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I am about to get married in Israel and I've heard that an Ashkenazi chatan typically wears a Kittel under a chuppah. However, in the UK my experience is that most wear a tallit.

What is the source of the minhag for a chatan to wear a tallit under the chupah?

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    Nehar Misrayim brings down this was the custom in Egypt as well. It may be a Sephardic custom
    – Aaron
    Commented Mar 10, 2023 at 17:29
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    At my chassuna I didn't wear a tallis as it was used for the chuppah. From the pictures I've seen of various weddings this seems to be a Sephardic customs to wear the tallis. I also don't think it's a matter of wearing a tallis or wearing a kittel as they represent different things
    – Dude
    Commented Mar 10, 2023 at 17:54
  • It may be sephardi as well but it is also a yekke minhag, I have several friends who have done this and told that it is a yekke minhag (some even cover both the Chattan and Kallah) Mazel tov Richard
    – fulltimekollelguy
    Commented Mar 11, 2023 at 20:22
  • @fulltimekollelguy, this is indeed the authentic Jekkisch minhag. The tallit is wrapped around the chatan and kallah and the mesader kiddushin wears one himself as well
    – Noach MiFrankfurt
    Commented Mar 16, 2023 at 23:54

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Mazal Tov Richard, may you be zoche to build a bayit ne'eman b'yisrael with your zivug. Say hi to Lamb and Kayser :)

Some say this minhag exists as the tallit represents is the chuppa. See Bet Yosef EH 61.1, Rema 55.1

There is a connection between wedding and tzitzit (Devarim 22:12-13), and Kol Bo states this minhag is to encourage Torah and Mitzvot to the couple.

There's also a source that the minhag is for the sake of tzniut. See Manhig Hilchot Eruvin V'Nissuin.

Lev Chaim 3:99 brings that it is to ward off ayin hara

Note, I wasn't able to check the last two sources yet. They are quoted on Halachapedia.

It does seem to be a sefardi custom, as well as among German Jewry, as according to the Machon Moreshes Ashkenaz (p.117 in the pdf). It seems some Ashkenazim have adopted this custom.

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    thank you so much for your kind wishes and answering my question. hope you're doing well and it's a very small world. Will definitely mention you 😊
    – Richard Lewis
    Commented Mar 14, 2023 at 23:38
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Mazal Tov Richard! I had a similar question and was זוכה to find some answers.

Here are some other מקורות from more Rishonim and Acharonim that you can look at that mention this idea of wearing the tallit under the chuppah and some of their reasons behind it:

  1. Piskei Tosfoat in Menachot 161
  2. Chidah in Birkei Yosef Orach Chaim siman ח Seif Katan ה
  3. Or Zarua (end of סד)
  4. Kaf Hachaim אות נז
  5. Sharei Teshuvah Seif Katan יח
  6. Be'er Heitev סימן ח אות יח
  7. Pnei Yitzchak אות קיז
  8. Shu"t Or Li Siman י
  9. Haganat Vardim Orach Chaim Klal א siman כה
  10. Beit Oved in Hilchot Nesuin אות ד
  11. Pri Adama Chelek א (Minhagei Yerushalayim page כג)
  12. Netivi Am page שפב
  13. Yaskil Avdi Chelek ח siman ד
  14. Rav David Pinto Shlit”a in Pachad David Parshat Shlach end of page 327
  15. Derech Kochav page 15
  16. Shimush Tehillim Kohen Mizmor 19

Look at Yalkut Yosef Chuppah and Kidushin page 191 for more info as well and also says that it is a sefardi custom as well.

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  • Great stuff, and nice to see you sharing Torah here! How's yeshiva going?
    – רבות מחשבות
    Commented Mar 15, 2023 at 0:12
  • thanks for all the good sources 🙏
    – Richard Lewis
    Commented Mar 16, 2023 at 5:52
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It says in the passuk (shemos 21,8) "בבגדו בה", which can be translated either as a 'cloak' (בגד) or as a 'rebellion (בגידה) see Gemara Kiddushin 18a-b, we put on a Tallis (used in that Gemara for cloak) to signify that he follows the translation of 'cloak' over the translation of 'rebellious'

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  • Why would a groom try to prove his non karaite-ism in this way at this time?
    – Double AA ♦
    Commented Mar 17, 2023 at 16:09
  • @Double AA he's about to seclude himself with her in the yichud room so now is the most opportune time to prove his loyalty!
    – shayachagigah
    Commented Mar 17, 2023 at 17:04
  • Sounds more like a joke reason
    – Double AA ♦
    Commented Mar 17, 2023 at 17:42
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From what I understand, Sefardim consider it a safek whether the chatan should recite the Bracha of Shehechiyanu under the Chuppah. To resolve this, the chatan puts on a new tallis, and makes the bracha on the tallis, with having in mind that it should cover the Chuppah too. (Similar to people wearing new clothing for the second day of Rosh Hashanah.)

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  • Backwards, yedidi. The Tallit Minhag is centuries old and you gain an easy shehechiyanu (which is a safek without it) as a bonus, not the reason.
    – MDjava
    Commented Mar 13, 2023 at 6:20

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