Blessing over the challah

HilaryH1231

Hello ladies,

FI and I are both Jewish, but we do not practice at all and have very limited understanding of Jewish prayers/religious traditions. My father has put up a big stink about having a challah blessed and cut at the wedding. Can someone tell me what this entails? What is the blessing, when is it done, who usually does it, how long does it last?

Thank you so much!

LBRM_NJ

It is typically done right before the meal is served, after you have been introduced into the reception and done any first dance/hora you might be planning.  It is simply a large challah that is rolled out, someone (usually an elderly male family member or your rabbi if you want, but, it's a nice honor for a family member) says the blessing over the challah, cuts it, takes a bite, and that's it.  Then, the caterer will wheel it in the back and cut it up and put a plate on each table for everyone to take a taste.  The whole thing takes less than a minute.

reebsreebs

Here's the text in hebrew, transliteration and english.
http://image.aish.com/misc/wash-bread.pdf

It should be done just before eating.

HilaryH1231

Thanks so much! That's exactly the length of time I was hoping it would take

caraellen23

Can someone please let me know which blessing comes first, bread or wine?  We are having each of our fathers do one of the blessings and I need to know which is first.

thanks!

Frozenpenguin

Wine goes first.

october010bride

My rabbi told us that we don't bless the wine at the wedding because it is done during the ceremony... hm?

LBRM_NJ

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/cultural-wedding-boards_jewish-weddings_blessing-over-challah?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Cultural Wedding BoardsForum:399Discussion:7d2a20f6-1f79-46f8-8a97-13a4c9c137b1Post:3bd871f1-024d-4b61-b757-523361fdf35f">Re: Blessing over the challah</a>:
[QUOTE]My rabbi told us that we don't bless the wine at the wedding because it is done during the ceremony... hm?
Posted by october010bride[/QUOTE]

This is correct.  Technically, you don't say a brucha over the wine during the reception.

Danaz1

we also didn't do the blessing for the wine because it was done during the ceremony.

slbriz34

Ditto, you don't do the wine since it's already been done at the wedding, only the hamotzi.  Toward the end of the evening when all eating is done, then you'll have the last wine with blessing when you bench (if you decide to do so).  That's the only portion of the evening where wine and a blessing would come into play again.

razdazzle

We did a blessing over wine and bread, my father and father-in-law did the blessings.

caraellen23

Ditto Razdazzle. We are doing both because the honor is being split between FFIL and my father.  My father is doing the second blessing (bread) and then will say his welcome speech/toast.  The wine blessing probably isn't necessary, but it doesn't hurt and its a nice touch and way to include and honor FFIL.