When the glass is broken under the chupah, everyone shouts mazal tov.
The Sefer Matamim provides a reason for this. It is because the first letters of מאיש ל קחה ז את, from man was she taken, spells the word מזל.
As for the word טוב, women are called tov as the pasuk says, מצא אשה מצא טוב, one who has found a wife, has found goodness. Also, not having a wife is called טובלא, not good. So together we get the phrase מזל טוב.
Rabbi Alt merited to learn under the tutelage of R’ Mordechai Friedlander ztz”l for close to five years. He received semicha from R’ Zalman Nechemia Goldberg ztz”l. Rabbi Alt has written on numerous topics for various websites and publications and is the author of eight books including the recently released “Unbelievable Insights about Moshiach and the Final Redemption.” His writings, some of which have been translated into Yiddish, Hebrew, German and French, inspire people across the spectrum of Jewish observance to live with the vibrancy and beauty of Torah. He lives with his wife and family in Kiryat Yearim (where the Aron was for 20 years [Shmuel 1, 7:1,2]) where he studies, writes and teaches. The author is passionate about teaching Jews of all levels of observance.
Megilla 23b.
Breishis 25:6.
Mishlei 18:22.
Breishis 2:18. The Torah tells us, lo tov heyos ha’adam l’vado, it is not good for man to be alone (Breishis 2:18). Concerning a woman, the gemara says, tav l’meisav tan du milmeisav armilo, it is better to live as two bodies than to live alone (Yevamos 118b). That is to say, a woman prefers even a less-than-desirable marriage over staying single. In fact, women were born into a world of relationship. This is because there was never a Chava without an Adam but there was (originally) Adam without a Chava. As a result women naturally connect to others.
In light of this, we can grasp an alternate meaning in the words טובים השנים מן האחד, two are better than one (Koheles 4:9), which can refer to marriage. It is better for a man and woman to get married than have two single people. The Rokeach points out that the gematria of השנים מן האחד is 513. This is the identical sum of the words חתן (458) and כלה (55), who join together in marriage.
