Junior Rasmussen
Wedding rings are an iconic part of Jewish weddings today, but they were not traditionally used in Jewish marriage ceremonies. There is no mention of wedding rings in the Bible, the Talmud, or the Mishnah. The exchange of rings is believed to have been adopted from the wider cultures in which Jews lived. In Jewish weddings, the groom places the ring on the right index finger of the bride. The ring is usually made of plain gold or silver with no gemstones or other embellishments. For Orthodox couples, the simple band is used during the ceremony to fulfill halachic obligations, and the bride may wear a different ring after the wedding.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| History of wedding rings in Judaism | Wedding rings were not historically used in Jewish marriages and are not mentioned in the Bible, Talmud, or Mishnah. The exchange of rings is believed to have been adopted from wider cultures. |
| Wedding ring symbolism | The ring represents the groom "buying" exclusive intimacy with the bride, who agrees to be faithful to him alone. It also symbolises the ideal of purity and honesty in a relationship. |
| Ring specifications | The ring should be a simple metal circlet, preferably gold or silver, with no gemstones or embellishments. This is to ensure the ring has monetary value and to avoid misrepresentation of its worth. |
| Placement of the ring | Traditionally, the ring is placed on the right index finger during the ceremony, but it is often moved to the left ring finger afterward due to modern Western customs. |
| Other traditions and practices | In Orthodox communities, the bride and groom are escorted to the chuppah (marriage canopy) by both sets of parents or another happily married couple. There are separate celebrations for men and women, with no mixing of genders. |
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What You'll Learn
Wedding rings in Jewish law
Wedding rings are an iconic part of Jewish weddings today. However, this was not always the case. There is no mention of wedding rings in the Bible, the Mishnah, or the Talmud. Instead, the exchange of wedding rings is a custom Jews have adopted from the broader cultures in which they have lived.
According to Jewish law, the ring must be made of solid metal, preferably gold or silver, with no inlays or gem settings, so that its value can be easily ascertained. The ring is a monetary equivalent, shaveh kessef, which is one of the original three legal acts of acquisition and the only one practised today. The groom gives the bride money or a ring, not to buy her—as some mistakenly believe—but to symbolise that he is giving her the monetary sum required to make her his bride. The bride, in turn, agrees that she will not have intimate relations with anyone other than her groom. The ring's circular shape also carries symbolic meaning, representing the ideal of purity and honesty in a relationship.
The wedding ring is usually placed on the right index finger of the bride, with a declaration in ancient Aramaic: "Behold, with this ring, you are consecrated to me according to the law of Moses and Israel." In more recent times, many Jews have opted for a double-ring ceremony, in which each partner gives and receives a ring, pledging mutual sexual fidelity. For rings given to a male partner, the declaration is: "Harei ata mekudesh li b’taba’at zo kda’at moshe v’yisrael."
While the wedding ring is now an integral part of Jewish weddings, some traditions are less common today. For example, it was once customary to wear the ring on the right hand, but this has changed with Western customs, and many people now move the ring to the left hand after the wedding. In addition, while the ring was traditionally a simple metal circlet, it is now common for Jewish couples, especially those who are not Orthodox, to use wedding rings with engraving, metallic embellishments, or gemstone settings. Some Orthodox couples may use a simple gold or silver band during the ceremony to fulfil the halachic obligations, and the bride may wear a different ring after the wedding.
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History of Jewish wedding rings
The wedding band is an iconic part of a Jewish wedding, but exchanging rings was not originally an essential part of Jewish marriage. There is no mention of a wedding ring in the Bible, the Mishnah, or the Talmud. Instead, the exchange of wedding rings is a custom Jews have absorbed from the wider cultures in which they have lived.
The wedding ring came into use in Jewish circles probably in the medieval period, carrying a certain minimal monetary value that could be used for the bride price. By giving his beloved a ring, the husband effectively gives her the monetary sum required to make her his bride. Historically, a husband could have given the bride anything else of monetary value, from a book to a property deed to a coin. According to the Mishnah, a single perutah, the smallest denomination of ancient coinage, is sufficient.
The ring is a money equivalent, shaveh kessef, which is one of the original three legal acts of acquisition and the one that is exclusively practised today. Rema writes, "It is the correct custom to betroth with a ring". The ring should be of plain metal, preferably gold, and with no precious stones. This is to avoid possible misrepresentation on the part of the groom, for example, using costume jewellery that the bride believes is genuine. The bride has to be aware only that the ring is worth a minimum of a perutah, a low-valued coin.
