The reason for breaking an earthen dish when formalizing an engagement is that Above, the couple’s souls are one, whereas below, their bond and unity is hidden such that people are unaware of their oneness until the time of the engagement. At that time, their bond, which until now had been hidden, is revealed.
However, this revelation of their bond, which is revealed at the time the wedding agreement is made, is the aspect of “The living creatures ran and returned” (Ezekiel 1:14). For at the time of the engagement the bond is revealed and then immediately hidden, as afterwards they separate and are kept apart because she is still forbidden to him until the wedding ceremony. Thus it is that at the time of the engagement the light of their oneness, which until now had been hidden, is revealed and then immediately concealed, in the aspect of “The living creatures ran and returned.”
This is the reason for breaking an earthen dish when formalizing the engagement, for it is written, “The living creatures ran and returned, in appearance like a flash of lightning” (ibid.). The explanation is: like the light that emerges from pottery—i.e., the spark produced when breaking earthenware—which is but momentary.
Therefore, when formalizing the engagement, at which time the light of their oneness is revealed in the aspect of “ran and returned,” as explained above, people break an earthen dish. This alludes to the deeper meaning of “The living creatures ran and returned, in appearance like a flash of lightning,” as explained above. {See another reason for this above, Likutey Moharan I, 60; see also Likutey Moharan II, 90.}
טַעַם עַל שְׁבִירַת כְּלִי חֶרֶס בִּשְׁעַת הִתְקַשְּׁרוּת הַשִּׁדּוּךְ, כִּי (כָּל) אֵלּוּ נְשָׁמוֹת שֶׁל הַזִּוּוּג הֵם לְמַעְלָה אֶחָד, אַךְ לְמַטָּה הַהִתְקַשְּׁרוּת וְהַהִתְאַחֲדוּת שֶׁלָּהֶם הוּא בְּהֶעְלֵם, כִּי אֵין יוֹדְעִין מֵהִתְאַחֲדוּת שֶׁלָּהֶם עַד הַשִּׁדּוּךְ, וַאֲזַי נִתְגַּלֶּה הַהִתְקַשְּׁרוּת שֶׁלָּהֶם, שֶׁהָיָה עַד עַתָּה בְּהֶעְלֵם.
The reason for breaking an earthen dish when formalizing an engagement is that Above, the couple’s souls are one, whereas below, their bond and unity is hidden such that people are unaware of their oneness until the time of the engagement. At that time, their bond, which until now had been hidden, is revealed.
אַךְ זֶה הַהִתְגַּלּוּת שֶׁל הַהִתְקַשְּׁרוּת שֶׁנִּתְגַּלֶּה בְּעֵת הַתְּנָאִים, הוּא בִּבְחִינַת: וְהַחַיּוֹת רָצוֹא וָשׁוֹב (יחזקאל א); כִּי בִּשְׁעַת הַשִּׁדּוּךְ נִתְגַּלֶּה הַהִתְקַשְּׁרוּת, וְתֵכֶף וּמִיָּד נִתְעַלֵּם, כִּי אַחַר־כָּךְ נִתְפָּרְדִין וְנִתְרַחֲקִין, כִּי עֲדַיִן הִיא אֲסוּרָה עָלָיו עַד הַחֻפָּה. נִמְצָא שֶׁבִּשְׁעַת הַשִּׁדּוּךְ נִתְגַּלֶּה אוֹר הָאַחְדוּת שֶׁלָּהֶם שֶׁהָיָה עַד עַתָּה בְּהֶעְלֵם, וְתֵכֶף וּמִיָּד נִתְעַלֵּם כַּנַּ"ל, בִּבְחִינַת: וְהַחַיּוֹת רָצוֹא וָשׁוֹב כַּנַּ"ל.
However, this revelation of their bond, which is revealed at the time the wedding agreement is made, is the aspect of “The living creatures ran and returned” (Ezekiel 1:14). For at the time of the engagement the bond is revealed and then immediately hidden, as afterwards they separate and are kept apart because she is still forbidden to him until the wedding ceremony. Thus it is that at the time of the engagement the light of their oneness, which until now had been hidden, is revealed and then immediately concealed, in the aspect of “The living creatures ran and returned.”
וּבִשְׁבִיל זֶה שׁוֹבְרִין כְּלִי חֶרֶס בִּשְׁעַת הִתְקַשְּׁרוּת הַשִּׁדּוּךְ, כִּי כְּתִיב (שם): וְהַחַיּוֹת רָצוֹא וָשׁוֹב כְּמַרְאֵה הַבָּזָק, פֵּרוּשׁ: כָּאוֹר הַיּוֹצֵא מִן הַחֲרָסִין; דְּהַיְנוּ הַנִּיצוֹץ שֶׁיּוֹצֵא בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁשּׁוֹבְרִין כְּלִי חֶרֶס, שֶׁהוּא רַק לְפִי שָׁעָה.
This is the reason for breaking an earthen dish when formalizing the engagement, for it is written, “The living creatures ran and returned, in appearance like a flash of lightning” (ibid.). The explanation is: like the light that emerges from pottery—i.e., the spark produced when breaking earthenware—which is but momentary.
וְעַל כֵּן בִּשְׁעַת הִתְקַשְּׁרוּת הַשִּׁדּוּךְ שֶׁאָז אוֹר הָאַחְדוּת שֶׁלָּהֶם נִתְגַּלֶּה בִּבְחִינַת רָצוֹא וָשׁוֹב כַּנַּ"ל, עַל־כֵּן שׁוֹבְרִין כְּלִי חֶרֶס, זֶה מְרַמֵּז עַל סוֹד: וְהַחַיּוֹת רָצוֹא וָשׁוֹב כְּמַרְאֵה הַבָּזָק כַּנַּ"ל. (וְעַיֵּן עוֹד טַעַם עַל זֶה לְעֵיל בְּסִימָן ס', וּבְלִקּוּטֵי תִּנְיָנָא בְּסוֹפוֹ):
Therefore, when formalizing the engagement, at which time the light of their oneness is revealed in the aspect of “ran and returned,” as explained above, people break an earthen dish. This alludes to the deeper meaning of “The living creatures ran and returned, in appearance like a flash of lightning,” as explained above. {See another reason for this above, Likutey Moharan I, 60; see also Likutey Moharan II, 90.}