Sheva Brachot

From Halachipedia

Under The Chuppah

  1. Some Poskim hold that everyone in the audience must stand for the Sheva Berachot recited under the Chuppah.[1]

Week after Marriage

  1. The sheva brachot are only recited at a meal in which bread is eaten and birchat hamazon is recited. [2]

Beit Chatanim

  1. According to some Sephardim, if the meals during the week after the wedding do not take place in the house of groom one may only make the bracha of hagefen and ashar bara (and not all sheva brachot). [3]

Minyan

  1. One needs a Minyan to say Birkat Chatanim, includining the Chatan.[4]
  2. According to Ashkenazim, one should make sure that at least 7 of the people there ate bread.[5] According to Sephardim, initially all 10 should eat bread.[6]
  3. Women do not count towards the Minyan for sheva brachot.[7]
  4. A minor does not count for the minyan of sheva brachot.[8]

Panim Chadashot

  1. In order to recite all 7 berachot, one must invite someone who did not attend either the wedding or a previous sheva berachot. [9] While some poskim require that the panim chadashot be given a setting, others are more lenient; the minhag is to be lenient and allow calling in a stranger or waiter to count as panim chadashot. [10]
  2. The Panim Chadashot can come even in the middle or towards the end of the meal.[11]
  3. A woman cannot count as a panim chadashot.[12]
  4. A child cannot count as panim chadashot.[13]
  5. While many poskim hold that panim chadashot means only one new person, some hold that two are required.[14]

Second Marriages

  1. If both the Chatan and the Kallah have been previously married, Sheva Berachot is only recited for one day.[15]

Practices During the Week after Marriage

  1. A chatan is compared to a king. Just like a king wears fancy attire, so too a chatan should wear fancy attire.[16]

Links

Sources

  1. Erech Lechem Siman 61, see Mishnah Brurah 128:51
  2. Hanisuin K'Hilchatan pg. 512
  3. Yalkut Yosef (Chupah VeKiddushin pg 301) rules that in order to make all 7 Brachot of Sheva Brachot one needs to fulfill three conditions: 1) it takes place in the house of groom, 2)there’s ten men there, and 3) there’s two new faces. On pg 307 he writes that when making a meal not in the house of the groom the one doing Zimmun makes Hagefen, and asher bara and then drink from the wine. He should also have the bride and groom and groom in mind and the bride and groom should have in mind to fulfill his obligation when making the Brachot and have them taste the wine afterwards. Siddur Kol Eliyahu (pg 916) which is based on the rulings of Rav Mordechai Eliyahu writes that the proper minhag is only to make the 7 Brachot when one is having the meal in the house of the bride and groom. However, some are lenient to have the 7 Brachot said by Ashkenazim who rely on those who say to make the Brachot. Rabbi Mansour on Daily Halacha quotes Chacham Baruch, Chacham Ovadyah Yosef, and Chacham Ezra Attiyah who agree that one can only two Brachot and not all sheva Brachot when it’s not taking place in the house of the groom. See Otzar haPoskim, Sh"t Vayashav HaYam vol. 2, Shemesh uMagen, Ohr LeTzion vol. 2, and Birkat Hashem vol.4 for different opinions.
  4. The Gemara 7b-8a says that Birkat Chatanim needs a Minyan, based either on Boaz or a the Pasuk in Tehillim, "BaMakhelot Barechut et Hashem." The Rishonim (see Kiddushin), debate whether or not this extends to Birkat Erusin as well or not, but they all agree that Birkat Chatanim does require a Minyan.
    If there aren't even ten men in the whole town, the Rashba (Shut 1:1167, Meyuchasot 185) holds that one absolutely needs ten people, as the Chachamim prohibited one to his wife for whom he did not make Sheva Berachot. On the other hand, the Terumat HaDeshen (140), quotes a Teshovot Maimoni who explains Chazal's terminology of "Kallah BeLo Beracha" to be more colloquial than literal, in reference to the Chuppah itself. The Beit Yosef (64:4) paskens like the Terumat HaDeshen, while the Rama, Chelkat Mechokek 3, and Beit Shmuel 4, pasken like the Terumat HaDeshen that one only needs a Minyan lechatechilah.
  5. Nitai Gavriel (Nesuin vol 2, 102:2)
  6. Yabia Omer EH 3:11:6
  7. Shulchan Aruch EH 62:4, see Yabia Omer vol. 3 EH Siman 11
  8. Yabia Omer EH 3:11:6
  9. Gemara Ketubot 7b. See Panim Chadashot New Faces on chabad.org.
  10. Nitei Gavriel Hilchot Nisuin 2:87:1
  11. Nitai Gavriel (Nesuin vol. 2, 86:3)
  12. Nitei Gavriel Nissuin 87:3
  13. Nitei Gavriel Nissuin 87:4
  14. The Chelkat Mechokek EH 62:9 writes that you only need one new person for panim chadashot. This is also the opinion of the Aruch Hashulchan 62:24. Yabia Omer EH 3:11:2 is strict for the Rav Avraham Ben HaRambam (teshuva 86 and 110) in explaining the Rambam that two people are necessary.
  15. Ketubot 7a, Shulchan Aruch Even HaEzer 62:6
  16. Pirkei DRabbi Eliezer 16