The ring is placed on the right index finger of the bride with the following declaration: harei at mekudeshet li b’taba’at zo k’da’at moshe v’yisrael. “Behold, with this ring, you are consecrated to me according to the law of Moses and Israel.”. As it is now customary in the West to wear one’s wedding band on the left ring finger, many people move the ring after the wedding ceremony.
As many streams of Judaism have become more egalitarian and started accepting gay and lesbian marriages, many Jews have opted for a double-ring ceremony in which each partner gives the other a ring and thereby the couple pledges mutual sexual fidelity.
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Wedding ring customs
Wedding rings are an iconic part of Jewish weddings today. However, they were not traditionally used in Jewish marriage ceremonies. There is no mention of a wedding ring in the Bible, the Mishnah, or the Talmud. Instead, the exchange of rings is believed to be a custom Jews adopted from the wider cultures they lived in, possibly originating in the Land of Israel and later accepted in Babylonia. According to Jewish law, the ring must be a plain circlet of solid metal, preferably gold or silver, with no gemstones or other embellishments. This is to ensure that the ring has a certain minimal monetary value, which is significant in the wedding ceremony.
During the ceremony, the groom places the ring on the right index finger of the bride. This custom has its roots in style choices of the past. The groom recites the declaration: "Behold, with this ring, you are consecrated to me according to the law of Moses and Israel." The ring symbolises the groom's pledge of exclusive intimacy with the bride, and the bride's agreement to the same.
In egalitarian streams of Judaism that recognise gay and lesbian marriages, a double-ring ceremony is practised, with each partner giving and receiving a ring as a pledge of mutual sexual fidelity. Some Orthodox couples may use a simple gold or silver band during the ceremony to fulfil halachic obligations, and the bride may wear a different ring with decorations after the wedding.
Other customs in Jewish weddings include the ketubah, a marriage contract detailing the groom's obligations to the bride, which is signed before the wedding ceremony and read aloud under the chuppah (marriage canopy). In Orthodox weddings, there is no mixing of men and women during the celebrations, and the Krenzl and Mizinke dances are traditional at Ashkenazi weddings.
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Wedding ring designs
Jewish wedding rings are traditionally simple metal circlets with no gemstones or other embellishments. The metal is usually gold, which carries monetary value and does not tarnish or attract dirt, symbolizing the hope that the marriage will be lasting and beautiful. Silver, another common metal for currency, is also used. The ring is placed on the right index finger of the bride, although it is now customary in the West to wear the wedding band on the left ring finger, so many people move the ring after the wedding.
Today, wedding ring designs can be customized to suit the preferences of the wearer. Some popular styles include vintage, contemporary, classic, glamorous, intricate, modern, understated, and nature-inspired designs. The metal type can be chosen based on color, comfort, or maintenance, with options like yellow gold, white gold, rose gold, platinum, tantalum, and contemporary metals. The ring can be personalized with engravings or decorative crowns, and unique stones can be sourced to create a one-of-a-kind design.
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Wedding ring placement
In Western cultures, it is customary to wear the wedding band first, "closest to the heart", with the engagement ring on top, on the finger of the left hand. This tradition dates back to the Roman Empire and the belief that the left ring finger is home to the "vein of love", which connects straight to the heart.
Today, there is no "correct" way to wear a wedding band, and it is common for couples to express their personal style and preferences through their choice of rings and how they wear them. Some people choose to wear their engagement ring all the time and forgo the wedding band, while others wear their wedding band daily and reserve their engagement ring for special occasions. Some people also choose to wear their rings on different fingers or hands, or even on a necklace if they have an active lifestyle or a hands-on profession.
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Frequently asked questions
No. The wedding ring is believed to have been introduced to Jewish marriage ceremonies in the medieval period. There is no mention of a wedding ring in the Bible, the Mishnah, or the Talmud.
The wedding ring is a money equivalent, shaveh kessef, which is one of the original three legal acts of acquisition. It is a custom that Jews have absorbed from the wider cultures in which they have lived. The ring represents the ideal of purity and honesty in a relationship.
The ring should be a simple metal circlet, preferably gold, with no precious stones or other embellishments. This is to ensure that the groom does not misrepresent himself through the use of costume jewellery, for example. Silver is also used as it is a common metal for money.
The groom places the ring on the right index finger of the bride with the following declaration: "Behold, with this ring, you are consecrated to me according to the law of Moses and Israel." The ring is usually worn on the right hand. In a double-ring ceremony, each partner gives the other a ring, pledging mutual sexual fidelity.
