[Avodah] woman reading a ketuba

[Eli Turkel]

> Yes, there are several problems.  One is that it will make people laugh,
> stare, whisper and poke each other in the ribs, taking away from the
> solemnity of the wedding ceremony.  Another problem is that if the bride
> herself was never given a speaking role in her own wedding -- presumably out
> of concern for the modesty and bashfulness of a young maiden, having to
> speak up in front of all those people -- it would be unseemly for some
> /other/ woman to have a speaking part.  The only woman who is ever supposed
> to be the focus of attention at any public occasion is a kallah at her own
> wedding.  It would not be right for some other woman to steal the limelight
> away from the kallah.
>

I found this very strange as it was the Kallah's idea. In any case the
chatan and kallah
both spoke beautifully under the chupah thanking G-d for everything they have.
I did not detect any special noises ot other inattention during the
reading of the ketuva and
everything went very smoothly.
The chuppah ended at the request of the chatan and kallah with the
prayer for the safety
of the Israeli soldiers (wedding was in Jerusalem)



-- 
Eli Turkel