Who’s Who at the Wedding?

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INSIGHT: The More the “Marry”er?!

Who’s Who at the Wedding?

The Chupah was set, with the bride covered by the veil and the groom standing next to her. “The password please,” said Yaakov to the bride. And the bride whispered the secret code.

Yaakov was now convinced that his bride was Rachel, and the wedding began. It was an amazing celebration. Just one “slight” problem, Yaakov actually married Leah, and not Rachel!

The next morning, when Yaakov found out the truth, he ran to his father-in-law. “Lavan!” he shouted. “What have you done?! I had worked for Rachel all these years. Why did you trick me?!”

Lavan answered, “Well, around here, nobody marries off a younger daughter before her older sister. But all right. In a week you can marry Rachel too, if you will work for me for another 7 years.”

Without any hesitation, Yaakov agreed. He married Rachel the very next week. He kept his word to Lavan, and worked hard tending his sheep for another 7 years.

Shazak insight

The More the “Marry”er?!

How did Yaakov have more than one wife? Is this permissible according to Jewish law?!

Well, according to the Torah, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Nowadays however, this would never happen. More than 1,000 years ago, the great Rabbeinu Gershom of Germany issued a decree stating that it is forbidden to have more than one wife at a time. He must divorce one wife before marrying another.

BTW: Rabbeinu Gershom instituted other laws which became known as Cherem D’Rabbeinu Gershom (The Prohibitions of Rabbi Gershom). A famous one is the prohibition against opening and reading a letter addressed to someone else. Nowadays this would include reading someone else’s email.

SHAZAK

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INSIGHT: The More the “Marry”er?!