24 Tachshitei Kallah – 24 Bridal Ornaments

24 Bridal Ornaments

The Sages describe the Revelation at Sinai as a wedding between G-d and His people. Indeed, the Zohar HaKadosh compares counting the seven weeks before Shavuot to a woman counting seven “clean days” after a period of “impurity” and before immersing in a mikveh, after which she can reunite with her husband. The Zohar continues by describing a “wedding” in which God is the “groom” and the Jewish people are the “bride.” The mekubalim teach that Jews should remain awake and study Torah on this night, when the “bride” (the community of Israel) prepares to unite with the “groom” (the Torah). The night of the festival of Shavuot is the “night before the chuppah (wedding ceremony),” and all those who are in the “bride’s” house are obligated to adorn and rejoice her. How? By studying the Five Books of Moses, moving from them to the Books of the Prophets, and from there to the Writings; by studying profound interpretations of the sacred books and the hidden teachings—for all these are the “bride’s” ornaments. The “bride” and her “maids” are with us on this night, and it is we who escort her to the chuppah the next day. Everyone who escorts her joins the “bride’s entourage.” Therefore, the Almighty Himself blesses them and grants them a share in the “bride’s” ornaments. Thus, their lot is truly joyous, as stated in the Zohar HaKadosh.  

Chava’s 24 Ornaments

The Zohar hints at an ancient teaching that a bride should be adorned with 24 ornaments on her wedding day. This actually goes back to the Garden of Eden, where G-d created Eve and adorned her with 24 ornaments before her marriage to Adam. The Midrash (Bereishit Rabbah 18:1) provides support for this, quoting Ezekiel 28:13, which says: “In Eden, the garden of G-d, you were; every precious stone was your covering: ruby (odem), topaz (pitdah), and diamond (yahalom), chrysolite (tarshish), onyx (shoham), and jasper (yashefeh), sapphire (sapir), carbuncle (nofekh), and emerald (bareket), and gold (zahav); the craftsmanship of your drums and pipes was prepared for you on the day you were created.” There is another passage in Scripture that mentions 24 ornaments—in Isaiah 3:18–21: “On that day the L-rd will remove the splendor of the ornaments: the anklets [ashisim], the headbands [shevisim], and the crescents [saharonim]; the pendants [netifot], the bracelets [sherot], and the veils [re'alot]; the headdresses [pe'erim], the armlets [tza'adot], the sashes [kishurim], the breastplates [batei hanefesh], and the amulets [lehashim]; the rings [tabaot] and nose rings [nizmei ha'af]; the festive robes [machalatzot], the shawls [matafot], the wraps [mitpachot], and the belts [haneccaritim]; the tunics [gilyonim], the fine linen garments [sadinim], the kerchiefs [tzenifot], and the cloaks [redidim].” Their count gives us the number 21. In addition, the following verse mentions perfumes [bosem], a girdle [hagorah], and locks of hair [petigil], bringing the total to 24 ornaments. Kabbalistically, these 24 ornaments are highly significant. The sefirah of Chesed, representing love and kindness, has three inner aspects, each consisting of 24 parts. The gematria of the word חסד “Chesed” is 72, and dividing this number by 3 gives 24. When Eliyahu HaNavi confronted the idolatrous priests on Mount Carmel, he poured an additional three measures of water (water represents Chesed) over his altar. (Melakhim I, 18). The altar he built was also made of precious stones: “And Eliyahu took twelve stones, corresponding to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob.” (Melakhim I, 18:31–32). Then he said: “Fill four jars with water and pour it over the burnt offering and the wood.” And he said, “Do it a second time,” and they did it a second time. And he said, “Do it a third time,” and they did it a third time. 12 stones, 4 jugs of water poured 3 times (12)—a total of 24. A jug—“kad”—has a gematria of 24. The word “kad” is also used when the Torah speaks of Rivkah: “And it came to pass, before he had finished speaking, behold, Rivkah came out … with her jug [kad] upon her shoulder.” (Genesis 24:15) Kabbalistically, Rivkah embodies the sefirah of Chesed (see Zohar I, 137a), and she graciously gives water to Eliezer and all his camels. Eliezer realizes that she is perfect for Yitzchak and immediately begins adorning her with every kind of ornament: “And it came to pass, when the camels had finished drinking, that the man took a gold nose ring weighing half a shekel and two bracelets for her arms, weighing ten shekels, and gave them to Rivkah.” This is one of the reasons for the old custom of adorning a Jewish bride with 24 ornaments. In addition, a husband can fulfill this special segulah by purchasing 24 ornaments or pieces of jewelry for his wife—not necessarily all at once! (It is especially good to give white gold, as it symbolizes Chesed, while yellow gold represents Gevurah.)   24 Tachshitei Kallah (the ornaments of the bride—the Jewish people) If a bride is adorned with 24 ornaments, and the Jewish people were G-d’s “bride” at Sinai on Shavuot, what were our 24 ornaments? The Kabbalists teach us that they are the 24 books of the Tanakh! Ba'al HaTurim (Bereishit 31:18) notes that every Torah scholar is adorned with these 24 books just as a bride is adorned with 24 ornaments. This is why, as the Zohar teaches, one should remain awake throughout the night of Shavuot and study Torah, especially the 24 books of the Tanakh (Zohar I, 8a; although see Zohar III, 98). In this way, a person spiritually adorns himself in preparation for the wedding—and also adorns the Shechinah itself. On the night before Shavuot, pious Jews practice Tikkun Leil Shavuot, a custom introduced by the Kabbalists of Safed in the 16th century. The text for the night of Shavuot is taken from a letter by Rabbi Shlomo Alkabetz, the author of “Lecha Dodi.” Details here: Tikkun Leil Shavuot according to the Maggid Meisharim During Tikkun Leil Shavuot, the “tachshitei kallah” (the adornment of the bride) takes place. The Tanakh, which consists of 24 books, is opened, and the first 3 pesukim and the last 3 pesukim of each book are read. This is the Tikkun of Shavuot.   (https://www.mayimachronim.com/the-24-ornaments-of-a-bride-and-tikkun-leil-shavuot/)