Young Brunette Girl With A Veil In The Mountain Forest At The Tarn

In Judaism, the tradition wearing a veil dates back to biblical times. When Rebekah went to meet her betrothed, Isaac, she veiled herself as he approached. The veiling was both a symbol modesty, and a definition her personal space. Rebekah is known as the most self-assured the matriarchs, and by veiling herself she indicated that she would still be her own person even when she would be living her life with Isaac.. It is important to note that Rebekah did not veil herself when traveling with men to meet Isaac, but only did so when he was approaching. Just before the wedding ceremony the badeken or bedeken is held. The groom places the veil over the bride's face, and either he or the ficiating Rabbi gives her a blessing. The veil stays on her face until just before the end the wedding ceremony - when they are legally married according to Jewish law - then the groom helps lift the veil from f her face.
The most ten cited interpretation for the badeken is that when Jacob went to marry Rachel, his father in law Laban tricked him into marrying Leah, Rachel's older and homlier sister. Many say that the veiling ceremony takes place to make sure that the groom is marrying the right bride! Some say that as the groom places the veil over his bride, he makes an implicit promise to clothe and protect her. Finally, by covering her face, the groom recognizes that he his marrying the bride for her inner beauty; while looks will fade with time, his love will be everlasting. in some ultra-orthodox traditions the bride wears an opaque veil as she is escorted down the aisle to meet her groom. This shows her complete willingness to enter into the marriage and her absolute trust that she is marrying the right man. In Judaism, a wedding is not considered valid unless the bride willingly consents to it.
In ancient Judaism the lifting the veil took place just prior to the consummation the marriage in sexual union. The uncovering or unveiling that takes place in the marriage ceremony is a symbol what will take place in the marriage bed. Just as the two become one through their words spoken in wedding vows, so these words are a sign the physical oneness that they will consummate later on. The lifting the veil is a symbol and an anticipation this.
In the Western world, St. Paul's words concerning how marriage symbolizes the union Christ and His Church may underlie part the tradition veiling in the marriage ceremony .