Msg Base:  AREA 5  - ASK FATHER            CIN ECHO   AMDG
  Msg No: 322.  Tue  6-30-92 11:16  (NO KILL)  (MAILED)
    From: Father Mateo
      To: Gayle Zickefoose
 Subject: Betrothal Tradition

ÚÄ
³ Recently thewre was a post concerning the "betrothal" of a man & woman
³ during the times Of Our Lord.... From my recolection this was a "proving
³ period" so to speak... that is to say the marriage was not consumated
³ during that time.... during this period of time the bridegroom went to
³ his own "place, area,ect" to prepare a place fro his bride... when that
³ place (room house, ect) was prepared the bridegroom was then "entitled"
³ to go and "collect" his bride as the English say.... Thus Jesus used the
³ example of The 10 Virgins based upon this tradition to teach the people
³ of The Church...... is this an accurate description of the tradition?
³  
³ Shalom
ÀÄ[GZ=>FM]
 
 
Dear Gayle,
 
In Jewish law, says the Encyclopaedia Judaica, betrothal (shiddukin)
is the mutual promise to contract a marriage and the formulation of
the terms (tena'im on which it shall take place. Betrothal can entail
either a promise made by the intending parties themselves or one made
by their parents or other relatives on their behalf.
 
Betrothal has no immediate effect on the personal status of the
parties -- it being only a promise of a future marriage. It gives
neither party a right to claim specific performance from the other.
 
Betrothal has been regarded so seriously that Rabbi Elijah ben Solomon
of Vilna wrote that a bridegroom, rather than breaking the
engagement, should marry and immediately divorce his bride, so as to
be free to marry another.
 
There was a variety of traditions -- feasting, giving of gifts, et al.
-- to be observed during the period of betrothal before the actual
marriage took place.
 
As you point out, the NT story of the ten "bridesmaids" depicts the
actual wedding ceremony, which required the bridegroom to call and
collect his bride. Presumably this was at the close of the period of
"shiddukin". This must have been the Palestinian custom at the time
of Christ.
                                Sincerely in Christ,
 
                                        Father Mateo