Note: These Halachos are just as important for men to learn and know, as they are for women.
When Reading in Shul, DO NOT Read During Davening or Krias HaTorah
...Continued from previous week
1) Women are obligated to pray each day. (See Rambam Hilchos Tefilah Perek 1 Halacha 2 and Shulchan Aruch Siman 106:1)
However, according to many Rishonim and Poskim their obligation is not the same as men, and those who cannot daven the entire Tefilah each day (due to raising young children, or other valid exemptions) could simply recite a “Tefilah Ketzarah”, a short prayer which includes a request, a praise and a giving of thanks to Hashem. (See Mishna Berura Siman 106 S”K 4).
2) There are certain segments of Tefilah and certain Brachos that are more important than others for women to recite, as we shall see as we progress.
3) Women are obligated in all the Brachos of Birchos HaShachar. The only difference: 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 men say.
4) The Chida and others bring a Sephardic custom for women to say “Shelo Asani Goya” rather than the masculine “goy” and “Shelo Asani Shifcha” (female maidservant) rather than “Eved” (male slave). (This was the minhag of Rebbetzin Batsheva Kanievsky A"H, wife of Rav Chaim Kanievsky Zatzal, who recited this Nusach each morning, in the presence of her saintly husband, who answered Amen to her brachos.)
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.
5) Jewish males have an obligation to recite [at least] 100 Brachos every single day (According to the Bais Yosef and most Rishonim this “day” also begins at sunset, like most other things in Halacha. Others argue and maintain that for this it begins in the morning).
6) Rav Shlomo Zalmen Auerbach, Rav Shmuel Wosner Zichronam L’vracha, and others maintain that women and children are not obligated in this requirement, but do get reward if they try and fulfill this obligation. (See Halichos Shlomo Perek 22:25 and Shu"t Shevet Haleivi Vol. 5 Siman 23)
7) The Shulchan Aruch Harav quotes Rabbeinu Yonah that women are obligated in saying Parshas HaTamid.
8) Though most women nowadays do not have the custom to say Karbanos or Parshas HaTamid daily, in an instance that a woman would be obligated in bringing a korban (if the Bais Hamikdash was standing, such as a Korban Yoledes 41 days after giving birth to a son or 81 days after giving birth to a daughter, or if she did a sin by mistake, and thus would be obligated in bringing a Korban Chatas etc.) she should indeed read the corresponding Parsha in the Chumash to satisfy her obligation.
9) Every Jew (male and female, regardless if they plan on learning any Torah that day or not) is obligated to say “Birchos HaTorah” (blessings before learning, reciting, hearing or even writing any Torah) every day. This is an extremely important obligation, and every effort should be made to be meticulous in these blessings.
The Talmud (Nedarim 81a) relates that the reason that Eretz Yisroel was destroyed, even though the people were great scholars and learned Torah all day, was because they weren’t careful to recite Birchos HaTorah before learning (according to Rashi and Ran’s interpretation), and thus showed that they didn’t revere the holiness of the Torah; they regarded it as any other subject matter to be learned (i.e. science, astronomy, astrology, etc.)
Having this attitude towards the Torah is extremely harmful to the Jewish people. Our holy Torah is the vehicle through which each and every Jew merits Olam Haba as well as Olam Hazeh, and isn’t simply another subject matter!
10) The Mishna Berura (Siman 47 S”K 2) quotes Chazal that one who isn’t careful to say Birchos HaTorah will G-d forbid not merit to have sons who are Talmidei Chachamim. It is also important to recite the Birchos HaTorah with extreme Simcha (joy) and concentration, and with great thanks to Hashem for choosing us as His people and giving us His most prized possession [The Torah)] (See Chayei Adam Klal 9:2).
It is the accepted custom to recite the Birchos HaTorah while standing.
...To be continued B’Ezras Hashem next week
