...Continued from previous week
1) According to some opinions, it is permitted to think Torah thoughts before reciting Birchos haTorah. (Shulchan Aruch Siman 47:4)
Others maintain that Birchos haTorah is required even before thinking Torah thoughts. (ruling of the gaon of Vilna. See Mishna Berura Siman 47 S”K 7 and biur halacha dibur hamaschil hameharher. See also Shu”t HarTzvi orach chaim vol. 1 Siman 42)
2) If reading Torah thoughts from a sefer, it may be considered more than just thinking Torah thoughts and thus it is surely best to recite Birchos haTorah first. (see mor u'ktzia Siman 47)
3) Hearing words of Torah from someone (e.g. Listening to a live or recorded shiur on a Torah topic) according to many Poskim, is more stringent than just thinking Torah thoughts and surely requires Birchos Hatorah beforehand. (see Sha'arei Teshuva Siman 47:2.See also Shu”t Haelef lecha Shlomo Siman 35 where he rules more leniently in this matter)
4) There is a dispute amongst the Poskim if writing Torah thoughts requires Birchos haTorah beforehand. Thus, it is best to recite Birchos haTorah and recite some words of Torah before commencing to write words of Torah. (See Mishna Berura Siman 47 S”K 4)
5) Women are also obligated to pray each day. (see Rambam hilchos tefilah perek 1 halacha 2 and Shulchan Aruch Siman 106:1 and Mishna Berura S”K 4 at length)
However, according to many Rishonim and Poskim their obligation is not the same as men, and those that cannot daven the entire tefilah each day (due to raising young children, or other valid exemptions) could instead recite a "Tefilah ketzarah", a short prayer which includes a request, a praise and a giving of thanks to Hashem. (See Mishna Berura ibid, Kaf Hachaim Siman 110:11. See also Shu”t Machaze Eliyahu Siman 19:14 what he quotes from the Chazon Ish. See also Halichos bas Yisroel perek 2 footnote 2.)
6) Women who cannot daven the entire tefilah, yet can do more than a simple tefilah ketzarah, should keep in mind that certain parts of tefilah are bigger obligations for them than other parts and therefore they should say the more important parts first. (We shall discuss these obligations in detail as we progress in this topic B’ezras Hashem)
7) Women [who are able to] are obligated to recite Birchos haTorah. (See Shulchan Aruch Siman 47:14)
According to many Poskim their obligation is to recite these brachos is based on their obligation to learn the portions of Torah that apply to them. According to these Poskim, a woman may even exempt a man with these brachos. (see Biur Halacha end of Siman 47)
Other Poskim (including the Gaon of Vilna) maintain that women are exempt from any Torah learning and only recite these brachos similar to them reciting brachos on other mitzvos asei shehazman grama, time-bound Mitzvos. According to this opinion, they may not exempt men with these brachos. (Biur Halacha ibid.)
8) Women are obligated in all the brachos of Birchos Hashachar. (see Mishna Berura Siman 70 S”K 2 and Aruch HaShulchan Siman 70:1)
The only difference, as far as the text of the Birchos Hashachar, is that women should recite "Sheasani K'retzono- Hashem created me according to His will" instead of "Shelo asani isha- Hashem did not create me as a woman (who is obligated in less Mitzvos than a man), which is the version men say. (Shulchan Aruch Siman 46:4)
9) The Chida (in Avodas Hakodesh) as well as the Ya'avetz (in his siddur) bring a custom for women to say "Shelo asani goya" rather than the masculine "Goy" and shelo asani shifcha"(female maidservant) rather than "Eved" (male slave). (Rebbetzin Batsheva Kanievsky A”H used to recite this nusach each morning, in the presence of her holy husband, Rav Chaim Kanievsky Zatzal, who answered Amen to her brachos; obviously Rav Chaim followed this opinion)
10) However, most Poskim say that this change should not be made and women should say the same nusach as men as the collective goy includes women as does the collective eved. (see Aishel Avraham, butchatch, Siman 46:4)
...To be continued next week B’Ezras Hashem
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