Swept off my feet at the wedding

 

Shalom and thank you for your interesting question! We have not found an original written source for the custom of dancing with a broom at the wedding, but the custom does indeed exist. There is evidence of this custom being kept in various Chassidic and other communities.

 

It says in Isaiah 14:23 “And I will make it for a heritage of hedgehogs and pools of water, and I shall sweep it away with a broom of destruction, says the L-rd of Hosts.”

There is a source which documents that there was a custom among Jews in Jerusalem that when parents reach the stage of marrying off their youngest child, it is a sign that they have been saved from this terrible curse which the prophet refers to, and therefore of course there is more reason than ever to rejoice, and thus a dance with a broom is performed to thank G-d for His kindness, transforming the broom of doom to a broom of blessing. It is worth pointing out here that when it comes to prophecies, although unfortunately many negative prophecies have been fulfilled, Maimonides (also known as Rambam) teaches that this does not have to be the case, but positive prophecies must eventually be fulfilled. We see this in the story of Rabbi Akivah after the destruction of the Temple. He was walking near the ruins of the Temple with other sages, and they saw a fox darting in and out among the ruins. The other sages began to cry, because they saw a negative prophecy being fulfilled, while Rabbi Akiva, laughed. They asked him why he was laughing, and he asked them why they were crying? When they told him their reason, he explained that if they saw a negative prophecy being fulfilled, how much more so would all the positive prophecies concerning the rebuilding of Jerusalem occur! May this happen speedily in our days! In another story of prophecy, the prophet Jonah was disturbed because after his difficult adventures in reaching Nineveh, he had prophesied destruction and it did not happen, because the population of Nineveh actually accepted Jonah’s rebuke and repented, thus averting the harsh decree. Jonah however was concerned that people would think that he was a false prophet, (this could perhaps lead to a desecration of G-d’s name,) but G-d explained to Jonah that since the people repented, He was able to have mercy on them.

 

I have seen an article on the subject which tells of flowery wreaths being placed on the heads of the parents who are marrying off their youngest when the broom dance is performed, and according to that article, this could possibly be a custom that Ukrainian Jews adopted from their non-Jewish Ukrainian neighbours. It is unlikely to have a Jewish source, since in ancient pagan cultures flowery wreaths were used, and Jews are enjoined by the Torah to cleave to the Torah way of life and not adopt pagan customs.

 

The most important thing is indeed to celebrate joyous occasions like weddings, Bar and Bat mitzvahs, Brisses etc., in a spirit of true joy, with gratitude to G-d for the kindness He has shown in enabling us to reach these milestones. As it says in Psalms 100:2 “Worship the L-rd in joy, come before Him in song…” Worship the L-rd means to serve G-d according to the commandments that are laid out in His Torah, so the more we study the Torah and try to keep the commandments, the more our celebrations will reflect true joy
wish you many happy and unjoyful moments.