Translation:

Wedding Canopy

Definition:

Chuppah has two uses. The first is the name of the canopy under which a Jewish wedding takes place. The second is to refer to the entire Jewish wedding ceremony.

The chuppah is one of the basic elements of a Jewish wedding. The canopy itself may take many forms, from a tallit to a specially created cloth. One interpretation of the chuppah is that it represents the home the couple is about to establish, open on all sides like Abraham’s tent (Gen 18) to show the hospitality they will extend. The chuppah is held up by four poles. These can be secured to the ground or held by four specially appointed people; this can be one of the many mitzvot that friends and family can be asked to do during the ceremony.

Sources:

• Biblical references to chuppah:Joel 2:16, Psalm 19:6
• The New Jewish Wedding, Anita Diamant
• Creative Jewish Wedding Book: A Hands-on Guide to New and Old Traditions, Ceremonies and Celebrations, Gabrielle Kaplan-Mayer
• Mazal Tov: The Rituals and Customs of a Jewish Wedding, Rabbi Dr Michael Shire

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