Sheva' Berakhot ("Seven Blessings")

The Sheva' berakhot ("Seven Blessings") are a central component of the Jewish wedding ceremony. This recording is a unique rendition of this prayer that comprises the closing section of the wedding ceremony that takes place under the huppah (wedding canopy).  The performance consists of a recitation formula similar to that of other benedictions. This formula consists of two parts as do most Jewish liturgical blessings. Since the benedictions have very diverse textual lengths from very short to very long the melody is prolonged by additional motives. The first part covering the opening text of the blessing varies with each repetition depending on the length of the text of each blessing. The second part comprising the blessing formula itself (starting with the words Barukh ata "Blessed by you") is similar in all the repetitions. The benedictions end here with the formula Hodu ladonay ki tov ki le'olam hasdo tanosna anabot mi-ysrael vetirbena semahot ("Let us thank the Lord for His kindness for His mercy is forever let the suffering disappear from Israel and joyful occasions proliferate").

The complete, traditional version of the Seven Blessings included here employs a traditional melody from Amsterdam in a major mode, repeated with each blessing. This formula is similar to the one recorded in other Western Sephardi traditions, such as the Italian ones from Livorno and Florence (see Consolo 1892: 77-80; compare with the CD Rugiade di Canti/ Singing Dew: The Florence-Leghorn Jewish Musical Traditions, Beth Hatefutsoth, BTR 0201, no. 20).