If, at a Sheba Berachot celebration, one of the Berachot was mistakenly recited out of sequence, should the skipped Beracha or Berachot be recited out of order, or should the group proceed from the Beracha that was recited?
The Halachic authorities cite the ruling of the Debar Shemuel (147) that the sequence of the Sheba Berachot is not "Me’akeb," meaning, it is not a prerequisite for the validity of the Berachot. Therefore, if a Beracha was mistakenly skipped, it should still be recited, even out of order. This ruling is mentioned by the Be’er Heteb, and is also the position of Hacham Ovadia Yosef, in his work Yabia Omer (vol. 4, Siman 354).
The exception to this Halacha is a case where the Beracha of "Asher Yasar Et Ha’adam Be’salmo" was mistakenly recited before the Beracha of "Yoser Ha’adam." The Halachic authorities debate the question of whether the Beracha of "Yoser Ha’adam" may be recited if it was mistakenly skipped, and Rav Moshe Feinstein (Russia-New York, 1895-1986), in Iggerot Moshe (vol. 4, Siman 88), ruled that it should not be recited in such a case. Thus, although generally the Sheba Berachot may be recited out of order, the Beracha of "Yoser Ha’adam" should not be recited if the Beracha of "Asher Yasar" was mistakenly recited first.
Another situation addressed by the Halachic authorities is where the person invited to recite the Beracha of "Sos Tasis" or "Same’ah Tesamah" mistakenly began reciting the words "Baruch Ata Hashem…" These Berachot do not begin with "Baruch Ata Hashem," and the question thus arises as to how one should proceed if he mistakenly began "Baruch Ata Hashem" when he was supposed to recite "Sos Tasis" or "Same’ah Tesamah." Some Poskim ruled that in such a case the individual should simply proceed with "Sos Tasis" or "Same’ah Tesamah" as usual. Others, however, maintained that he should recite the last Beracha, "Asher Bara Sason Ve’simha," because once he began "Baruch Ata Hashem" he must recite a Beracha that is supposed to begin with that text. Another option is to simply recite the words "Boreh Peri Ha’gefen" and sip some wine, after which one may recite "Sos Tasis" or "Same’ah Tesamah" as usual.
Summary: If one or several of the Sheba Berachot were mistakenly skipped, the skipped Beracha or Berachot may be recited, even out of sequence. The exception is the Beracha of "Yoser Ha’adam," which should not be recited after the Beracha of "Asher Yasar Et Ha’adam." If a person mistakenly recited "Baruch Ata Hashem" when he was supposed to recite "Sos Tasis" or "Same’ah Tesamah," he should either just continue with the proper Beracha, or recite the Beracha of "Asher Bara." Another option is to continue "Boreh Peri Ha’gefen" and sip some wine.
