Jewish Weddings and Wine

The secret to a Jewish marriage is hidden in the wine.

by Charlie Harary

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Visitor Comments: 36

(34) Anonymous, May 17, 2012 4:58 PM

this video must be required viewing

i wish i had seen this video prior to my wedding, what a powerful message! and what a different mate i would have chosen. if only i had known....

(33) Tali Wohlgelernter, May 1, 2012 5:40 PM

surprise!

What a beautiful video, but you can imagine my surprise at seeing my own wedding pictures in the background!!!

(32) Miriam, February 7, 2012 5:59 AM

Beautiful

Thank you Charlie. That was beautiful. I am engaged to be married and your words really touched me.

(31) Venkat, December 30, 2011 10:12 AM

Super presentation

I understood the concept of drinking wine in Jewish marriage. Amazming presentation

(30) Chamika, December 23, 2011 2:26 PM

Thanks

Such wonderful thoughts :-)

(29) JAFFA ABBO, December 14, 2011 10:41 PM

BEAUTIFUL! FANTASTIC!

BEAUTIFUL! FANTASTIC!

(28) Dvore, December 11, 2011 8:16 PM

Beautiful.

incredibly inspirational! Thanks for the uplifting words ...and for helping us see the value and beauty of a marriage in which two people truly fuse to become one flesh :)

(27) Marty Kairey, December 5, 2011 10:30 PM

From a distillers view....

Charlie has a unique way of delivering the truth and making you smile at the same time. Keep up the great work Master Distiller Zachlawi Arak

(26) philip, December 3, 2011 7:00 PM

nice but really...

the reason for wine is that its the only thing in the physical world that improves with time reflecting an accent spiritually. its for the same reason,we use wine erev shabbat to signify the accent from the 6 days of the week to shabbat kaddosh. also we use wine at a brit again to celebrate an increased spiritual level. funny thing is that also use it for havdalah. shouldn't think we return to where we were before shabbat once the day is over. but like a step on a staircase,we leave shabbat elevated by at least one more level. this torah thought was heard from rabbi akiva tatz. shavua tov

(25) JOSE MANUEL, December 3, 2011 1:25 AM

SABABA!

EXCELLENT! INDEED NEW WINE! KEEP LOOKING UP, CHARLY!

(24) Anon, December 2, 2011 6:48 AM

Excellent video!

(23) Katriel, December 1, 2011 9:53 PM

as always

another inspirational video.

(22) Hindy, December 1, 2011 7:28 PM

That was amazing!!!! so perfect! I love all of your inspiring clips Please keep making them! Im always waiting for the next one. Thank you!

(21) DeShawn, December 1, 2011 5:44 PM

This was the truth! Enjoyed it!

(20) Anonymous, November 30, 2011 8:29 PM

Alcohol

Can't we make the same case for any alcohol? Vodka > potatos. Beer > wheat. Why did Jews choose wine over any other alcohol? Is it the oldest alcohol known to our people?

(19) Chapa, November 30, 2011 6:10 AM

Wine

Wine, signifying joy, happiness, making merry. God's presence in his creation, the fruit of the vine. Very good video, honor's marriage as positive aspect to encounter.

(18) Shosh, November 30, 2011 4:56 AM

Beautiful! L'Chaim!

(17) Steve Fink, November 30, 2011 4:32 AM

Yaasher koach Charlie!!

Charlie Harary consistently delivers wonderfully inspirational messages that we can all benefit from. Keep-up the Great Work, Charlie!

(16) Shulamis Mallet, November 29, 2011 11:43 PM

The process is a little more complicated than that,but great clip

This is a beautiful video, but I disagree with part of it. Grapes don't suddenly become wine when they're crushed. They need to ferment, to be handled with care and treasured in order to become a truly great wine. The same is true for marriage. The first year is like grape juice, you start out with pressure in order to render the juice and unify it, but it's sweet, and spoils if you don't preserve (refrigerate) it properly. Differences are also best refrigerated until you can deal with them in a calm manner. Over time, if the couple treats each other with respect and appreciation, the vintage improves, if not, you end up with vinegar.

David Fohrman, December 1, 2011 6:45 AM

I completely agree

I think that's a spot-on, analysis, Shulamis. Thanks for that insight.

Shulamis Mallet, December 14, 2011 1:07 PM

I appreciate the response

My pleasure, and thanks for responding.

(15) s. sasson, November 29, 2011 9:26 PM

awesome......as usual

love, love, LOVE....always amazing and so touching.looking foward to the next video!!

(14) Rabbi Rolando Corte, November 29, 2011 2:56 PM

congratulations

Beautiful composition and presentation, congratulations!! it is a real revelation from HaShem.

(13) menucha chwat, November 29, 2011 1:19 PM

Amazing photographs.

Made me feel like I was at those weddings. Of course the hard part of the wine is being the brides mother and hoping it doesn't spill while you give her to drink.

(12) ruth housman, November 29, 2011 1:08 PM

bottle of wine/fruit of the vine

There is Divine itself, as in the word, as in VINO, DIVINO, the name of a store in Newton, MA. In fact wine has a deep sacramental significance. I once read a piece on past lives, and strangely, in this piece, people were described as souls, all connected on that vine, a grapevine. I think we're all communicating, as it is said, I heard it on the grapevine.. Wine has that Dionysian ability to bring people very high, and perhaps too high, towards what is, transcendent in another way, too. We know this. And so life is essentially bipolar, as in the wine, and we need to realize that to whine, is to express upset in complaint, and that too, is a related word. I am following a deeply language-based story, and as in challah, surely, it's a weave, a gold gold braid. We are ONE, and alone. We are a part, of something far far greater than ourselves, and we are apart. Life is essentially a lonely road, a solitary journey, and when we find that certain other, we cleave to each other, and find ourselves in the other, and in learning about them too. And cleave is also, a bipolar word, as it also rents asunder, as we do know, in using a cleaver. G_d is "clever". One could say, a Massive Intelligence guides our collective and individual stories, and we're all connected to each other, as grapes to the vine, to what is Divine.

