- Q. Can one pearson recite all the Sheva Brachot, if he is a Chazan and sings nicely?
A. Actually many Poskim believe that the same person must recite all of the brachot. See Shaarei Efraim on Hilchos Keriyas haTorah Shaar 9 Pischei Shearim 19, Shut Har Tzvi O.H. 44, cf. Pischei Teshuvos 61:17. They maintain that for one person to recite all of the blessings appears to be implied strongly by all of the Rishonim who discuss these brachos, especially considering that the brachos are considered “semuchim” or next to each other.
However, the near-universal practice in our communities in our times, is to divide the brochos up and honor various people to each recite a single bracha.
See also Igros Moseh E.H. 1: 94, Tzitz Eliezer 6:2:5, Yabia Omer 4:7, and Mishneh Halachos 4:204 who all defend this practice, although none of these poskim appear to be so encouraging of the custom. Rav Moshe Feinstein notes that all those reciting the brachos should still make sure to listen and say amen to all of the others. Read also Otzar Haposkim 62:3:4 and Teshuvos Bnei Banim 4:6 for further discussion of splitting the brachos generally as well as grouping various brachos together, such as the first two or the first six.
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
