It isn’t often that the candy thrown in synagogue makes national news. Yet a recent controversy over the disappearance (and now promised return) of a favorite synagogue treat did just that. If you’ve attended a Jewish celebration, you may have seen it yourself: A groom or bar mitzvah boy finishes the blessings over the Torah, the congregation breaks into song, and candies come flying.

The candies in question are often soft, chosen so that no one gets hurt in the barrage of sweetness that takes over the synagogue.

Origins of The Custom

Long before individually wrapped candies existed, the Talmud discussed throwing roasted grain and nuts before a bride and groom, ruling that it is allowed provided the food will remain fit to eat.1 Thus, it is allowed in dry weather, but forbidden during the rainy season, when the mud would spoil it.

At the Torah

On the Shabbat before his wedding, an Ashkenazi groom is traditionally honored with an aliyah, reciting the blessings over a portion of the Torah. This celebration is called an aufruf, Yiddish for “calling up.” Once he finishes the concluding blessing, the congregation sings and showers him with sweets, wishing him and his bride a fruitful and sweet marriage.2

By beginning the wedding celebrations with an aliyah, the groom establishes that the home he and his bride are about to build will be based on the principles and teachings of the Torah.

The sweet candies raining down from above evoke the teaching that accepting the “yoke” of Torah brings relief from worldly burdens; the nuts and sweets falling from above express the hope that G‑d will provide for the groom as he supports his family and continues to devote himself to Torah.3

Throwing Candies at a Bar Mitzvah

In many synagogues, a bar mitzvah boy receives a similar shower after completing the blessings over the Torah. As he takes on the responsibilities of Jewish adulthood, the candies express the family’s and congregation’s wishes for a future filled with sweet blessings.4

Sweets for Children Learning Torah

Sweet treats also have a place in a child’s introduction to Torah study. Traditionally, candies are tossed to the child as part of the customary “introduction to Jewish education.” Wrapped in a tallit, the boy cannot see the source of the candies, and he’s told that the Angel Michael has sent them. Is this not an untruth? The Rebbe explained that the person tossing the candies acts as the angel’s messenger.5

How To Pick the Best Candy

When picking candy, keep three things in mind:

  • It should have a top-knotch, reliable kosher certification, so that every child picking up a candy from the floor will be able to enjoy it.
  • Soft candies are best, so that no one gets hurt.
  • Wrapped candies ensure that the treats remain edible and the carpets stay clean.
  • Avoid dairy chocolate, which cannot be enjoyed together with (or shortly after) meat.