Rabbeinu Bachya (Kad HaKemach Mezuza) The common practice of the world, that they do not marry women with a partial moon but only with a full moon, there is no prohibition in this, and it is not significant, since it is nothing but simply a sign, and the intent is merely a good sign that the marriage will be complete and not lacking, and this is similar to what we practice on the night of Rosh Hashanah, and it is the custom of the Gaonim. This is also similar to the custom of anointing the kings next to a spring. as a good sign that their kingdom would last. And anyone who views the matter of marriage and the success of homes other than a sign, this is the way of the Amorites, and it is the custom of the nations who think that the success of homes depends on the star system...
If everything depends on emunah and kiyum hamitzvos, what's the point of signs?
ReplyDeleteLike if I marry the wrong woman, who cares how full the moon was?
Maybe it's just the icing on the cake. How these customs started is not clear to us/me.
DeleteSpeaking to a friend of mine, who was divorced, despite getting a brocho from one of the Gedolim in America, he said that he himself was not convinced he was doing the right thing, when he got married. Actually, a 2nd friend of mine, in Israel said the same thing, except he might not have had the brocho from a Gadol.
It's the old question: why do wizards and magicians use their hands? If they're using mental powers to summon some arcane energy to perform their bidding, why do they move their hands?
DeleteCase in point: in Star Wars, Jedi and Sith use their hands when manipulating the Force but when Yoda lifts Luke's X-wing out of the Dagobah swamp, he just stands there with his hand out, no movement.
Why? Because waving your hands and shouting looks cool.