Shulchan Aruch, Even HaEzer Siman 34

Siman 34

Presented here for study, not as a practical ruling. The Shulchan Aruch rules by Sephardi custom, the Rema's glosses by Ashkenazi custom, and the Kitzur follows Ashkenazi custom. For a practical question, ask your rabbi.

א כָּל הַמְקַדֵּשׁ אִשָּׁה, בֵּין עַל יְדֵי עַצְמוֹ בֵּין עַל יְדֵי שָׁלִיחַ, מְבָרֵךְ, הוּא אוֹ הַשָּׁלִיחַ (טוּר), וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים דְּאַחֵר מְבָרֵךְ, (סְמַ"ג וְהַגָּהוֹת מַיְמוֹנִי) וְכֵן נוֹהֲגִין: "אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו, וְצִוָּנוּ עַל הָעֲרָיוֹת, וְאָסַר לָנוּ הָאֲרוּסוֹת, וְהִתִּיר לָנוּ הַנְּשׂוּאוֹת [לָנוּ] עַל יְדֵי חֻפָּה בְּקִדּוּשִׁין, בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' מְקַדֵּשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל". וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים נֻסַּח הַבְּרָכָה בְּלָשׁוֹן אַחֵר, כִּי אוֹמְרִים: "וְהִתִּיר לָנוּ הַנְּשׂוּאוֹת עַל יְדֵי חֻפָּה וְקִדּוּשִׁין" (טוּר), וְחוֹתֵם: "בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' מְקַדֵּשׁ עַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל יְדֵי חֻפָּה וְקִדּוּשִׁין" (כֵּן כָּתַב הָרֹא"שׁ), וְכֵן נוֹהֲגִים בִּמְדִינוֹת אֵלּוּ. וְאַחַר שֶׁיִּגְמֹר הַבְּרָכָה, יְקַדֵּשׁ:
1 Whoever betroths a woman either personally or through an agent, recites the blessings -himself or the agent. There are those who are of the opinion that a different party recites the blessings, and that is our practice: "... who sanctified us through his commandments, and commanded us concerning forbidden relations, and forbade to us the betrothed, and permitted to us those whom we marry by the right of the bridal canopy and legal betrothal ceremony, Blessed are you God the One Who Sanctifies Israel." There are are of the opinion that the language of the blessing is different, for they have the custom to say: "... and permitted to us the betrothed, and permitted to us those whom we marry via the bridal canopy and through the legal betrothal ceremony, Blessed are you God the One Who Sanctifies Israel via the bridal canopy and through the legal marriage ceremony." After he recites the blessing, he betroths her.
ב נָהֲגוּ לְהַסְדִּיר בְּרָכָה זוֹ עַל כּוֹס שֶׁל יַיִן, וּמְבָרֵךְ עָלָיו תְּחִלָּה, וְאַחַר כָּךְ מְבָרֵךְ בְּרָכָה זוֹ. וְאִם אֵין שָׁם יַיִן אוֹ שֵׁכָר, מְבָרֵךְ אוֹתָהּ בִּפְנֵי עַצְמָהּ:
2 There is a tradition to regulate the blessing on a cup of wine (this is a reference to brachot during benching of sheva brachot on wine). Make a blessing at the at the beginning (of the sheva brachot) and then afterwards make another blessing. If there is no wine or liquor make a blessing on nothing.
ג אִם לֹא בֵּרַךְ בִּרְכַּת אֵרוּסִין בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁקִּדֵּשׁ, לֹא יְבָרֵךְ אוֹתָהּ בִּשְׁעַת נִשּׂוּאִין. הַגָּה: וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים דִּמְבָרְכִין אוֹתָהּ בִּשְׁעַת הַנִּשּׂוּאִין (מָרְדְּכַי פֶּרֶק קַמָּא דִּכְתֻבּוֹת), וְכֵן נוֹהֲגִין. אֲפִלּוּ קִדֵּשׁ אִשָּׁה מִזְּמַן אָרֹךְ, מְבָרְכִין בִּרְכַּת אֵרוּסִין תַּחַת הַחֻפָּה. וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים דְּחוֹזֵר וּמְקַדֵּשׁ אוֹתָהּ תַּחַת הַחֻפָּה, כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּהְיוּ הַקִּדּוּשִׁין סְמוּכִין לַבְּרָכָה (רִיבָ"שׁ סִימָן פ"ב). וְעַיֵּן לְקַמָּן סִימָן ל"ו. וְאִם בֵּרַךְ כְּבָר בִּרְכַּת אֵרוּסִין בִּשְׁעַת קִדּוּשִׁין הָרִאשׁוֹנִים, יֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים דְּחוֹזְרִים וּמְבָרְכִים תַּחַת הַחֻפָּה בְּלֹא הַזְכָּרַת שֵׁם, מִשּׁוּם הָרוֹאִים (שָׁם בָּרִיבָ"שׁ לְעִנְיַן הַמְקַדֵּשׁ עַל יְדֵי שָׁלִיחַ), וְכֵן נִרְאֶה לִי:
3 If the blessing for betrothal is not recited at the time [the man] betrothes [the woman], it should not be said at the time of marriage. Rem'ah: And there are those that say that one does say the betrothal blessing at the time of the marriage (Mordechai, Ch. 1 of Ketubot), and this is what is done. Even if [a man] betrothes a woman a long time [before the wedding], the betrothal blessing is said under the wedding canopy (Chuppah). And there are those that say that [the man] should go back and betroth the woman under the chuppah, in order that the betrothal should be adjacent to the blessing (Rivash, Siman 82). See also above, Siman 36. And if the betrothal blessing had already been said at the time of the initial betrothal, there are those that say that [the man] should go back and say the blessing [of betrothal] under the chuppah without the Tetragrammaton, for the sake of appearances. ([See] there in the Rivash for the issue of a man who betrothes by means of an emissary). And this appears [correct] to me.
ד בִּרְכַּת אֵרוּסִין צְרִיכָה עֲשָׂרָה, לְכַתְּחִלָּה:
4 The blessing for betrothal requires [a quorum] of ten [men], initially.
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