What does a Shomeret do the night b4 the wedding?

amother

Jade

Sun, Dec 15 2019, 8:15 pm

It's literally to gaurd. The shomer/ shomeret is there for spiritual protection. Not necessary to have someone with chosson/ kallah at all times, only when going out.

Also it's only for a few days before the wedding, not the whole week. Ask your Rav when to start only going out of the house with a shomer.

Of course people can help a chosson or kallah a lot more but escorting is really all that's required.

Short story: DH was acting as shomer for his sister. She was so in the clouds that she walked onto the street without looking. DH had to physically pull her back onto the sidewalk. Sometimes the shmira is physical safety as well Wink

amother

Ivory

Sun, Dec 15 2019, 10:28 pm

amother [ Fuchsia ] wrote:

I think before the wedding, it's to prevent the bride and groom from seeing each other? and after the wedding to prevent them from having yichud with anyone? also if the woman is niddah on the wedding day, it's to prevent them from having yichud with each other after the wedding.

Definitely not to prevent the chosen and Kallah from seeing each other.
As a Chasan is similar to a king who needs an escort in public. [Chelkas Michokek 64/2; Ran ibid; Pirkei Derebbe Eliezer 16; Aruch Hashuclahn ibid] Alternatively, as a Chasan and Kallah need protection from Mazikin and hence cannot go out alone. [Brachos ibid] As the Satan persecutes during times of danger and happiness. [Talmidei Rabbeinu Yona Brachos ibid] Hashem made ten Chupos for Adam Harishon in Gan Eden and the angels danced and cheered by the wedding. The angels guarded Adam and Chavah, as it says in Tehillim Ki Malachav Yitzaveh Lach Lishmarcha Bechol Derachecha, and Derachecha refers to Chasanim. [Pirkei Derebbe Eliezer ibid] There was once a Chasan who walked outside alone and he was killed, being snatched by the Malacha Hamaves. [Eirusin Unissuin of Rishonim p. 127, brought in Nitei Gavriel 56 footnote 1]

amother

White

Sun, Dec 15 2019, 10:44 pm

amother [ Fuchsia ] wrote:

No!
Only the last sentence can be applicable, sometimes.

miami85

Sun, Dec 15 2019, 11:10 pm

trixx wrote:

That's just giving a Hebrew title to the duty of bridesmaid or maid of honor

I went to a friend's wedding out of town and she was going ahead alone to the venue to take pictures and still needed a shomer so I volunteered. I ended up doing things like holding her bouquet, getting her to smile naturally etc and we kept joking that the photographer thought the whole night that I was the maid of honor

I did those things too. Helping her when the rest of her family was busy with other things