One of the blessings commonly given to a newly-engaged couple is that the match should "oleh yafeh." While it may be customary to rapidly rattle off the words, an examination of the English translation - the match should "go up well" - reveals that the wording is awkward and the deeper meaning is difficult to grasp. What is the underlying intention behind this curiously-worded blessing?
The Satmar Rebbe Rav Yoel Teitelbaum brilliantly explains that the word "oleh" is often used to connote the numerical value of a phrase. If so, we may re-interpret the blessing as stating that the new match should have the numerical value of the word "yafeh," which comes to 95 (yud, fey, hey).
But what is the significance of this seemingly arbitrary number?
The Sefer HaChinuch discusses the laws and reasons for the 613 mitzvos, listing them in the order of their mention in the Torah. He counts the 95th mitzvah as the commandment "and they shall make for Me a Sanctuary, and I shall dwell amongst them." This is a most appropriate blessing to give a new couple embarking on the establishment of their own personal miniature Sanctuary.
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