Question: At a Sheva Berachos in a yeshiva, some bochurim arrived accompanied by a non-Jew who was in the process of converting. The question arose, if such a person would have been at the wedding, would he be considered panim chadashos if he converted between the wedding and the Sheva Berachos? On one hand, he was present at the wedding and may have contributed to simchas chosson; on the other hand, perhaps as a non-Jew, his presence did not count in this regard, allowing him to now qualify as panim chadashos after his conversion?
Answer: The fundamental question here is, do we say that since he was not Jewish at the time of the wedding, it is as though he did not participate in the wedding. To clarify this halachic issue, we must first address the underlying rationale for requiring panim chadashos.
The Gemara in Kesubos (7b-8a) discusses the obligation of panim chadashos to recite the Sheva Berachos. The Rishonim debate what this refers to: According to the Rambam (and the first opinion cited in Shulchan Aruch, Even HaEzer 62:7), panim chadashos refers to someone who has not yet heard the berachos under the chuppah. The Rosh and other Rishonim hold that it refers to someone who has not yet participated in the seudah, even if they heard the berachos under the chuppah.
According to both of these reasons, seemingly one could argue that since the convert was a non-Jew at the time of the chuppah and now he is considered to be a different person, it could be considered as if he never heard the berachos, and that he never participated in the meal, as after all he is now a different person.
Indeed, this question was posed to Rav Chaim Kanievsky zt”l, who ruled that the convert can be considered panim chadashos. He quoted the Gemara in Kiddushin (62b), which states: “Initially, she was like a beast, but now [after she is freed], she is an independent mind.” In other words, her status has fundamentally changed, and she is now a new person halachically.
A similar story involved a man who, r”l, lived together with a non-Jewish woman. He was then chozer b’teshuvah and left her, and even vowed never to return to her. Years later, after studying diligently in yeshiva for twelve years, he was suggested a shidduch with a convert. Upon meeting her, he realized she was the same woman he had vowed to avoid! Rav Chaim ruled that since her status had entirely changed— “Initially, she was like an animal; now she is a person”—she is considered a different individual, and the man was permitted to marry her.
Thus, in the case of the convert attending the Sheva Berachos, his prior presence as a non-Jew is irrelevant, and he is halachically considered a valid panim chadashos.
The Gemara is referring to a maidservant who gets freed.
