Seven Blessings (Sheve Brachot)

The Seven Blessings, known as the Sheva Berachot (or "Bitkat Hatanim (Blessing of the Grooms), hold a pivotal role in the sacred tapestry of the Jewish wedding ceremony, pronounced beneath the cherished canopy of the chuppah. These blessings, also echoed during the culmination of the grace after meals over the course of the ensuing seven joyous days, trace their origins to the Babylonian Talmud (Ketubot, 7b-8a).

In crafting these blessings, the Sages beautifully articulated the divine glory, depicting God as the source of rejoicing for both the groom and the bride. Far beyond celebrating the individual couple's happiness, these blessings intricately weave their joy with broader narratives—the joy of Zion and Jerusalem upon their redemption and the echoes of joy from the first couple on Earth, Adam and Eve. "May you cause the loving companions, rejoicing together, to be exceedingly happy, just as You caused Your creature to rejoice in the Garden of Eden from the earliest days."

The allusion to Adam and Eve introduces a profound layer of meaning. Amidst the sentiments of original creation and renewal, it becomes imperative to preserve an awareness of continuous tradition and forge a connection to the joy experienced by all couples—from the dawn of creation to the present day. Thus, the symbolic placement of the chuppah finds itself at the nexus, bridging the joy of the first couple in the primeval days with the anticipated joy of future couples returning to Jerusalem in the culmination of time. Here, love, brotherhood, peace, and companionship seamlessly unite, weaving a timeless narrative that transcends the boundaries of temporal existence.

Lyrics	Translation
בחלק מהמסורות האשכנזיות נהוג להקדים פיוט קצר זה: מִי אַדִּיר עַל הַכֹּל, מִי בָּרוּךְ עַל הַכֹּל, מִי גָּדוֹל עַל הַכֹּל, מִי דָּגוּל עַל הַכֹּל, הוּא יְבָרֵךְ אֶת הֶחָתָן וְאֶת הַכַּלָּה.	In some Ashkenazi traditions, it is customary to precede a short piyut (liturgical poem) with the following verse: Who is mighty over all, who is blessed over all, who is great over all, who is exalted over all, He shall bless the groom and the bride.
ברכה ראשונה סַבְרֵי מָרָנָן .הקהל: לְחַיִּים בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגָּפֶן. (אָמֵן)	BLESSING 1 Blessed are You, Hashem our God, King of the universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.
ברכה שנייה בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁהַכֹּל בָּרָא לִכְבוֹדוֹ. (אָמֵן)	BLESSING 2 Blessed are You, Hashem our God, King of the universe, who created all things for His glory
ברכה שלישית בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, יוֹצֵר הָאָדָם. (אָמֵן)	BLESSING 3 Blessed are You, Hashem our God, King of the universe, who created man in His image, in the image of His likeness, and prepared for him from his own self a building for perpetuity. Blessed are You, Hashem, Creator of man.
ברכה רביעית בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר יָצַר אֶת הָאָדָם בְּצַלְמו, בְּצֶלֶם דְּמוּת תַּבְנִיתוֹ וְהִתְקִין לוֹ מִמֶּנּוּ בִּנְיַן עֲדֵי עַד, בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' יוֹצֵר הָאָדָם. (אָמֵן)	BLESSING 4 May the barren one exult and be glad as her home is built through her children; and may she gladden in gathering her joyous children. Blessed are You, Hashem, who gladdens Zion through her children.
ברכה חמישית שׂוֹשׂ תָּשִׂישׂ וְתָגֵל הָעֲקָרָה, בְּקִבּוּץ בָּנֶיהָ לְתוֹכָהּ בְּשִׂמְחָה, בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' מְשַׂמֵּחַ צִיּוֹן בְּבָנֶיהָ. (אָמֵן)	Blessing 5 Grant perfect joy to these loving companions, as You did to Your creation in the Garden of Eden. Blessed are You, Hashem, who grants the joy of bride and groom.
ברכה שישית שַׂמֵּחַ תְּשַׂמַּח רֵעִים הָאֲהוּבִים, כְּשַׂמֵּחֲךָ יְצִירְךָ בְּגַן עֵדֶן מִקֶּדֶם, בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' מְשַׂמֵּחַ חָתָן וְכַלָּה. (אָמֵן)	Blessing 6 Blessed are You, Hashem our God, King of the universe, who created joy and gladness, bridegroom and bride, rejoicing, jubilation, pleasure, love, brotherhood, peace, and companionship. May there soon be heard in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem the sound of joy and the sound of gladness, the voice of the groom and the voice of the bride, the sound of the grooms’ jubilance from their canopies and of the youths from their song-filled feasts. Blessed are You, Hashem, who gladdens the groom with the bride.
ברכה שביעית בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר בָּרָא שָׂשׂוֹן וְשִׂמְחָה, חָתָן וְכַלָּה, גִּילָה, רִנָּה, דִּיצָה, וְחֶדְוָה, אַהֲבָה וְאַחֲוָה, וְשָׁלוֹם וְרֵעוּת. מְהֵרָה ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ יִשָּׁמַע בְּעָרֵי יְהוּדָה וּבְחוּצוֹת יְרוּשָׁלָיִם, קוֹל שָׂשׂוֹן וְקוֹל שִׂמְחָה, קוֹל חָתָן וְקוֹל כַּלָּה, קוֹל מִצְהֲלוֹת חֲתָנִים מֵחֻפָּתָם וּנְעָרִים מִמִּשְׁתֵּה נְגִינָתָם, בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' מְשַׂמֵּחַ הֶחָתָן עִם הַכַּלָּה. (אָמֵן)	BLESSING 7 Blessed are You, Hashem our God, King of the universe, Creator of man. Blessed are You, Hashem our God, King of the universe, who created joy and gladness, bridegroom and bride, rejoicing, jubilation, pleasure, love, brotherhood, peace, and companionship. May there soon be heard in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem the sound of joy and the sound of gladness, the voice of the groom and the voice of the bride, the sound of the grooms’ jubilance from their canopies and of the youths from their song-filled feasts. Blessed are You, Hashem, who gladdens the groom with the bride.

