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Re: dance of death

At 09:49 AM 7/3/02, r l reid wrote:
>Today, at the point where it's time to take the chasen to the kallah,
>the mothers-in-law-to-be come into the men's room and break a dish
>together.
>Is this by chance an abbreviated form of the broyges tantz?
>Or does it serve another purpose entirely?

Another purpose entirely.  This is the traditional gesture that clinches 
the ceremony of writing the Conditions of Engagement Contract 
("Tenaim").  It mirrors the breaking of an item made of glass at the close 
of the wedding ceremony.  The explanations given for this act are various 
and sundry, and are probably ultimately related to universal gestures of 
superstition and good luck.



_____________________________________________________________
Cantor Sam Weiss === Jewish Community Center of Paramus, NJ

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