In many cultures, the role of the matchmaker was and is quite professionalized. The Ashkenazi Jewish Shadchan, or the Hindu astrologer, were often thought to be essential advisors and also helped in finding right spouses as they had links and a relation of good faith with the families. In cultures where arranged marriages were the rule, the astrologer often claimed that the stars sanctified matches that both parents approved of, making it quite difficult for the hesitant children to object (and also making it easy for the astrologer to collect his fee). Tarot divination has also been employed by some matchmakers.