The Hebrew term for marriage is Kiddushin, derived from the Hebrew word kadosh, meaning “holy” or “sacred.” In our tradition, marriage is a sanctification of life, a consecration of self to your spouse toward noble ends. Marriage is something more than a social institution that rests solely on biological, economic, legal and psychological bases. Marriage is a spiritual relationship between two people. It is the joining of two souls who together become a complete unity. The rabbis of the Talmud said, “One who does not have a mate is not a whole person.” Your love for your life’s partner elevates you and fills your heart with ennobling impulses. That is why we speak of marriage as sacred and holy.