The Blessings That are Made on the Birth of a Son or Daughter (part II)
- When twin boys are born, the blessing is recited once, but with both children
in mind. - When a son is born, the parents are permitted to recite the “shehechiyanu”
blessing, but it should be recited before saying “hatov vehameitiv” because
the “shehechiyanu” blessing includes “hatov vehameitiv”. Those
who have the custom of reciting the “shehechiyanu” blessing at the bris
should have the birth (as well as the bris) of the child in mind while saying
it. - The blessing “hatov vehameitiv” is not recited at the birth of a
daughter, even if (so it seems from the silence of the poskim on this point)
the parents had sons and wanted a daughter. Nevertheless, the Mishnah Brurah
points out the parents can certainly recite the “shehechiyanu” blessing
when seeing her for the first time, just as they would say the blessing after
seeing a friend for the first time after a month. - If a person recites the “shehechiyanu” blessing upon seeing his son,
and then, it turns out, the nurses made a mistake and showed him the wrong child,
he recites the blessing again, just as he would if he were to see a friend for
the first time in thirty days. Nevertheless, if he recited the “hatov vehameitiv”
blessing he does not say it again, just as he would not say it again if he recited
it when first hearing of the birth of a son. - When a person hears of the birth of a child, he should not thank the bearer
of good news before reciting the appropriate blessings, so as not to “address
the servant before addressing the Master.”
