Sheva Brochos in Order 

By Rabbi Berach Steinfeld

Since we Boruch Hashem made a wedding this week, I want to discuss the inyan of Sheva Brachos.

What is the halacha if someone who is given the kibbud of saying one of the sheva brachos says the wrong one; for example, Reuven skipped the brocha of Sos Tasis and made the brocha of Sameach Tesamach. After he made the brocha they realized that they skipped the brocha of Sos Tasis. What should they do? Should they restart all the brachos to make sure they are said in order, or is the seder of the brochos not me’akev?

The Beer Heiteiv in siman samech bais, seif koton alef says that the Sheva Brachos do not have a specific seder. If one of the brochos was missed, it may be said when he remembers. The Be’er Heiteiv quotes this in the name of the Rambam, siman chof gimmel.

The Shailos Utshuvos Shraga HaMeir chelek daled, siman peh zayin, seif koton daled asks the same question. He quotes the Mishna in Meseches Kallah, perek alef that discusses this question and says that brochos are not me’akev one another.  Therefore it stands to reason that the seder is not me’akev either.

The brocha of Sos Tasis is different from the other brochos in that it does not begin with the regular “Boruch ata…” The Shraga HaMeir explains that this brocha is a “brocha ha’samuch l’chaverta” which means it is a brocha that is close to another; it therefore does not start with boruch ata. How can we reconcile the fact that the order of the brochos is not important with the fact that Sos Tasis is a brocho that comes after another?

One answer could be that even if it is out of order, it will be right after Sameach Tesamach so it would still be close to another brocha. An additional answer could be that once Chazal established that the brocha should come right after another one, even in the case where it is not close to another brocha, the “ matbea she’tovu Chachamim” and the nussach does not change.

The Sefer Atzei Arazim, siman samech bais and the Igros Moshe in Even Hoezer, chelek daled, siman peh ches both say that if one forgot and made the brocho of Asher Yotzar before the brocha of Yotzeir Ha’Adam one does not make the brocha of Yotzeir Ha’adam anymore. Why do we have these two brochos? There are two reasons to explain the wording of these brochos. Firstly, when Hashem created man and woman they were two distinct creations so we have two different brochos. A second reason may be that the first brocha is based on the initial machshava that Hashem created one being; he later separated woman from man. Whatever the explanation of the two brochos is, in either case once the second brocha is recited the first one is not apropos anymore and therefore one would not say the brocha of Yotzeir Ha’adam. There are some Achronim who disagree with this ruling.

Understanding the different aspects of saying Sheva Brochos brings home the importance of keeping track of the brochos being said so they may be said in the correct order. May we share many simchos with each other and all of Klal Yisroel.

Do you have a topic or discussion you want to read about? Please send comments or questions to [email protected] or Berachsteinfeldscorner@gmail.com