Registration is open for a four-week series with Rabbi Moishe New, beginning July 13 at 7 p.m.
The most significant choice a person may ever make in life is the commitment to marry. The Torah is filled with stories of marriages, from Abraham and Sarah’s lifelong matrimony, to Isaac’s rough road to meeting Rebecca, to the drama of Jacob and his four (!) wives. As a cornerstone of civilization, the Talmud devotes several tractates to discussing marriage, and it fills a full section of the Code of Jewish Law.
The Jewish perspective on marriage is the subject being tackled by Rabbi Moishe New in the four-part course “The Making of a Marriage.” New will plumb the depths of Kabbalah, rabbinic tradition and Chassidic wisdom to bring students tools and insights that will help them view—and enter—marriage through inspired new lenses.
In the first lesson, which will air on July 13, at 7 p.m. ET (4 p.m. PT), the rabbi will address the elephant in the (ball)room: With divorce having become commonplace and fewer couples choosing to marry altogether, why bother getting hitched in the first place? Drawing on a broad range of sources, the presentation will explore the cosmic importance of Jewish marriage and how it empowers both partners to become their best selves.
In the second class, the rabbi will take a turn towards the esoteric, shedding light on the Jewish notion of soulmates and how they can be positively identified.
The following week, the Jewish wedding ceremony will be explained and explored. In doing so, viewers will discover the timeless lessons to be found in every element of the wedding ceremony, from signing the ketubah to the smashing of the glass.
In the final lesson, the rabbi will introduce the often misunderstood concept of Family Purity—the sacred cycle of togetherness and abstinence that characterizes Jewish marriage, demonstrating how it deepens a couple’s emotional union and brings sanctity into the innermost recesses of life.
New and his wife, Nechama, have led the Montreal Torah Center since 1991. In that time, they have led countless couples on the path to marriage and counseled many through challenges large and small.
“Marriage is a fundamental building block of life,” Yaakov Kaplan, who developed the course, “and Rabbi New has been one of Chabad.org’s most valued and popular presenters. Whether you are just curious, looking to find your soul mate or wishing to enrich your marriage, you are sure to come away from this class enlightened, inspired and empowered.”
This compelling course is free (a donation is suggested, but not required) to those who register online. As with all Chabad.org courses, handouts, quizzes and other study materials will be provided.
“The Making of a Marriage” will air online on July 13 and continue on consecutive Tuesdays. To sign up for the free course, visit the registration page here.
