- Q. See question above. Kvod Horav. I was recently also in a wedding when the following argument arose:
We all knew that in order to recite the Sheva Brachot (The traditional Seven Blessings recited after the meal of a Sheva Brachot celebration, that is the daily meal given for the newlyweds during the week after their wedding), we need the presence of someone who has not attended yet. We mentioned that the reason is to increase the joy and pleasure of the new couple. Then it got more complicated. An argument arose if the new attending present individual have to also eat by the festive meal?
A. The reason given for the above attendance by the Talmud (Kesubos 7b), is the teaching of a Baraisa: “Sheva brachos are recited with a quorum (ten men) for all seven days. Rav adds: On condition that there are “Ponim Chadashos.” The Gemara explains that at the first meal sheva brachos are always recited, but at the additional remaining meals of the Seven Days, their recitation—except for the final blessing, which is always recited, is contingent on the necessary presence of those “Ponim Chadoshos” or “New Faces” that were not present before.
Tosafos explains that the basic definition and need of “ponim chadashos” is : “That Panim chadashos must be new people, that were not present before, and therefore bring extra joy.”
A similar explanation is also given by the Rosh (Kesubos 1:13), who adds that Panim Chadashos are people who have not eaten yet at one of the wedding feasts, even if they were present at the chupah. According to this opinion, the additional joy depends on the presence of panim chadashos at the meal (though it is possible that they don’t actually have to eat; see Bach, Even Ha'ezer 62), and panim chadashos are therefore people who just had hitherto not been present at a wedding meal.
Based on this definition, Poskim explain that panim chadashos are specifically “important people, for whom the food and drink at a meal is augmented” (See Bach; Aruch Hashulchan 62:26). As the Bach adds (see also Beis Shmuel 62:10), there is no need for an actual increase in the quantity or quality of the food, but only that the people should be worthy of such an increase.
In principle, even one who did not participate on the meal can be considered Panim Chadashos, however Poskim write that it is preferable that they should be part of the meal and eat bread, yet after the fact, even eating any other food is acceptable. (Aleff Lecha Shlomo, O.H. 9, quoting Mori Verabi, Hagaon Rav Moshe Feinshtein ZT”L
See next question.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by, Horav Yaakov Hirschman, Horav Dovid Pam, Horav Aharon Miller, Horav Chanoch Ehrentreu and Horav Kalman Ochs Shlit'a
Important Numbers
