Ring on Left or Right Hand for Marriage

Greetings and blessings. Among the halachic authorities, it is mentioned that the groom, with his right hand, places the ring on the bride's right hand finger, as stated in Be'er Heitev (Siman 27, S’if Katan 1), citing the Rema Mintz who wrote: "He sanctifies with his right hand and also on the bride's right hand." The source is in the Mordechai (Berachot, chapter 6, Siman 147) that every mitzvah should be performed with the right hand, and similarly the Rabeinu Tam (Berachot, chapter 6, Siman 120) states that anything concerning blessings and mitzvot is fitting to be held with the right hand. The Sages emphasized the right hand for mitzvot (Menachot 10a). Likewise, the Gaon Rabbi Aharon Alipandri zt”l, one of the chief rabbis of Hebron, explicitly instructed in his work Yad Aharon (Siman 27, gloss d) that the sanctification should be done specifically on the bride’s right hand finger. So too wrote the Gaon Rabbi Rafael Aharon ben Shimon zt”l, Av Beit Din of Egypt, in his work Nahar Mitzrayim, quoting the Gurim of the ARI zt”l. The Gaon Ben Ish Chai zt”l instructed (Shoftim 7) that "the money of kiddushin should be given with his right hand to her right hand." The Ben Ish Chai provides an honorable reason, noting that since the bride faces the groom, if he turns to his right side, he will find there the bride's left hand’s most left finger, which is the ring finger, as is common for people standing opposite one another, where the left for one is the right for the other. When the groom begins counting the finger joints from the bride’s left ring finger up to the finger next to the thumb on the right hand, he reaches the seventeenth joint, which corresponds to the numerical value (gematria) of "tov" (good), symbolizing a good sign for this kiddushin, fulfilling the verse (Proverbs 18:22) "Who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from Hashem." The count is as follows: left ring finger—joints one, two, three; left middle finger—joints four, five, six; left index finger—joints seven, eight, nine; left thumb—joints ten, eleven, twelve; right thumb—joints thirteen, fourteen; right index finger—joints fifteen, sixteen; right middle finger top joint—seventeen. Another reason cited by the Ben Ish Chai references the seventy days of the seven blessings and seven days of the wedding celebration, linking the number seven to the finger chosen for this great mitzvah. A third reason, based on commentaries quoting the Sha'lah HaKadosh zt”l (Shavuot, full Torah, paragraph 4), explains that the fingers correspond to the Ten Commandments. Thus, the groom, standing opposite the bride during kiddushin, beginning to count from her left ring finger (which is the most right from his perspective, since those facing each other have opposite left-right), enumerates the Ten Commandments as follows: left ring finger corresponds to "I am," left middle finger to "You shall have no," left index finger "You shall not take," left thumb "Remember Shabbat," left thumb again "Honor your father," right thumb "You shall not murder," right index finger "You shall not commit adultery." Therefore, this finger is suitable for performing the mitzvah of kiddushin and for reciting the betrothal blessing: "Who sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us regarding forbidden relations, and permitted us through chuppah and kiddushin." This connection, joining the groom and bride in the mitzvah of kiddushin, implies their sanctity under the prohibition of "You shall not commit adultery," as the husband guards against sin, and the wife guards her fidelity; they unite properly through mitzvah observance according to the law of Moses and Israel. Accordingly, for all these reasons, it is understood that the wedding ring should be placed on the right hand finger. Wishing you success, Menashe Israel.