the angel had not appeared unto him and explained what was going on. From that point on Joseph knew it was the hand of G-d that was upon her. He had no more reason to put her away. The whole marriage rite is laid out in a series of steps, twelve in all. I will give them numbers and Hebrew Letters, then try to tie in the Hebrew understanding of these letters with the steps of the marriage. I say try because there is so much to this teaching, that I'm still finding wonderful things in the Scriptures. Only Messiah can tells us all we need to know!
1. Aleph, meaning: Father, strong leader, Ox or Bull.
The Bridegroom's Father chooses the Bride, the Groom in most cases does not. He sends a friend or a trusted servant to come to terms with the parents of the prospective Bride, and makes all the arrangements. The Bride may not have any idea of what this person looks like or even know his age. All she knows is she will spend her whole life with him if she says yes to this marriage!
This representative can be seen as a portrait of the Fathers Holy Spirit in the Scriptures. It is He who nudges our hearts, and calls us to enter into this union with our Bridegroom Messiah.
John 6:43-44
"Stop grumbling among yourselves," Messiah Yeshua answered. "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws them, and I will raise them up at the determined day." (Adah Guzman's Interpretation)
I Peter 1:8
"Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you Believe in Him and are filled with marvelous and festive joy," (Adah Guzman's Interpretation)
2. Bet, meaning: Household, House or Tent.
The price was secured for the Bride, and was usually something of great value. Lands, livestock, silver or gold. In the Believers instance the supreme price was paid, the precious Blood of Yeshua Messiah. Yeshua left His Home and the Glory of Heaven to come to earth to pay the ultimate price for a Bride. This was so He might return once again to prepared for us a place, a Home with Him in the Glory of Heaven. What an awesome Bridegroom we have precious ones. Praise His Holy Name!!!
I Peter 1:18-19
"For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the superficial way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious Blood of Messiah, the Lamb without blemish or defect." ( AGI)
Philippians 2:5-7
"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Messiah Yeshua: Who, being in the form of G-d, did not affect to appear in divine majesty; but divested Himself, taking upon Himself the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:" (AGI)
Read my Lamentations study for more insight into the word "form."
3. Gimel, meaning: To lift up, into, a camel.
The Betrothal ritual is like an engagement party. The promise was made and it was binding. The man and wife do not live together or have sexual intercourse at this time. A cup of wine is lifted up and drunk by the Bride to seal the Betrothal.
We will say more about the cup when we come to the 6th step - the Vav. Just remember that the cup is lifted in the right hand. The right hand is a place of power in the Jewish understanding.
Matthew 26:27-29
"And Yeshua took the cup in His right hand, lifted it, blessed it, and gave it to His followers, saying, 'Drink ye all of it; For this is My Blood of the New Covenant, which is shed for many for the forgiveness of sins. But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that Day when I drink it new with you in my Father's Kingdom.'" (AGI)
Yeshua, when lifting the cup at the Passover understood that in just a short time from that moment, He would also be lifted up on a CROSS. It would be for His Bride that He would suffer and do this! Over and over again we will see that He "alone cuts this Covenant," we have no part, other then to accept what He has done for us.
4. Dalet, meaning: Door, a pathway, entrance, enter.
The written marriage contract is drawn up and in it the Bride is promised that she will be provided and cared for in every way. It states that all of her needs will be fulfill by the Bridegroom. The Hebrew term for Bridegroom is "Hatan" meaning: "one who enters Covenant." This contract is always signed before two witnesses, then given to the Bride and her Father. The Holy Scriptures are our Wedding document. It tells us all that our Bridegroom has done for us and will do for us - and so much more!
Over and over Yeshua Messiah declares His love for us! He promised to provide for all our needs and our necessities, and so we should never be fearful. It is Messiah who will make our way straight. It is Messiah who will accomplish His Word in our lives! He is the Door, our Pathway by which we can enter into the Fathers House. His cover dresses us, just as He spoke about it in Matthew's Gospel.
Matthew 6:28-30
" So why do you worry about your garments? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if G-d so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the furnace, shall He not much more cover you, O you of little faith?" (AGI)
Phil. 4:19
"And my G-d will provide, fulfill and meet all your needs according to His excellent riches in Messiah Yeshua." (AGI)
Hebrews 12:2
"Looking unto Yeshua the Author and Finisher of our Faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the Cross, disdaining the shame, and has conquered all and is at the right hand of the Throne of G-d." (AGI)
What more can I say, He will provide for His Bride all things, and His word is True!
5. Hey, meaning: to reveal, window.
As I said before, the Bride had to be in agreement with this marriage, and so it is with us. By our free will do we enter into this contract. Even the Saints of old were looking ahead to this wonderful place and event. The writer of Hebrews tells us:
Hebrews 11:8-10
"By conviction Abraham, when he was called to go out into a location which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed G-d; and he went out, not aware where he went. By conviction Abraham abided in the land of promise - as in a foreign country, dwelling in tabernacles with his son Isaac and his grandson Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For Abraham looked for a City which has foundations, whose designer and creator is G-d." (AGI)
Today to enter into this Covenant I must accept Messiah Yeshua, and confess Him with my mouth to be L-RD of our life. When the Messiah is revealed to us it is by the Servant, the Holy Spirit. We must say "I do" in Hebrew it is the word `daat,' or I could say, "I do not" which is not a good answer to give Him. However, making this decision is our choice.
