The Geonic Bracha on Virginity (ברכת בתולים)

Large list of brachot here: קטגוריה: ברכות - ויקיפדיה. Other brachot subject to controversy here: קטגוריה: ברכות שנויות במחלוקת - ויקיפדיה, especially ברכת ברוך שפטרני מעונשו של זה ; ברכת לשמור חוקיו

Outline

1. Intro

2. The Bracha of Virginity

3. The text of the Bracha of Virginity

4. The custom around the bracha

5. Opposition to the Blessing

6. Appendix - Blessings on Betrothal and Marriage (Ketubot 7b-8a)

Intro

Berakhah - Wikipedia:

[A berakhah] is a formula of blessing or thanksgiving, recited in public or private, usually before the performance of a commandment, or the enjoyment of food or fragrance, and in praise on various occasions.

The function of a berakhah is to acknowledge God as the source of all blessing. It can be both a declaration of dependence and an expression of gratitude for God and his gifts. Berakhot also have an educational function to transform a variety of everyday actions and occurrences into religious experiences designed to increase awareness of God at all times. For this purpose, the Talmudic sage, Rabbi Meir, declared that it was the duty of every Jew to recite one hundred berakhot every day.

The Mishnah of tractate Berakhot, and the Talmud contain detailed rabbinical discussions of berakhot, upon which the laws and practice of reciting blessings are founded.

Berakhot typically start with the words "Blessed are You, Lord our God..."

The Bracha of Virginity

Based on ברכת בתולים – ויקיפדיה, with adjusments.^[1] See there for citations of sources. For a general entry on halachot related to virginity, see בתולה (הלכה) – ויקיפדיה.

The Bracha of Virginity is not mentioned in the Talmud. It is first mentioned in Halachot Gedolot, a work from the Geonic period (~600-1000). The husband says it after taking the virginity of his new wife. Rabbeinu Tam (1100-1171) cites it in his Sefer HaYashar in the name of R’ Yehudai Gaon (flourished ~760 CE).

The text of the Bracha of Virginity

Here’s the full text  of the Bracha of Virginity:

ברוך אתה ה', אלהינו מלך העולם,

אשר צג אגוז בגן עדן,

שושנת העמקים,

 בל ימשל זר במעין חתום,

על כן אילת אהבים

שמרה בטהרה,

וחק לא הפרה,

ברוך אתה ה' הבוחר בזרעו של אברהם

"Blessed are you, Lord, our God, King of the Universe,

who set (צג)^[2] a walnut tree (אגוז) in the Garden of Eden,

a rose of the valleys (שושנת העמקים),

lest a stranger rule over a sealed spring (מעין חתום),

therefore a loving doe (אילת אהבים),

she protected in purity,

and she did not break the law,

Blessed are you, Lord, who chooses from the offspring of Abraham."

The text of the bracha is quite allusive. It uses a euphemistic symbol for virginity: “sealed spring” - מעין חתום. This symbol is an allusion to the verse in Shir Hashirim 4:12:

גן  נעול

אחתי כלה

גל נעול

מעין חתום

A garden locked

Is my own, my bride,

A fountain locked,

A sealed-up spring.

Other allusions to poetic phrases in the Bible are:  “rose / lily of the valleys” (שושנת העמקים - Shir Hashirim 2:1); “loving doe” ( Mishlei 5:19 - אילת אהבים). The “walnut tree” (אגוז ) is likely an allusion to the beginning of this verse in Shir Hashirim 6:11:

אל־גנת אגוז ירדתי

I went down to the walnut (אגוז) grove

This verse in Shir Hashirim is the only time in Tanakh that the word egoz is mentioned.^[3]

Why a walnut? I can think of two possibilities:^[4]

1. A walnut has a hard shell. This symbolizes the woman having protected her virginity.^[5] Similar to the other symbol in the bracha - “sealed-up spring” (מעין חתום). And even more explicit in the bracha, when it mentions “she protected in purity” ( שמרה בטהרה) and “she did not break the law” (חק לא הפרה).

2. An opened walnut looks like a vagina.

The custom around the bracha

From the responsa of the Rambam, it appears that in some places the custom was as follows: The groom did not leave his house during the seven days of feasting after the wedding. On Shabbat, the community would gather there to pray or bless him. At that time, one of them would bless this blessing over a cup of wine and spices.

