Traditional Jewish Marriage

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that Judaism believes that marriage is the ideal state of existence; a man without a wife or a woman without a husband is incomplete. The author points out that the marriage ceremony is based on the rules of transfer of property or of rights in antiquity including the woman accepting a ring or something of value from the man thus indicating her acceptance of the terms of the marriage. The paper explores the mischnah, "But if he has children, he may abstain from procreation, but he may not abstain from having a wife", and several other quotations from the Old Testament.

From the Paper:

"From the era of the Talmud up to the enlightenment, social association of the sexes was usually restricted, and within Orthodox Jewish communities today, these social restrictions are still in force. Matrimonial engagements were commonly brought about by a third person, usually a professional match-maker, called a shadchan, and the process is called Shidduchim. The shadchan received a brokerage-fee fixed by law, most often this was a small percentage of the dowry, which was paid by either or both of the parties at the wedding or shortly thereafter.'

More papers on Traditional Jewish Marriage :

• Essay # 3196 : "Jewish Dating and Marriage"
• Book Review # 20233 : "The Jewish Way in Love and Marriage" by Maurice Lamm"
• Essay # 70369 : "Interfaith Marriage in Judaism and Christianity"

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