Making this selection is really our first act of intimacy. Exclusively ours because, G-d has given to us free will to choose our Bridegroom. However, He knew from the beginning what our answer would be!
Jeremiah 33:6
"Observe, I will bring them health and preserve them. I will cure them and I will reveal unto them the fullness of My Peace and My Truth." (AGI)
This act of choosing our Bridegroom reveals to our L-rd how intimate we want Him to be with us, and this revealing works both ways. It is a form of worship, "yada" in Hebrew, and this same word is used for an intimate encounter in the Word of G-d.
Genesis 4:17
"And Cain knew (was intimate with), his wife; and she conceived, and birthed Enoch: and he founded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch." (AGI)
6. Vav, meaning: to secure, a peg or nail.
At this point the cup was drunk from. This cup is also called the shared cup of the Brit, i.e. Covenant. The two are now really married. The betrothed secured, i.e. sealed. Gifts are now given to the Bride and her family from the Bridegroom or His Servant, as in the case of Abraham sending his servant Eliezer. Eliezer came with 10 camels filled with gifts to secure a Bride for Isaac. Eliezer means: comforter, helper, and is a picture of the Holy Spirit of G-d.
Every time we share in the cup of Communion we are re-affirming our marriage Covenant with our Bridegroom Yeshua. We should always remember what it was that Messiah Yeshua our Bridegroom achieved for us personally, with the Covenant of "Communion in His Blood." His wine is the best wine, and it is wine, not grape juice! Wine is a symbol of joy to the Hebrew mind, and it should be to His Church as well.
Jeremiah 31:31-34
"The time is coming," declares the L-RD, "when I will cut a New Covenant (Brit) with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the Covenant I made with their forefathers (those who died in Mt. Sinai) when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke My Covenant, though I was a Husband to them, declares the L-RD. This is the Covenant I will cut with the house of Israel after that time," declares the L-RD. "I will put My Torah in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their G-d, and they will be My people. (This is the Promise from Deut 30:6) No longer will a man instruct his neighbor, or a mankind his brother or sister, saying, `Know the L-RD,' they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the L-RD. For I will forgive their iniquity and will recall their sins no more." (AGI)
Yeshua Messiah also gave us many gifts. The blessed Holy Spirit with all of His gifts. Prophecy, Messiah's Peace, His Joy, His Knowledge, Eternal Life, His Righteousness which is our Cover, and best of all His Love Everlasting.
The shared cup of Communion secured by the nails of the Covenant of the Cross makes us partakers with Him in everything, and it's all His doing!!!
7. Zayin, meaning: cut, to cut off, a weapon.
In Hebrew the word for the Jewish Bride is the word "Kallah," meaning: "complete," and some teach it means: "enclosed one." This brings to my mind a Scripture from Song Of Songs:
Song of Solomon 4:12
"A garden enclosed is my sister, my spouse; a spring of living water shut up, a fountain sealed." AGI
The Bride went through a ritual immersion, i.e. washing, to symbolize her turning aside from all the former things and starting a new life with her Beloved. We are given water baptism for the purification of our old ways and to make us ready for our L-rd Heavenly home. When the Hebrews came out from Egypt and prepared to enter into the Covenant with Elohim, the whole Congregation had to be cleansed with water. She was to be set apart, enclosed before they could come close to the L-RD G-d. We must also do the same? And sometimes for some of us, more then once. They had to do it before meeting G-d, we now do it after we receive His Son! I asked the L-rd why? He told me that this washing was for me, so that I could identify with His Son in all things. I wept when He told me that.
Romans 6:3-6
"Know ye not, that so many of us as were immersed into Yeshua Messiah were immersed into His death? Therefore we are buried with with Him by baptism into death: that like Messiah was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been seeded together in the likeness of His death, we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin." AGI
Mikvah: ritual immersion, i.e. baptism is a weapon of separation.
When we obey the L-rd and follow His example of immersion, we are embarking on our new life by departing and saying, farewell to the old ways. This is a cutting off or a putting off of the old, and this pleases both the Father, and the Bridegroom. Really it is a signpost for ourselves to remind us we are dead to trespasses, and alive unto G-d.
Again the choosing is ours to obey or not to obey Him. I have been sprinkled as a baby, and immersed once in 1973 when I did not really understand what I was doing. Then again in 1986 with full understanding I was immersed in the Holy Sprit. Then in 1989 immersed in water again, this time really knowing what was taking place in my life. I hope to be immersed again in the Jordan someday when I get to Israel.
Acts 19:2-6
"He said unto them, Have you received the Holy Spirit since you Believed? And they answered him, We have not even heard whether there be any Holy Spirit. And he said unto them, Then what were you immersed into? And they said, Into John's ritual immersion. Then said Paul, John verily immersed with the immersion of repentance, saying unto all the people, that they should Believe on Him which should come after him, that is, on Messiah Yeshua. When they heard this, they were immersed in the Name of the L-rd Yeshua. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them; and they spoke with tongues, and prophesied." (AGI)
There is water immersion, and there is a immersion of the Holy Spirit, and they are for whosoever will.
(End of Part 1 of 2)
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