Opposition to the Blessing

Opposition to the blessing was expressed for two reasons. First, because this is a blessing not mentioned in the Talmud. In addition, the Rambam in his responsa opposed the blessing also due to the public mention of virginity (according to the custom in his time to bless the blessing in public), which constitutes a lack of modesty, and even wrote that it should be abolished:

"ברכה הנקראת ברכת בתולים, הרי היא ברכה לבטלה בלא ספק, נוסף להיותה מנהג מגונה מאוד, שיש בו מחוסר הצניעות ומזניחת קדושת הדת וטהרתה מה שאין למעלה ממנו,

רוצה לומר אותה התקהלות מגונה שקוראים קידוש בתולים.

ואסור למי שיש בו יראת שמים או צניעות לבוא אליו בשום פנים"

"The bracha called the Blessing of Virginity is undoubtedly a blessing in vain (ברכה לבטלה), in addition to being a bad custom (מנהג מגונה), which lacks modesty and neglects the sanctity of the religion and its purity;

meaning that disgusting assembly called the Sanctifying of Sirginity (קידוש בתולים).

And anyone who fears God or is modest should not come to it in any way."

Because of this concern, some halachists say to state this bracha privately.

The Shulchan Aruch brings this blessing in the name of "some say" (Even HaEzer (63:2)):

ויש אומרים שאחר שמצא בתולים מברך בא"י אלהינו מלך העולם אשר צג אגוז בגן עדן וכו' 

(וי"א דאין מברכין אותה בלא כוס)

Some authorities say that after he finds the virginity he should recite the bracha ‘Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who set a walnut tree in the Garden of Eden' etc.

Rem"a: Other authorities say that we do not recite this blessing without a cup of wine.

Appendix - Blessings on Betrothal and Marriage (Ketubot 7b-8a)

Blessing on Betrothal

Ketubot.7b.9

ברכת הארוסין מאי מברך?

רבין בר רב אדא, ורבה בר רב אדא, תרוייהו משמיה דרב יהודה אמרי:

1. ״ברוך אתה ה׳ אלהינו מלך העולם,

2. אשר קדשנו במצותיו,

3. וצונו על העריות,

4. ואסר לנו את הארוסות,

5. והתיר לנו את הנשואות על ידי חופה וקדושין״.

רב אחא בריה דרבא מסיים בה, משמיה דרב יהודה:

״ברוך אתה ה׳, מקדש ישראל על ידי חופה וקדושין״.

With regard to the benediction of the betrothal (ארוסין), what formula does one recite?

Ravin bar Rav Adda and Rabba bar Rav Adda both said in the name of Rav Yehuda:

1. Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe,

2. Who sanctified us through His mitzvot,

3. and commanded us concerning the forbidden relatives (עריות),

4. and prohibited to us those women who are betrothed,

5. and permitted to us those women who are married (נשואות) by means of the wedding canopy (חופה - Chuppah) and betrothal.

Rav Aḥa, son of Rava, concludes the blessing in the name of Rav Yehuda:

Blessed are You, Lord, Who sanctifies Israel by means of the wedding canopy and betrothal.

Blessing on Marriage

Ketubot.7b.12-8a.6

מאי מברך?

אמר רב יהודה:

The Gemara asks: What blessings does one recite?

Rav Yehuda said that these are the seven blessings:

Blessing #1

1. ״ברוך אתה ה׳,

2. אלהינו מלך העולם,

3. שהכל ברא לכבודו״.

1. Blessed are You, Lord

2. our God, King of the universe,

3. Who has created all for His glory.

Blessing #2

ו

״יוצר האדם״.

And the second blessing is:

Blessed are You…Creator of mankind.

Blessing #3

ו

1. ״אשר יצר את האדם בצלמו,

2. בצלם דמות תבניתו,

3. והתקין לו ממנו בנין עדי עד.

4. ברוך אתה ה׳, יוצר האדם״.

And the third blessing is: Blessed are You…

1. Who made humanity in His image,

2. in the image of the likeness of His form,

3. and out of His very self formed a building (see Genesis 2:22) for eternity.

