Monday 7 March 2011

Come in peace the crown of her husband

A number of years ago I heard about a wedding speech made by the bride's father in which he lauded the groom's parents. He spoke about their sterling qualities and ended his speech by talking about how he and his mechutonim had different minhagim about the mitzvah tantz at the end of the wedding.
"I won," he declared.

Rabbi Eytan Kobre wrote an article for Mishpacha about Rav Yaakov Kamenetsky as we approach the gadol's 25th yahrzheit later this month.
...when they spoke about the diverse customs for who accompanies the chassan and kallah to the chuppah, Rev Yaakov revealed that his minhag was a rather straightforward one: "Ich hob getin vos mein mechutonim hoben gevolt [I did whatever my mechutonim wanted to do]."

Going back to the bride's father, in all respect, I do believe the groom's parents won by being mevater for the sake of peace. As the bride and groom begin their marital lives, what better message can they take with them than the lesson of being willing to compromise and making your will the will of the other.
May we follow Rav Yaakov Kamenetsky's minhag of not causing strife and animosity and may we be merit participating in happy occasions.

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