Tradition!: Jewish Traditions in Fiddler on the Roof

“Because of our traditions, everyone knows who he is and what God expects him to do.” – Tevye

“’It should be a tapestry again which the entire show plays. If possible, after that, every scene should show or relate to the changing of tradition. That’s what will give this show its cohesion and strength.’ We finally understood why Aleichem stories were as powerful as they were.” – Harnick quoting Robbins 

In the story of Fiddler on the Roof, the characters are asked to question the “why” behind their traditions, as well as take on the difficult task of which traditions they bring with them in times of struggle and upheaval. Below is more information about some of the Jewish traditions seen in the show. 

Everyday Traditions:

The three daily prayers: Jewish Law makes it a duty to pray three times daily: in the morning, in the afternoon and at nightfall. These prayers are called morning prayer (shacharit), afternoon prayer (minchah) and evening prayer (arvith or maariv). The shema is part of the morning and evening prayer service.

Keeping Kosher: The Hebrew word “kosher” כָּשֵׁר (literally means “fit.”) The laws of kosher define the foods that are fit for consumption for a Jew. This includes which animals are consumed, how food is prepared, and even how and when it is served. According to Jewish law, the three basic elements of keeping kosher are:

• Avoiding any non-kosher animals (fish that don’t have fins and scales, land animals that do not both chew their cud and have cleft hooves, most birds);
• Avoiding eating meat and dairy together;
• Only eating meat that was slaughtered in a certain way, and drained of blood. Kosher mammals and birds are slaughtered by a special procedure called shechitah, in which the animal’s throat is quickly, precisely and painlessly cut with a sharp, perfectly smooth knife (called a chalaf) by a shochet (butcher). 

Head Coverings: Kippah in Hebrew, or yarmulke in Yiddish is the name for a traditional Jewish head covering. While there are a variety of makes and models, kippot are typically a close-fitting, brimless cap made of cloth. Traditionally, kippot are only worn by men. There is actually no Jewish law that requires a head covering to be worn but it has been a cultural custom amongst Jews since the first century. They are most often worn in synagogues but in some sects they are worn daily. Kippot have grown to have not only religious significance, but have also become a symbol of Jewish identity. In the 1840s and 50s, Tsar Nicholas of Russia issued an edict banning the wearing of Jewish head coverings, but many Jews continued to wear them as an act of rebellion. They have been used both to repress Jewish identity and to label Jews.

Head Coverings for Women: It is a Jewish custom that once a woman marries, she must not show her real hair in public, to announce her married status and abide by the traditional notions of propriety. The only time a married woman can uncover her head is when there are no unrelated men present, which is often just at home.

Prayer Shawls: A Jewish prayer shawl, a tallit (Hebrew), comes in two forms. A tallit gadol (which literally translates to big prayer shawl) is a large, rectangular, blanket-like piece of fabric worn during morning prayers, holidays, and other big occasions– like a wedding. It is traditionally made of wool with black stripes running down two sides of the garment. The tallit gadol is draped over the shoulders like a cape, with two corners at the front of the wearer and two in the back. A tallit katan (small prayer shawl) is a more casual, everyday version of a tallit, designed like an undershirt and worn underneath the clothes of Jewish men and boys. On both garments, each of the four corners has pieces of fringe known as zizit hanging down, which are there in fulfillment of the commandment found in the Torah that these fringes are to serve as a reminder of God’s commandments (Numbers 15:37-40).

Shabbat:

Photo of Shabbat Candles by Olaf Herfurth

Fiddler on the Roof begins right before Shabbat, a religious day of rest.

The Fourth Commandment and Jewish tradition commands Jews to observe the holiday of Shabbat each week, from sundown on Friday night until sundown on Saturday night.

In many households, the weekly celebration of Shabbat is preceded by the mitzvah (religious obligation) of giving tzedakah (contributing money to help those in need), most commonly by placing money in a tzedakah box to then be donated to a particular charity or meaningful cause.

It is customary to exchange special greetings on Shabbat. In Yiddish, the greeting is “Gut Shabbos,” which means “Have a good Sabbath.” This greeting is prevalent among people of Ashkenazi ancestry (originating in Eastern and Central Europe) and those born in Europe. Another common greeting is “Shabbat shalom,” which means “Have a peaceful Sabbath.”

