Sheva Brachot Text and Guide

Sheva Brachot are seven blessings recited over wine during the wedding ceremony, after the wedding feast, and following festive meals during the next seven days.

Before Grace, two full cups of wine are prepared: one for the individual leading the Grace and the other for the Sheva Brachot blessings. The one leading the Grace calls for order, saying, "Let us bless our G‑d. in whose abode there is joy, of whose bounty we have eaten," and all attendees respond accordingly (following the text in a standard siddur).

(Some communities have the custom for the one leading the Grace to add the Devai Haser hymn (see below) to the introduction. This hymn prays for the day when the Temple will be rebuilt, when we will all experience ultimate joy.)

Six guests are then invited to sequentially recite the first six blessings of the Sheva Brachot while holding the Sheva Brachot cup. Then the one who led Grace After Meals recites the Hagafen blessing aloud over the wine and sips from his cup (this is the seventh blessing).

(Note that under the chuppah, the Hagafen blessing over wine is said first, not last.)

Hebrew Text and Transliteration of Sheva Brachot

English Translation of Sheva Brachot

1. Blessed are You, L-rd our G‑d, King of the universe, who has created all things for His glory.
2. Blessed are You, L-rd our G‑d, King of the universe, Creator of man.
3. Blessed are You, L-rd our G‑d, King of the universe, who created man in His image, in the image [of His] likeness [He fashioned] his form, and prepared for him from his own self an everlasting edifice. Blessed are You L-rd, Creator of man.
4. May the barren one [Jerusalem] rejoice and be happy at the ingathering of her children to her midst in joy. Blessed are You L-rd, who gladdens Zion with her children.
5. Grant abundant joy to these loving friends, as You bestowed gladness upon Your created being in the Garden of Eden of old. Blessed are You L-rd, who gladdens the groom and bride.
6. Blessed are You, L-rd our G‑d, King of the universe, who created joy and happiness, groom and bride, gladness, jubilation, cheer and delight, love, friendship, harmony and fellowship. L-rd our G‑d, let there speedily be heard in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem the sound of joy and the sound of happiness, the sound of a groom and the sound of a bride, the sound of exultation of grooms from under their chupah, and youths from their joyous banquets. Blessed are You L-rd, who gladdens the groom with the bride.
7. Blessed are You, L-rd our G‑d, King of the universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.

The wine in both cups are mixed by pouring a bit from each into the other. Take care not to first pour from the cup that has been drunk from into the other. Rather, first pour “untainted” wine into the “tainted” cup before proceeding to pour back from the “tainted” cup into the “untainted” one. (Some have the custom to first pour from both cups into a third cup.)

The groom sips from one cup, and the bride sips from the other. Many participants have the custom to also partake of this wine since it is considered kos shel brachah, “wine of blessing.”

Devai Haser

In many communities, it is customary to insert the following hymn in the leader's introduction to the Grace after Meals:

Translation

Remove distress, and also wrath,
Then the dumb will burst forth in song;
He shall lead us in straight paths,
Accepting the blessing of the children of Jeshurun [Aaron].

• Learn about the Sheva Brachot during the ceremony
• Learn about the Sheva Brachot at the wedding feast
• Learn about the seven days of Sheva Brachot
• What to expect at a Sheva Brachot