(11) debby, November 29, 2011 11:55 AM

wondeful, powerful, poignant, succinct and perfect. thank you!

(10) s, November 29, 2011 9:01 AM

Plus, just like wine is better over time, a marriage where the relationship is nurtured grows better as well

(9) Anonymous, November 28, 2011 10:42 PM

That was the most inspiring video!!!!!! Thank you i needed to see and hear that!!

(8) Do Lern Hwei, November 28, 2011 5:20 PM

Thanks for the insight!

Hope that our relationships will synagise and make us better, more G-d fearing people. The kiddush and Eucharist, by the way also uses wine.

(7) Theo, November 27, 2011 11:35 PM

Oustanding!!!

Love it - so nicely said - L'chaim to all.

(6) Melanie Vliet, November 27, 2011 10:46 PM

A New Entity, but . . .

Yes, the union of the two individuals results in a new and more valuable entity, but it does not end the existence of its component parts. Just as a corporation is a legal person/entity with its shareholders remaining persons as well, so it is with marriage. The American tradition is for the bride and groom to light the unity candle--a much thicker one--from their individual candles. Some couples then blow out their individual candles before replacing them in their holders. My husband and I were among those who left their individual candles lit. In marrying, we did not die. We added to our individual values by forming a new--additional--united entity. We still exist. I have knowledge and skills that he lacks, and the same is true of him with respect to me. We are still us, but we now face the world united in G-d's service.

(5) Daniel W. Krueger, November 27, 2011 9:30 PM

Another amazing post from Charlie Harary

Thank you for this beautiful posting.

(4) Adina, November 27, 2011 7:38 PM

thats sooo beautiful

i love that being Jewish means that every act has significant meaning behind it!

(3) Anonymous, November 27, 2011 6:55 PM

Outstanding!

Thank you..really outstanding!

(2) Andria, November 27, 2011 3:54 PM

Beautiful!

Thanks again for your wise words.

(1) lisa, November 27, 2011 1:40 PM

L'chaim!!!

Like a good class of wine...this was perfect!!!

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About the Author

Charlie Harary

Charlie Harary is the First Vice President of Residential Operation and Legal Counsel of RXR Realty, a multi-billion dollar Real Estate Company based in New York.

He received his J.D. from Columbia Law School where he was awarded the James Kent Scholar and the Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar. Mr. Harary received a B.A. in Political Science and Communications from Queens College, where he graduated magna cum laude.

Mr. Harary is an active volunteer in many community organizations, most notably the Orthodox Union. At the Orthodox Union, he sits on the Board of Directors and Executive Board and is the Founding Chairman of the Young Leadership Cabinet. Charles is also the Chairman of New York NCSY.

Mr. Harary is a prolific speaker and has traveled all over the country and abroad speaking for a plethora of organizations on a variety of topics to audiences of various sizes - particularly for affiliate organizations, various schools, synagogues and college campuses.

For more, please visit www.CharlieHarary.com

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Visitor Comments: 36

(34) Anonymous, May 17, 2012 4:58 PM

(33) Tali Wohlgelernter, May 1, 2012 5:40 PM

(32) Miriam, February 7, 2012 5:59 AM

(31) Venkat, December 30, 2011 10:12 AM

(30) Chamika, December 23, 2011 2:26 PM

(29) JAFFA ABBO, December 14, 2011 10:41 PM

(28) Dvore, December 11, 2011 8:16 PM

(27) Marty Kairey, December 5, 2011 10:30 PM

(26) philip, December 3, 2011 7:00 PM

(25) JOSE MANUEL, December 3, 2011 1:25 AM

(24) Anon, December 2, 2011 6:48 AM

(23) Katriel, December 1, 2011 9:53 PM

(22) Hindy, December 1, 2011 7:28 PM

(21) DeShawn, December 1, 2011 5:44 PM

(20) Anonymous, November 30, 2011 8:29 PM

(19) Chapa, November 30, 2011 6:10 AM

(18) Shosh, November 30, 2011 4:56 AM

(17) Steve Fink, November 30, 2011 4:32 AM

(16) Shulamis Mallet, November 29, 2011 11:43 PM

David Fohrman, December 1, 2011 6:45 AM

Shulamis Mallet, December 14, 2011 1:07 PM

(15) s. sasson, November 29, 2011 9:26 PM

(14) Rabbi Rolando Corte, November 29, 2011 2:56 PM

(13) menucha chwat, November 29, 2011 1:19 PM

(12) ruth housman, November 29, 2011 1:08 PM

(11) debby, November 29, 2011 11:55 AM

(10) s, November 29, 2011 9:01 AM

(9) Anonymous, November 28, 2011 10:42 PM

(8) Do Lern Hwei, November 28, 2011 5:20 PM

(7) Theo, November 27, 2011 11:35 PM

(6) Melanie Vliet, November 27, 2011 10:46 PM

(5) Daniel W. Krueger, November 27, 2011 9:30 PM

(4) Adina, November 27, 2011 7:38 PM

(3) Anonymous, November 27, 2011 6:55 PM

(2) Andria, November 27, 2011 3:54 PM

(1) lisa, November 27, 2011 1:40 PM

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