Order for Sheva Brachos

                 There is a machlokes Rishonim when the bracha of Borei Pri Hagafen is recited at Sheva Brachos. Do we say it as the first bracha, like we currently do under the Chuppa; or do we say the six brachos first and afterwards say Borei Pri Hafafen like we do currently at Sheva Brachos?

Tosfos in Pesachim 102b says that since the gemara says that we don’t do two “kedushos” on one cup; that is the reason we don’t say Borei Pri Hagafen on the kos that we say the six brachos. Instead, under the Chuppa we use another kos after the original Borei Pri Hagafen for the six brachos. We do not say another bracha of Borei Pri Hagafen on the second kos because it is not proper to make two brachos. On the other hand, Rabbeinu Meshulem said all brachos on one cup. His explanation was that it does not compare to having Birchas Hamazon and Kiddush recited on one cup. Birchas Hamazon and Kiddush are considered to be two separate mitzvos; therefore we don’t want to bundle them together so as not to seem like we are trying to do two mitzvos as one. In our case, the purpose of all these brachos including Sheva Brachos and Birchas Hamazon are really to bentch the Chassan and Kallah; they therefore can be combined on the same cup of wine. This would therefore not be a problem of chavilos chavilos.. From this Rabbeinu Meshulem it would seem that even at Sheva Brachos one should recite Borei Pri Hagafen first.

The Ravya in the Mordechai; Kesubos 132 and in Darkie Moshe; Even Hoezer 62 says that we should first recite the bracha of chasanim even during the Chuppa and only afterwards recite Borei Pri Hagafen.

Halacha Lemaaseh, in Even Hoezer Kiddushin 62:1 it discusses that we need to say Birchas Chassanim first, including the six brachos. In the event there is an availability of wine, you bring wine and first say Borei Pri Hagafen and then say all seven brachos on that one cup of wine. However, during the Sheva Brachos, the opposite holds true. We first say the six brachos and only afterward do we make a Borei Pri Hagafen.

Why is there a difference between under the Chuppa and Sheva Brachos?

One answer could be because the bracha of Borei Pri Hagafen comes more often that the brachos of Sheva Brachos and therefore we invoke the rule of tadir kodem. During Sheva Brachos, the same ruling should apply, but since people will think that the kos is only for Birchas Hamazon and won’t realize that it is also for the six brachos, the Chachamim established to say Borei Pri Hagafen last.

Another answer is that since Birchas Hamazon by itself does not require a kos, and the only reason we have the kos is because of the six brachos, this reason trumps the reason of tadir since the kos would not be needed for Birchas Hamazon by itself.

May we be zocheh to drink the kos of wine we will drink at the Geula Asida when we will be mechanech the third Bais Hamikdash!

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