There are four blessings on the Sabbath:  
Over the candles 
For our children
Over the wine
Over the bread (challah)

The lighting of candles ushers in Shabbat. It is Jewish custom to light at least two candles, representing the two passages in the Torah in which we are commanded to keep Shabbat: Exodus 20:8, which states: “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy,” and Deuteronomy 5:12: “Observe the Sabbath day to keep it holy.” The practice is a rabbinic institution dating back to around 500 C.E., when the Talmud was codified, and over the centuries the practice became the tradition. Customarily, it was women who lit the Shabbat candles, but anyone may light them.

We light the candles before saying the blessing because the blessing is what marks the beginning of Shabbat and one would not light a fire once Shabbat has begun. However, since a blessing always precedes an act, some people wave their hands in front of themselves three times before covering their eyes and reciting the blessing, ensuring they don’t see the burning candles until after the blessing has been completed. Although the custom of waving hands is not drawn from any known text, it has been passed down for many generations. One teaching suggests it intentionally helps the energy of Shabbat enter our bodies and welcomes the light of Shabbat that will accompany us throughout the evening and into the next day. Parents blessing their children on Shabbat derives from the biblical story of Jacob blessing his grandsons – Ephraim and Menasseh: “So he blessed them that day, saying: ‘By you shall the people of Israel give their blessing, saying, ‘May God make you like Ephraim and Menasseh’” (Genesis 48:20). The parents (or other adults) place both hands on the child's bowed head and recite the blessing. The mitzvah of sanctifying Shabbat is done with wine, in a blessing called Kiddush and is traditionally said by the head of the household.

In Jewish observance, it is customary to say a blessing of thanks before eating any food, especially on Shabbat. Challah is the special twisted loaf of bread eaten by Jews on Shabbat and other special occasions. It is traditional for two whole challot (plural of challah) to be used on Shabbat, representing the double portion of manna that fell in the desert – as detailed in Exodus 16:22-32 – so that no Israelites would have to gather food on Shabbat.

Once the blessings have been said, it is time to relax and enjoy dinner in a leisurely way with family that many do not have time for during the rest of the week.

Jewish Weddings: 

A Jewish Wedding, Painting by Jozef Israëls, 1903

Act One of Fiddler on the Roof concludes with the wedding of Tzeitel to Motel. In Jewish weddings there are many traditions to the ceremony and the celebration.

Bedeken (Veiling): The Bedeken, or “checking,” is a ceremony that takes place just before the chuppah ceremony in which the groom places a veil over the face of his bride. The very idea of a bride wearing a veil comes from the biblical story of Rebecca and Isaac, where upon their first meeting Rebecca “took her veil and covered herself” out of modesty and humility. Isaac is so taken by her aura and beauty he falls to the ground. The tradition of the Bedeken ceremony however also stems from the biblical story of Jacob, who was tricked by his father-in-law Laban into marrying Leah (instead of Rachel as promised) because his bride was already veiled when presented to him. Only after the ceremony did he discover that she was not Rachel. So now the Bedeken ceremony allows the groom to see his bride just before the wedding ceremony to make sure she is, in fact, his bride-to-be.

Chuppah: The ceremony takes place under a chuppah, or wedding canopy, which represents God’s sheltering presence in the lives of the couple, as well as the new home they will build together. The presence of family members under the chuppah, as well as its lack of walls, signify that family and friends will always be welcome in the couple’s home. A tallit (prayer shawl) that has special meaning to the couple can serve as a chuppah, as can a handmade quilt or other covering. Some wedding canopies are not free-standing, requiring four individuals, generally friends or family members of the couple, to hold the poles to which the chuppah is affixed.

Circling: Among Ashkenazi Jews, it is customary for one partner (certainly in an early 20th Century shtetl, the bride) to circle the other seven times before entering the chuppah, alluding to the seven days of creation and as a reminder that marriage is itself a process of creation.

Breaking the Glass: At the end of the ceremony, it is customary for one, and sometimes both people in the couple, to break a glass. There are many interpretations of this ritual, Some consider it a reminder of the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem in the first century, for even at the height of personal joy, we must not forget the tragedies the Jewish and world communities have endured. One explanation being that the fragile glass reminds us of the delicate nature of marriage, which must always be cared for and cherished. For Jerome Robbins this explanation was his inspiration for the bottle dance. At the sound of the breaking of the glass, guests traditionally clap and chant “Siman tov” and “mazel tov,” Hebrew phrases that offer congratulations and good luck to the couple.

Separation of the Sexes: Orthodox Jewish weddings require that men and women sit, eat and dance separately.  There is a rope or some over diversion, called a mechitza, set up to divide the men and women. This is due to the tradition of tzniut (modesty) in terms of dress and behavior. 

Special thanks to dramaturgs Jen Jacobs and Dani Stoller