Wedding Blessings for Two Female Identified Partners

In this version of the sheva brakhot, the blessings have been adapted for a lesbian wedding.


בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגָּֽפֶן.

Blessed are You Eternal our God Ruler of the universe, Creator of the fruit of the vine.

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁהַכֹּל בָּרָא לִכְבוֹדוֹ.

Blessed are You Eternal our God Ruler of the universe, Who created everything for God’s glory.

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, יוֹצֵר הָאָדָם.

Blessed are You Eternal our God Ruler of the universe, Creator of humans.

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר יָצַר אֶת הָאָדָם בְּצַלְמוֹ, בְּצֶֽלֶם דְּמוּת תַּבְנִיתוֹ, וְהִתְקִין לוֹ מִמֶּֽנּוּ בִּנְיַן עֲדֵי עַד. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, יוֹצֵר הָאָדָם.

Blessed are You Eternal our God Ruler of the universe, Who created humans in God’s image, in the image of the likeness You formed humans, and prepared for humans from Godself a building forever.  Blessed are You God, Creator of humans.

שׂוֹשׂ תָּשִׂישׂ וְתָגֵל הָעֲקָרָה בְּקִבּוּץ בָּנֶֽיהָ לְתוֹכָהּ בְּשִׂמְחָה. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, מְשַׂמֵּֽחַ צִיּוֹן בְּבָנֶֽיהָ.

Give great joy and rejoicing to the barren woman in the gathering of her children in her midst with joy.  Blessed are You God, Who makes Zion happy through her children.

שַׂמֵּֽחַ תְּשַׂמַּח רֵעוֹת הָאֲהוּבוֹת[1] כְּשַׂמֵּחֲךָ יְצִירְךָ בְּגַן עֵֽדֶן מִקֶּֽדֶם. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, מְשַׂמֵּֽחַ כַּלָּה וְכַלָּה. [2]

Make greatly happy loving friends like You made Your creation happy in the Garden of Eden previously.  Blessed are You God, who makes happy bride and bride.

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר בָּרָא שָׂשׂוֹן וְשִׂמְחָה, כַּלָּה וְכַלָּה[3], גִּילָה, רִנָּה, דִּיצָה וְחֶדְוָה, אַהֲבָה וְאַחֲוָה וְשָׁלוֹם וְרֵעוּת. מְהֵרָה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ יִשָּׁמַע בְּעָרֵי יְהוּדָה וּבְחֻצוֹת יְרוּשָׁלָֽיִם קוֹל שָׂשׂוֹן וְקוֹל שִׂמְחָה, קוֹל כַּלָּה וְקוֹל כַּלָּה[4], קוֹל מִצְהֲלוֹת כַּלּוֹת מֵחֻפָּתָן וּנְעָרִים מִמִּשְׁתֵּה נְגִינָתָם[5]. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, מְשַׂמֵּֽחַ כַּלָּה עִם הַכַּלָּה. [6]

Blessed are You Eternal our God Ruler of the Universe, Who created joy and happiness, bride and bride, rejoicing, song, cheer and delight, love and peoplehood and peace and friendship.  Speedily Eternal our God make heard in the cities of Judah and in the courtyards of Jerusalem a voice of joy and a voice of happiness, a voice of bride and a voice of bride, voice of exultation of brides from their chuppot and youths from their feasts of melody.  Blessed are You God Who makes the bride happy with the bride.

Read about the authors’ wedding and ritual decisions.


[1] The Hebrew ending of these words are changed to reflect that we are both female

[2] The language is changed to reflect that we are both female

[3] The language is changed to reflect that we are both female

[4] The language is changed to reflect that we are both female

[5] While we eliminated the “grooms” coming forth from their marriage canopies and replaced them with brides, we felt it important not to eliminate men entirely, and so we kept the “youths” with the masculine Hebrew endings

[6] The language is changed to reflect that we are both female

 

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