A Blessing of Encouragement to the New Couple
“May the barren one, [Jerusalem,] rejoice and be happy at the ingathering of her children to her midst in joy. Blessed ... Who gladdens Zion with her children.”
Bringing Jerusalem to Mind
This blessing1 speaks of the true and complete Redemption through our righteous Mashiach. At that time, Jerusalem will rejoice at the “ingathering of her children to her midst” — the ingathering of all Jewish exiles to the sacred city of Jerusalem.
Rashi2 offers the following explanation regarding the connection between the blessing of Redemption and its theme of the rebuilding of Jerusalem, and a Jewish wedding: “It is because we are to bring Jerusalem to mind at the time of our greatest joy.”
We must, however, understand the placement of this blessing. Why is this blessing recited in the midst of the marriage blessings, between “…Who created man” and “Grant abundant joy”? Wouldn’t it have been better to position this blessing either before or after all the other blessings?
Encouraging and Hastening the Building of the Jewish Home
However, in point of fact, this blessing is directly connected to the previous three blessings as it serves to encourage and hasten their actualization.
This means that during the previous three blessings we wish the newly married couple: a) that the true objective of their marriage be that “All was created for His honor,” i.e., to enhance G‑d’s glory rather than enhancing their own natural wishes and desires; and b) to fully recognize that their marriage partnership is not only a mutual physical choice, but a common and shared spiritual dimension, reflecting the fact that they both possess the very same soul.
Beyond a doubt, these are grand and lofty goals and objectives that are most difficult to accomplish. The newlywed couple needs all types of encouragement and support to assist them in accomplishing these goals and aspirations. Therefore, [in addition to the above encouraging themes which guarantee that their new home be whole (one entity), filled with joy and good fortune for many good and long years, we also add and] encourage them with themes about the forthcoming Redemption — that they be aware that by basing their marriage on these virtuousthemes, they cause good fortune, salvation and deliverance to descend upon themselves and to the entire world through the complete Redemption with Mashiach.
The Deeper Meaning of “The Barren One”
The text of this blessing, “May the barren one rejoice...,” is extremely puzzling in that the conclusion of the blessing seems to contradict its opening.
The blessing begins by speaking of “the barren one,” i.e., someone who is barren of children. The blessing then concludes with a statement about “the ingathering of her children,” i.e., she does in fact have children!
However, according to the above — that the inner meaning of this blessing relates to the formation and the true essence of the newly married couple — the text is eminently understandable.3
There are two distinct levels in a married couple’s formation. They are first created as one soul, one entity. At that time they are extremely close to the exalted spiritual state of “G‑d’s Oneness,” where all is one and there is no multiplicity or division. Then comes the second stage in creation where their souls are separated and they are created physically as two separate and distinct individuals. At this level, they are far removed from being able to feel “G‑d’s Oneness.”4
These two levels correspond to the two states mentioned in this blessing: “barren” and “her children.”
“Barren” — refers to “one” (one couple, one soul), without children, for [a couple at this stage] are spiritually close to the exalted spiritual state of “G‑d’s Oneness,” where all is one and there is no multiplicity or division.
“Ingathering of her children” — refers to a state where children do exist, i.e., there is specification and particularization of individual spiritual states and psyches denoting a lowlier spiritual state, a state that is distant from the lofty spiritual level of “G‑d’s Oneness.”
Blessing bride and groom that “the barren one should rejoice at the ingathering of her children,” thus means the following:
That the spiritual quality of “the barren one,” the true feeling of “G‑d’s Oneness,” permeate the couple even as they find themselves in this physical world, a “world of separation,” where there exists the multiplicity and disparateness of “her [individual and distinctive] children.”
This is the meaning of the “ingathering of her children,” that even in this physical world of plurality and particularization — i.e., “children” (in the plural) — there be an ingathering, i.e., the singularity of “G‑d’s Oneness.”