Lyrics

Translation

בחלק מהמסורות האשכנזיות נהוג להקדים פיוט קצר זה:

מִי אַדִּיר עַל הַכֹּל, מִי בָּרוּךְ עַל הַכֹּל, מִי גָּדוֹל עַל הַכֹּל, מִי דָּגוּל עַל הַכֹּל, הוּא יְבָרֵךְ אֶת הֶחָתָן וְאֶת הַכַּלָּה.

In some Ashkenazi traditions, it is customary to precede a short piyut (liturgical poem) with the following verse:
Who is mighty over all, who is blessed over all, who is great over all, who is exalted over all, He shall bless the groom and the bride.

ברכה ראשונה

סַבְרֵי מָרָנָן

.הקהל: לְחַיִּים

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגָּפֶן. (אָמֵן)

BLESSING 1
Blessed are You, Hashem our God, King of the universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.

ברכה שנייה
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁהַכֹּל בָּרָא לִכְבוֹדוֹ. (אָמֵן)

BLESSING 2
Blessed are You, Hashem our God, King of the universe, who created all things for His glory

ברכה שלישית

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, יוֹצֵר הָאָדָם. (אָמֵן)

BLESSING 3
Blessed are You, Hashem our God, King of the universe, who created man in His image, in the image of His likeness, and prepared for him from his own self a building for perpetuity. Blessed are You, Hashem, Creator of man.

ברכה רביעית

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר יָצַר אֶת הָאָדָם בְּצַלְמו, בְּצֶלֶם דְּמוּת תַּבְנִיתוֹ וְהִתְקִין לוֹ מִמֶּנּוּ בִּנְיַן עֲדֵי עַד, בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' יוֹצֵר הָאָדָם. (אָמֵן)

BLESSING 4
May the barren one exult and be glad as her home is built through her children; and may she gladden in gathering her joyous children. Blessed are You, Hashem, who gladdens Zion through her children.

ברכה חמישית

שׂוֹשׂ תָּשִׂישׂ וְתָגֵל הָעֲקָרָה, בְּקִבּוּץ בָּנֶיהָ לְתוֹכָהּ בְּשִׂמְחָה, בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' מְשַׂמֵּחַ צִיּוֹן בְּבָנֶיהָ. (אָמֵן)

Blessing 5
Grant perfect joy to these loving companions, as You did to Your creation in the Garden of Eden. Blessed are You, Hashem, who grants the joy of bride and groom.

ברכה שישית

שַׂמֵּחַ תְּשַׂמַּח רֵעִים הָאֲהוּבִים, כְּשַׂמֵּחֲךָ יְצִירְךָ בְּגַן עֵדֶן מִקֶּדֶם, בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' מְשַׂמֵּחַ חָתָן וְכַלָּה. (אָמֵן)

Blessing 6
Blessed are You, Hashem our God, King of the universe, who created joy and gladness, bridegroom and bride, rejoicing, jubilation, pleasure, love, brotherhood, peace, and companionship. May there soon be heard in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem the sound of joy and the sound of gladness, the voice of the groom and the voice of the bride, the sound of the grooms’ jubilance from their canopies and of the youths from their song-filled feasts. Blessed are You, Hashem, who gladdens the groom with the bride.

ברכה שביעית

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר בָּרָא שָׂשׂוֹן וְשִׂמְחָה, חָתָן וְכַלָּה, גִּילָה, רִנָּה, דִּיצָה, וְחֶדְוָה, אַהֲבָה וְאַחֲוָה, וְשָׁלוֹם וְרֵעוּת. מְהֵרָה ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ יִשָּׁמַע בְּעָרֵי יְהוּדָה וּבְחוּצוֹת יְרוּשָׁלָיִם, קוֹל שָׂשׂוֹן וְקוֹל שִׂמְחָה, קוֹל חָתָן וְקוֹל כַּלָּה, קוֹל מִצְהֲלוֹת חֲתָנִים מֵחֻפָּתָם וּנְעָרִים מִמִּשְׁתֵּה נְגִינָתָם, בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' מְשַׂמֵּחַ הֶחָתָן עִם הַכַּלָּה. (אָמֵן)

BLESSING 7
Blessed are You, Hashem our God, King of the universe, Creator of man. Blessed are You, Hashem our God, King of the universe, who created joy and gladness, bridegroom and bride, rejoicing, jubilation, pleasure, love, brotherhood, peace, and companionship. May there soon be heard in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem the sound of joy and the sound of gladness, the voice of the groom and the voice of the bride, the sound of the grooms’ jubilance from their canopies and of the youths from their song-filled feasts. Blessed are You, Hashem, who gladdens the groom with the bride.