The huppah (literally, “covering”) is a canopy made of a square cloth, usually made of silk or velvet, supported by four staves, under which the bride and groom stand during the wedding ceremony. It symbolizes the new home for the bride and groom, thus publicly affirming their new roles as man and wife. The four open sides of the huppah, according to Jewish sages, hearkens to the tent of Abraham that had entrances on all four sides so that any visiting traveler would not be burdened with having to search for an entrance. Consequently, the huppah is symbolic of a home filled with hesed (acts of love), to which hakhnasat orhim (hospitality to strangers) is at the core.
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