Smash! The sound of breaking glass signals the culmination of the Jewish wedding ceremony. The groom stomps on a glass, splintering it into fragments to recall the destruction of the Temple just at the climax of the celebration. Breaking the glass manifests our pledge, “na’aleh es Yerushalayim al rosh simchaseynu “ --we will raise the destruction of Jerusalem above our rejoicing – the verse that is customarily printed on the Hebrew side of Jewish wedding invitations.
The breaking glass has become so closely identified with the conclusion of the wedding ceremony that it is taken as the cue to shout out, “Mazel tov!” In fact, though, it as an enactment that is superimposed on the other aspects of the chuppah. The destruction caused by stomping on the glass evokes the churban, the destruction of the Temple, at the peak of the celebration. The question is: Why do we interrupt the celebration with the jarring sound of shattering glass? As we are enjoined to be joyous at the time of joy and mourn only at the time of mourning (see the commentary of Rashi on Genesis 6:6) , isn’t it inappropriate to infuse mourning into the time of joy at our weddings?
Just as the chuppah represents the home that the bride and groom will form together, the Temple represented the earthly home for the Divine presence. The Jewish people achieved the pinnacle of their existence when they merited to have that concrete reminder of the Divine presence among them. The loss entailed by the destruction of the Temple must be appreciated in order for us to appreciate the spiritual height from which we have fallen.We break a glass, rather than an object made of clay or ceramic, because glass offers the possibility of regeneration. Even when shattered into fragments, it can be restored to its original form as a result of melting and reshaping.
The return to the connected state between Israel and G-d is compared to the rejoicing of the wedding. Yet, the image works both ways. A bride and groom are not only the metaphor for the closeness to be anticipated between G-d and the Jewish people, but the union of a bride and groom can build a small scale Mikdash [Temple] of their own. As our sages say, if a husband and wife merit it, the Shechina [Divine presence] is between them. Thus each wedding contains the potential for bringing G-d’s presence into the world. Every wedding forms a union that can bring us closer to that goal. While we celebrate that great potential, it is appropriate to remind ourselves of what we seek to regain. The shards of glass remind us of our goal of returning to spiritual wholeness.
Related articles breaking plates For other aspects of the Jewish wedding, see the index on kallahmagazine.com/JewishWedding.html For wedding planning articles, see WeddingAdvice
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