4. Blessed are You, Lord, Creator of mankind.

Blessing #4

1. ״שוש תשיש, ותגל העקרה,

2. בקבוץ בניה לתוכה בשמחה.

3. ברוך אתה ה׳, משמח ציון בבניה״.

The fourth blessing is:

1. May the barren city of Jerusalem greatly rejoice and delight

2. with the ingathering of her children within her in joy.

3. Blessed are You, Lord, Who gladdens Zion through her children.

Blessing #5

1. ״שמח תשמח ריעים האהובים,

2. כשמחך יצירך בגן עדן מקדם,

3. ברוך אתה ה׳, משמח חתן וכלה״.

The fifth blessing is:

1. Bring great joy to these loving friends,

2. as You gave joy to Your creations in Eden in ancient times.

3. Blessed are You, Lord, Who brings joy to the groom and bride.

Blessing #6

1. ״ברוך אתה ה׳,

2. אלהינו מלך העולם,

3. אשר ברא ששון ושמחה,

4. חתן וכלה,

5. גילה, רינה, דיצה, חדוה,

6. אהבה, ואחוה, ושלום, וריעות.

7. מהרה, ה׳ אלהינו, ישמע בערי יהודה, ובחוצות ירושלים

8. קול ששון, וקול שמחה,

9. קול חתן, וקול כלה,

10. קול מצהלות חתנים מחופתם, ונערים ממשתה נגינתם,

11. ברוך אתה ה׳, משמח חתן עם הכלה״.

The sixth blessing is:

1. Blessed are You, Lord

2. our God, King of the universe,

3. Who has created joy and gladness,

4. groom and bride,

5. delight, exultation, happiness, jubilation,

6. love and brotherhood, and peace and friendship.

7. Soon, Lord our God, may there be heard in the cities of Judea and in the streets of Jerusalem

8. the sound of joy and the sound of gladness,

9. the sound of the groom and the sound of the bride,

10. the joyous sound of grooms from their wedding canopy and of young people from their feast of song (see Jeremiah 33:11).

11. Blessed are You, Lord, Who makes the groom rejoice with the bride. Together with the blessing over the wine, these are the seven wedding blessings.

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^[1] See also: Arthur Marmorstein, "The Jewish 'Blessing of Virginity'", Journal of Jewish Studies, 1 (1948), pp.33-34 ;  Ruth Langer, "The Birkat Betulim: A Study of the Jewish Celebration of Bridal Virginity", Proceedings of the American Academy for Jewish Research Vol. 61 (1995), pp. 53-94 ;

 ישראל דוידזון, אוצר השירה והפיוט, ניו יורק ,0791 בערך "ברוך אשר צג אגוז בגן עדן" ; ענת קוטנר, "ברכת אשר צג גלגולי ברכה שנעלמה", גרנות 3 (תשס"ג), עמ' 179-187 ;

ישראל מ' תא-שמע, "תשובת הרמב"ם בענין ברכת-בתולים", Maimonidean Studies 2 (1992) pp.  9-15 ; תא-שמע, "ברכת בתולים", בתוך התפילה האשכנזית הקדומה (תשס"ג), עמ' 181–187.

^[2] "השורש צו"ג מקורו בשורש יצ"ג. -הציג" (צג - ויקימילון, #2)

^[3] See אגוז - ויקימילון. It is a loanword from the Persian goz, see here, under “Etymology”. As that Hebrew Wiktionary entry points, it’s possible that the aleph at the beginning of the Hebrew word egoz is a prosthetic aleph. On the prosthetic aleph, see אל"ף מַקדימה - האקדמיה ללשון העברית. See also here: “From Middle Persian [...] (gōz, “walnut”), from unattested Old Persian *angauza, probably ultimately from Old Iranian *gauza- (“nut”) [...] (compare Sanskrit [...] (gū́hati, “to cover, conceal”))”.

See also my earlier piece, “Waves from the West: Uncovering some Greco-Roman Undercurrents in the Sea of Talmud” (May 21, 2023), section “Prosthetic Aleph”.

^[4] I’d like to thank SL for talking this over with me.

^[5] Compare the previous footnote, that the word egoz may be related to the Sanskrit word “[...] (gū́hati, “to cover, conceal”))”