Wine is an integral part of the Orthodox Jewish wedding and has been for thousands of years. But, it can't be any wine. It must be kosher and in accordance with the laws of Torah. What is the real place of wine in a Jewish, why is it there, and what makes a wine kosher?

Wine is not only a symbolic tradition at your Jewish wedding; it is an important part of Jewish culture. Nearly every custom, holiday, and event includes the drinking of wine. The use of wine is a weekly occurance for the Sabbath. This weekly observance, that includes a special prayer for the wine, defines the unique place wine has in the Jewish community.

The sanctifying of wine, called Kiddush, literally means sanctification. It is a ritual of prayers for the wine. Kiddush is practiced before the Sabbath and festival meals. There are also specific instructions for worship and sacrifices, which include wine as an integral part of the services. Its purpose is to signify the sanctity and purity of the event.

Wine is so significant in everyday elements of Jewish life, it is introduced to children at an early age as a normal and essential part of life. It is also traditional for Kiddush cups to be given as gifts for babies, at bar mitzvahs, and weddings. Kiddush cups are beautifully decorated cups that serve as the vessel for wine and nothing else.

According to the teachings of the Midrash, the grape is believed to be the forbidden fruit Eve partook of and gave to Adam. The grape itself is what makes wine so unique. If left to completely natural means, grapes would themselves convert into wine. When the wild yeasts on the bloom mix with the pulpy insides of the grape, natural fermentation begins.

Because of this natural occurrence, it is considered to be a divine process and one that G-d intended. It also why only wine derived from grapes can be considered kosher. No harmful organisms can survive in wine. It has also shown scientific evidence of a beneficial aid for healthy blood and heart.

Traditional Jewish marriage is called Kiddushin meaning betrothal or consecration. As the word is based on Kiddush, which means sanctification, it shows the holy and meaningful relationship between the distinguished place of wine and the prominent value of marriage.

Specific laws govern the process of winemaking. Traditional Jewish dietary laws or Kashrut demands that anything that is consumed must be kosher, or ritually correct and proper. Kashrut was given to the Jews by G-d in the Torah. They are regulations about what can be eaten and what is forbidden.

In ancient times, the pagans used wine in their worship of idols and dedications to their gods. To keep the grape and wine in a pure and blessed form, strict guidelines were laid down about how grapes are to be processed into wine. These elements of kashrut ensure the sanctity of the grape and wine and that none of the ingredients have been touched by non-Jews.

It also served to set the Jews apart from non-Jews. By having kosher wines, there was no more need to socialize with the Gentiles, which would diminish the temptation to intermarry. Keeping the bloodlines of the Jewish people pure is also an aspect that the Orthodox Jewish church continues to strive for.

The steps involved with making a kosher wine are significant to its status above all other manmade beverages. All equipment is thoroughly sterilized, including tanks, pipes, and valves. No animal products are used to clarify the wine.

Specific methods of boiling the juice immediately after the grapes are crushed are accompanied by specifics to cooling. New barrels must be used for each batch in fermentation. No barrel can be reused. Only rabbinical supervisors are permitted to handle the wine from its initial grape crushing to the seal of the bottle.

The laws of Kashrut also include that vineyards remain idle every seven years and no harvest is made. Some wineries observe this, but most kosher wineries do in keeping with Orthodox views. The fields themselves do not have to be Jewish directed. Fruit in its natural state is already considered kosher and pure. The rest of the process must be done by Jews.

Mevushal wine is the purest form of finished kosher wine. It retains its purity no matter who handles the wine and ideal for your Orthodox wedding.

Two cups of wine are needed in the wedding ceremony. The first use of wine is during the betrothal blessing under the chuppah, or canopy. After the blessing prayers are recited, the bride and groom, or kallah and chatan, drink from the cup.

The wine is symbolic of life beginning as pure grape juice, then going through the sour stages of fermentation, and emerging as a pure and delightful divine blessing.

The second cup of wine is used for the Seven Blessings or Sheva Brochos. These blessings link the kallah and chatan to each other reuniting their souls into their original state of being as one. The Seven Blessings promote the hope of the couple's happiness, their delight in G-d and each other, and that Jerusalem will someday be rebuilt with the Temple restored.

The couple then drinks from the cup. The glass is broken to signify the fall of the Temple and that Israel has not been fully restored. This act reminds the couple that through their joy and blessings as a new eternal Jewish family they must remember their dedication to G-d and His laws and people.

The placement of wine in the marriage ceremony is a testament to the continuing importance of wine in the Jewish faith. Kiddush, the sanctification of wine and Kiddushin, the sanctification of man and woman to one another.