Hindu Dharma Religion

In Hindu dharma, marriage is viewed as a sacrament and not a contract. Hindu marriage is a life-long commitment of one wife and one husband, and is the strongest social bond that takes place between a man and a woman. A wedding is an important religious ceremony in the Hindu religion and one of the most important of the sixteen Hindu sanskars or sacraments. It is not only establishing the bond between two people, but also the bond between two families. For a Hindu marriage is the only way to continue the family and thereby repay his debt to his/her ancestors. Judaism's emphasis upon the value of marriage is reflected in the fact that it calls marriage kiddushin, "sacred" or "holy." Marriage, in other words, is a sacred union, according to the
essential meaning of that Hebrew term. The sacred belongs to God, and it is the only social arrangement of human life. Both Hinduism and Judaism have many comparison, however, each religion has their own traditional marriage process and the importance and significance of both Hinduism and Judaism will be examined. According to Hinduism, marriage between two souls is a very sacred affair that stretches beyond one lifetime.
In Hindu beliefs, marriage is a sacred institution devised by gods for the welfare of human beings. Its primary purpose is procreation and continuation of life upon earth. Sexual union is intended solely for this purpose and should be used as such. Its secondary purpose is upholding of the social order and the Hindu dharma, while its aim is spiritual union, which is possible when a couple performs their obligatory duties and earn the grace of God through their good karma. A man and a woman are believed to come together as a husband and wife primarily for spiritual reasons rather than sexual or material. Once married, the couple are expected to carry out their respected traditional duties as householders and upholders of family traditions and work for the material and spiritual welfare of each other, the members of their family and the
society.
Jewish marriages are not merely a secular legal partnership, but a union sanctified by God. Marital obligations, therefore, are not merely personal, but have implications for universal harmony. The existence of God as a “silent partner” in Jewish marriage endows a relationship with sanctity and solemn commitment. Judaism view marriages as the basis of human companionship and the cornerstone of Jewish community. As the venue for fulfillment of the biblical commandment of p’ru u’rvu, be fruitful and multiply, Jewish marriage is also the basis of Jewish survival. Usually there are desirable times for a Jewish wedding to have been set by both custom and law, but Jewish weddings traditionally are not held on the Sabbath; on the holidays of Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Passover, Shavuot, and the first and last days of Sukkot; and around certain fast days.
What is similar between these two cultures is that during the final stages of each ceremony, the bride and groom are required to partake in seven actions that serve to symbolize sanctity. In a Hindu wedding, the bride and groom circle a fire seven times; in traditional Jewish ceremonies, the bride circles the groom seven times. The Seven Blessings (Sheva B’rachot) and Seven Steps (Saptapadi) are key parts of each service. Finally, after the traditional wedding ceremony, the Jewish groom breaks a glass and the Hindu bride steps on a clay pot. Both rituals symbolize the strength, care, love and respect needed to nurture and protect the marital relationship. One of the most prominent similarities between Hinduism and Judaism is the caste system.
Although castes themselves are different, their existence as well as the presence of a distinguished caste of priests set them aside from other religions. Some of the legends from the holy scriptures of Judaism and Hinduism are very alike and even share some linguistic similarities. Both religions also see Tora and Veda, their respective sacred scriptures, as paradigmatic signs of their traditions. Between both marriage ceremonies, each have very similar cultural beliefs. Both require traditional dress and put great emphasis on
family.