As two souls merge, the chuppah elevates the experience

Every Jewish ceremony is replete with different customs and layers of meaning. The chuppah is no exception.

Physical Representation

Technically a cloth held up by four poles, the chuppah represents a house. It’s customary to beautify the chuppah in honor of the Shechinah that rests upon it.

Rav Aryeh Kaplan ztz”l explains that the chuppah is open on all four sides, like the tent of Avraham Avinu was, in hope that this couple will likewise build a home predicated on chesed.

The chuppah also reflects the marriage of Hashem and the Jewish People at Har Sinai. Then, the mountain was suspended over Bnei Yisrael, similar to the way a chuppah covers the chassan and kallah.

Avraham Avinu was brought outside and told that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars of the Heaven. As a propitious sign, we conduct the chuppah outside, in the hope that this couple will have a fruitful relationship and produce numerous offspring. Some have a custom to hold the chuppah in a shul, since this is the place where the Shechinah dwells, and erect the chuppah under a skylight, so the stars and skies are visible.

The chassan and kallah are escorted to the chuppah since they’re likened to a king and queen, who are always surrounded by their attendants. The idea of two chaperones mimics the two malachim that escorted Adam to his chuppah, as well as the two Luchos that accompanied Hashem when He came down to Har Sinai.

The chassan approaches the chuppah first. Netai Gavriel notes that there are many differing customs with regards to who the escorts are. Some parents escort their child, other times the fathers escort the chassan, and the mothers, the kallah. Many hold that the escorts should themselves be married with children.

There are some who are noheig to carry braided candles as they walk to the chuppah. Minhag Yerushalayim is to keep the candles lit throughout the entire chuppah. These torch-like candles remind us of Maamad Har Sinai, when the mountain was filled with fire. Furthermore, the numerical value of “peru u’revu” is the same as the word “ner” and “ner”; once again a sign that the marriage should be fruitful.

The chassan starts walking with his right foot, as a sign of putting his best foot forward. The Shelah Hakadosh suggests that the chassan should have the pasuk “ki kadosh ani Hashem Elokeichem” in his mind as he walks to the chuppah.