In Jewish tradition, the sanctity of marriage is of utmost importance. After all, G-D commanded the Jewish nation the Mitzvah (meaning commandment) of procreate.
Since the Jewish nation was dispersed all over the world for 2000 years, and since in most cases Jews were disenfranchised communities in their host countries, their first priority was to take care of each other. This mentality remains a guideline for most Jews.
Taking G-D’s command to procreate and the take care of each other mentality and you get Hachnassat Kallah.
Sol – a Holocaust Survivor – and Ruth – from Haifa, Israel – Teichman are leaders in following G-D’s word and helping others. The Teichmans’ and their sons, Alan and Dubby, believe that Torah and yiddishkeit (the Jewish way of life or its customs and practices) meaning is to flourish in their home and throughout the world.
The Teichman family, blessed by G-D with a successful business enterprise, give significant support to countless schools, shuls (synagogues), institutions of Jewish learning, other Jewish educational efforts and many charitable causes throughout the world, all owe their continued existence to this exceptional family’s generosity.
Sol, who has put his long journey from a boy in the town Munkacz in the Ukraine, the Holocaust period of his life, to finally life in USA into a book: ‘The Long Journey Home’ by Sol Teichman & Robert Avrech, driving force is guided by ” … whatever happens tomorrow, I know that I tried – to help my family and to help the Jewish people.”
Last evening, a pleasant fall evening, in the garden of the Teichman’s magnificent home, in the San Fernando Valley, over 100 women gathered in support of the mitzvah of Hachnassat Kallah.
Hachnassat Kallah, the bridal canopy, is part of the mitzvah of benevolence, the commandment to help the bride and groom so they can marry; to accompany them to the chuppah – the Jewish customary wedding canopy, make them happy, as part of the Jewish ethos of ‘thy shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
The bridal canopy commandment is mentioned in the Baraita (Baraita, designates a tradition in the Jewish oral law, not incorporated in the Mishnah, and refers to teachings “outside” of the six orders of the Mishnah), in which Rabbi Elazar said: “rather than write, ‘tell a man what is good and what G-D requires of you, is it not better to follow and do this saying of love for kindness and be humble with your G-D'”? Doing the statement is the just, and ‘Ahavat Chesend=love for kindness, is the benevolence, and ‘modesty with your G-D’ – is the help in the burial of the dead and help bringing the bride under the wedding’s canopy. ~ Succah chapter, 40:2
With public support, the charitable organization Hachnassat Kallah of Los Angeles, (tel.: 323.938.8074) helps a couple, in many ways available to it, to marry, and thus create a new Jewish home where precious children, the new generation, will be born, and thus complying with G-D’s command to procreate.
The contribution that fulfills the old tradition of looking out for a needy bride and her family, comes with the blessing: “Zion shall be redeemed through justice, and those who are privileged to return to Zion, will be so in the merit of charity.”
Shining a ray of happiness on one person’s life is shining a ray of light on one’s own life.
