Gartel (Hassidic Belt)
also used for Dancing with the
Bride at the Wedding
Israel, 2020
Weaved rayon
Museum Collection
Must Know
A gartel is a belt worn on the outside of the cloths during prayers, mainly among the members of the Hasidic Ultra-Orthodox group. There are many different types and designs, which depends on which religious stream the clothing belongs to. The number of the threads which the gartel is woven of and the way the gartel is worn in varies among the different religious streams. The purpose of the gartel worn during prayers is to separate the upper part of the body from the lower part. This custom was influenced by the robes of the priests, as the attire was a shirt without underwear. In accordance with how the Halacha defines clothing, one should be prevented from seeing the hidden body parts of the wearer during prayers. In addition, wearing a gartel creates a sense of respect, as the religious person dresses in a way he can show respect towards God before the prayer. At Hasidic weddings, the gartel is used to perform the mitzvah dance, the “Mitzvah Tantz”, and to bring happiness to the bride and the groom. In this dance, the bride dances with her father, the father of the groom, and/or the rabbi without physically holding hands. The bride holds one end of the gartel, and a man, someone else than the groom, holds the other end. The distance between the dancers can reach up to 20 meters, so the dancers can feel comfortable with well measured and familiar moves. In the past, this dance took place in a more intimate atmosphere, as it was held in the closest circle of the family when all the other guests had left the wedding. Nowadays, the dance is held in the middle of the wedding ceremony with hundreds of Hasidic men surrounding the bride from all sides. This has aroused criticism in the Ultra-Orthodox world, as the dance violates the accepted rules of modesty and allows thousands of Hasidic men to see a woman dancing in front of them.
More Info
Most gartels are black but some are white. The gartel is woven of 18 threads, 26 threads or 36 threads. At modern-day Hasidic weddings, there are two central ceremonies: the canopy, the chuppah, at the beginning of the wedding and the mitzvah dance at the end. In many ways, we can see a contrast between the canopy and the mitzvah dance, both conceptually-declaratively and experientially-performatively. At the Hasidic wedding, the canopy is led by the rabbi and it has a halakhic and formal status. In many groups in the Jewish world, the following are the most common characteristics of the canopy: order, serious and solemn atmosphere, separation of men and women, and richness in symbols. In contrast, the mitzvah dance is led by a badhan (i.e. merrymaker) and it is considered as a custom with mystical meanings. It is characterized by an energetic and intimate atmosphere that brings men and women closer, richness in Kabbalistic symbols, and designs/patterns that are typical for certain Hasidic dynasties. Regarding the importance of relationship and sexuality in the life of the Hasidic family, the overall structure of the wedding, the combination of the canopy and the mitzvah dance, makes it possible to transmit and shape the complex and layered place of these two. This ceremonial performance, which varies from dynasty to dynasty, makes it possible that similar symbols function in different ways in accordance with the world views of the different Hasidic dynasties.
