Partner A: I belong to you and you belong to me.
Partner B: And I belong to you and you belong to me.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ וְקִיְּמָנוּ וְהִגִּיעָנוּ לַזְּמָן הַזֶּה
Transliteration:
Barukh atah Adonay Eloheynu melekh haolam, shehekheyanu v’kiy’manu lazman hazeh.
English:
Blessed are you God, our God, king of the universe, who created us and who enlivened us and brought us to this moment.
(The couple then offers some words to each other describing their closeness and sharing a few past meaningful memories of their relationship with each other. They end each sharing session with a quote. I have included two different quotes here that I found special.)
Any love that is dependent on one particular thing
If that thing disappears, the love disappears;
But the love not dependent on one thing
Will never disappear
– Avot 5:19
Five different loves have I loved you
The first, so that I might understand the secret of your love
The second, so that I might speak of the virtue of your love
The third, so that I might feel the pleasure of your love
The fourth, for the sake of the desire to taste the sin
And the fifth, so that I might not regret.
– Naim Araidi 1948 – present
Together:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגָפֶן
Transliteration:
Barukh atah Adonay eloheynu melekh haolam borey p’ri hagafen.
English:
Blessed are you, Adonay our God, Sovereign of the Universe, creator of the fruit of the vine.
Blessed are you, Adonay our God, Sovereign of the Universe, who has brought us together in holiness and in love to share with each other our first sexual experience. We have been blessed to know each other and to share in each other’s lives, and we desire to take the next step in our relationship. We commit ourselves to care for and to respect one another. Blessed are you, Adonay, who makes us holy together in losing our virginity to one another.
(Drink grape juice)
Used by permission of the author