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Most weddings I have seen have the chuppah open on all 4 sides. Last night, when I attended a wedding, I noticed that the "far" side was covered with a curtain.

(i.e. the ark is at the front of the shul, and the chuppah was placed in front of the ark. The chattan and kalla walk from the back of the shul down the aisle and enter the chuppah on the side furthest from the ark. The "far" side was facing them and is the side closest to the ark.)

Is this arrangement allowed, or do all sides of the chuppah have to be uncovered?

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    Classically the wife is leaving her father's home and entering the husband's home. Do all husbands only have houses without walls?
    – Double AA ♦
    Feb 21, 2017 at 22:02
  • Funny. All chuppos I've been to have the far wall and no others.
    – DonielF
    Mar 26, 2017 at 17:14

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If we want to know halacha regarding Chuppa, we need to learn what is the halachic meaning of Chuppa

See Tur Even Haezer siman 61:

What is Chuppa? The fact that he will be alone with him, even if they don't enter in marital relationship, since they were isolated in name of marriage, she is his wife for every rules.

According to this definition of Chuppa, it is not necessary to have a Chuppa opened on all 4 sides.

See Bet Yosef. In summary the Ran explains that there are two whole opinions regarding the definition of Chuppa, each of them has supportive arguments. The first, whe already soon in Tur, and which is also the opinion of the Rambam is that Chuppa is the fact that the Chatan is in Ychud with the Kalla in his house. The second opinion, with some variants is that the Chuppa is similary to our chupot, a specially reservated place, with painted linen, or a kind of succa made with roses, a place which is not necessarily discreet, and bride maids and page boys may also be present. The Rishonim and the Yerushalmi which seems to support this second opinion did not mention the need of a chuppa opened ont the all 4 sides. The point of this second opinion is that the bride enter is in his property, (in the idea, perhaps it is a bit similar to the concept of kinyan Chatser or Meshicha). I don't know nowadays how we deal with the fact that the Chuppa needs to be a property of the Chatan. A nafka mina between the twoo opinions is the legitimity of a Chupat Nidda.

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  • כתב העזר מקודש, שצריך להיות ד' כלונסות שהם כצורת הפתח מן ארבע רוחות העולם, ויש בזה גם רמז לאברהם אבינו שביתו היתה פתוחה מד' רוחות, והוא שיזכירו שיהיה ביתם פתוח לרווחה וכו'. halacha.co/…
    – hazoriz
    Apr 25, 2017 at 10:25
  • וְהַמִּנְהָג פָּשׁוּט עַכְשָׁו לִקְרוֹת חֻפָּה מָקוֹם שֶׁמַּכְנִיסִים שָׁם יְרִיעָה פְּרוּסָה עַל גַּבֵּי כְּלוֹנָסוֹת sefaria.org/Shulchan_Arukh,_Even_HaEzer.55.1?lang=bi
    – hazoriz
    Apr 25, 2017 at 10:32
  • @hazoriz good! You can write this in an your answer. Very good.Yish'ar koach. I will remove my answer.
    – kouty
    Apr 25, 2017 at 10:40
  • I do not see a reason to remove your answer, maybe just add to it
    – hazoriz
    Apr 25, 2017 at 10:41

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