Matchmaking is as old as time. Novels, poems, songs and plays have been written about dating, love and marriage. Matchmaking is centuries old going back to the Hindu astrologer, Ashkenazi Jewish Shadchan. Matchmaking is a profession. Matchmakers were call upon to find right marriage candidates claiming stars sanctified the marriage matches. Some matchmakers used Tarot cards. Parent contacted matchmaker for marriage mates for their sons. Good candidates were able to support their prospect in the same economic manner as the prospects parents. Any match had to be approved by both parents. Matchmaking goal was marriage.
Fiddler On The Roof
“Matchmaker, Matchmaker,
Make me a match,
Find me a find,
catch me a catch
Matchmaker, Matchmaker
Look through your book,
And make me a perfect match”
From:Fiddler on the Roof
Lyrics Matchmaker
In rural areas, Matchmakers acted as formal chaperons for arranged dating mates. They would chaperon at festivals, neighborhood dances, picnics, fairs and etc.. In Medieval Catholic society priest played a key role in matchmaking. Royal weddings were arranged to unite and increase lands, increase wealth and power. Royal wedding were always arranged and in some instances the groom had not seen the bride until the ceremony. Rabbis were matchmakers in traditional Jewish communities.
In ancient Mexico matchmaker were contacted by the prospective groom's parents. Grooms were generally a few years older than their brides and expected to have completed custom education and training prior to marriage. An appropriate age for a bride was 15 years old. The matchmaker would contact the chosen girl’s parents and discussed marital possibility. Soothsayers had to set the marriage day under favorable day sign (good days were Reed, Monkey, Crocodile, Eagle and House).
In South Asia matchmakers were used to set up arranged marriages. They were called, Archer. Generally a friend of the family was the matchmaker. They were employed by the parents of the son and the desired mate would be sturdy and hardworking. Not only was the mate considered for hard work but for breeding children. The larger the family would improve production in farming. High risk wives would be pretty and popular and were not often considered by Matchmakers. The matchmaker only received a small gift after a successful wedding.
Immigrants brought the first Matchmakers to America. Hasidic Jews wanted there children to marry within their culture and religion. Matchmakers ensured the married couple had certain national, ethnic and religious backgrounds.
The Internet has changed the old method of dating and finding a mate. Specialized broad online dating services are now available. You can now find a mate anywhere in the world. Search for specialty groups: age, race, religion, region, professional, sport fans, sexual preference, rural and etc. The key to modern online matchmaking is to find mates that are compatible. Old Matchmakers was impersonal whereas online dating you receive personal attention but are allowed anonymity. More importantly, Dating candidates are able to choice their own mate based on their own values and ideals.
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