Why do some grooms wear a white “kittel” under the chupah?
Indeed, it is customary in Ashkenazi communities for the groom to wear a kittel during the Chupah ceremony.1 There are several reasons for this custom, the following are two of them: • King Solomon says (Ecclesiastes 9:8) “at all times your clothing should be white.” This means that one should endeavor to remain pure and not become dirtied and sullied by falling victim to the various temptations of the world. When the groom and bride are getting married they wear white in order to remind them that although they are currently entering the big world — remember to keep your clothing white and pure! • A kittel is normally worn on Yom Kippur. Our sages tell us that the wedding day is considered a minor “Yom Kippur” for the bride and groom; all their sins are forgiven. The white clothing symbolizes the purity that comes from the absence of sin.
