Part 2 - Why The Bride and Groom Are On The Wedding Cake…
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Our Story So Far… Jacob and Sara are on the bimah at the front of the village synagogue. They’re in the middle of getting married when they tell Rabbi Kibbitz they’ve got some vows they’d like to exchange. This is something new…
“I vow to you, Sara,” Jacob read.
“I vow to you, Jacob,” Sara answered.
“Never to break my word, never to be unfaithful, never to be far from your side.
“I vow never to be angry, to always respect you, to care for you...”
These young people, Rabbi Kibbitz thought to himself, how sweet and considerate they are to each other. I only wish that I had someone so beloved.
“I vow to always support you, to always make you happy,” Sara was saying.
“I vow to stay with you forever, to keep you healthy...” Jacob intoned.
On the other hand, Rabbi Kibbitz thought, they do seem to go on and on.
The list, in fact, seemed almost endless. Rabbi Kibbitz heard Mrs. Chaipul snoring in the women’s balcony.
It took Sara and Jacob more than an hour to read it all. In fact, by the time they had finished, it wasn’t just Mrs. Chaipul, but many of the oldest and youngest members of the congregation were also dozing. Their vows included health, wealth, travel, children, parents, gifts, jobs, food, funeral arrangements, thank-you notes, taking out the garbage, feeding the animals: an entire system of what they promised to do for each other and with each other for the rest of their lives together!
At last, both Jacob and Sara set down their stacks of paper. The congregation (the ones who were still awake) sighed.
“All of these promises, I vow to you, Sara,” Jacob said, in concluding tones.
“I vow to you also, Jacob,” Sara said quietly. “We’re done,” she added.
“So,” said Rabbi Kibbitz, “why don’t you break the glass now?”
With a CRASH, Jacob stepped on the glass, symbolizing both the destruction of the Temple and the permanence of their marriage.
The sound of the shattering woke all the relations, and once again, the entire assembly cheered, shaking the roof and the walls as well.
“Mazel Tov!”
Finally, after such a long and significant delay, the happy couple took each other’s hands, and, smiling, they turned as one to walk back down the aisle.
But, instead of parading proudly past their families, the new husband and wife didn’t move. They stood, hand in hand, beneath the chupah, perfectly still.
“What’s the matter?” said Jacob’s mother.
“It’s your son,” said Sara’s mother, “he seems to be paralyzed.”
“Well, so is your daughter,” snapped Jacob’s mother.
And indeed, neither Jacob nor Sara were moving a muscle.
“What is it, Rabbi?” asked the two mothers. “What has happened to our children?”
Rabbi Kibbitz shook his head and frowned. He walked around Jacob and Sara, nudged them a little, waved his hand in front of their open eyes, and frowned again.
“You both have two wonderful and virtuous children,” he said. “But this is something that I was afraid might happen.”
“What, Rabbi, what?”
Rabbi Kibbitz shrugged. “They both made so many vows to each other that they can’t move for fear of breaking their promises.”
Too many vows? A buzz went through the social hall. They can’t move?
“Is there anything that can be done?” said Sara’s mother.
The rabbi shook his head sadly. “This is something they need to work out themselves.”
“In the meantime,” suggested Mrs. Chaipul, the caterer, “we can go on with the party, and allow them to enjoy their wedding day as we enjoy their wedding day.”
“So, why not?” said Sara’s father, “It’s already paid for.”
And so, all the friends and relatives and villagers of Chelm celebrated. They ate and they drank. They did not lift the bride and groom in chairs, but they danced the hora in a circle around the statuesque couple.
When, at last, it was time to say good-bye and go home, one by one, their relatives kissed Jacob and Sara on the cheeks, and left them together alone.
From that day on, Sara and Jacob stood together in the social hall, beneath their chupah. Whether their marriage was happy or not, who could say? But for all those years, the relatives noted, they never once fought, and they always, always held hands.
That, my friends, is why you sometimes see the figures of a bride and groom together on top of a wedding cake. They are a symbol of Jacob and Sara’s perfect unbroken marriage.
And they are also a reminder to a new husband and wife to be forgiving in the promises they make to each other.
[End of Chapter 1]