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From: rhendel@king.mcs.drexel.edu (Russell Hendel)
Date: Sun, 30 Jun 1996 20:40:24 -0400
Subject: Expensive Weddings--A Talmudic Precedent

I had a short thought on the recent discussion of expensive weddings and
the hardships they cause.

The Talmud relates that *funerals* used to be very expensive.  The
situation was unbearable.  Finally some great leader (I believe Rabban
Gamliel) ordered that when he died that the funeral, coffin, etc should
be simple.  The Talmud relates that this "broke" the trend and made
people more comfortable going back to less expensive weddings.

Perhaps some distinguished people in the community could set similar
precedents for weddings and ease the anguish of the not so affluent.  If
people were aware of the fact that this is a Mitzvah and that Rabban
Gamliel did it maybe it will encourage them further.

Russell Jay Hendel, Ph.d. ASA  rhendel @ mcs . drexel . edu