...Continued from previous week
1) Amongst the Tefilos that are said in the morning before davening are "Shma Yisroel...", Baruch Sheim Kevod Malchuso...", "Atah Hu Ad Shelo Nivra HaOlam...Baruch Mekadesh Es Shimcha B'Rabim (or "HaMekadesh Sh'mo B'Rabim", according to the Nusach of the Gaon of Vilna. See Rama Siman 46:9)
2) When reciting the aforementioned "Shema Yisroel..." it is important to specifically have in mind that you do not want to satisfy your obligation of Krias Shema with this recital, as it is better to satisfy the obligation of the morning Krias Shema during Shacharis, along with Birchos Krias Shema (Yotzer Ohr and Ahavas Olam/Ahava Rabba, the way it was instituted by Chazal. (Mishna Berura Siman 46 S"K 31)
However, if by waiting until during davening to say Shema, one will miss the proper time of reciting Krias Shema, then he should indeed have in mind to satisfy his obligation with the earlier recital, even though it is being recited without the Birchos Krias Shma. (ibid.)
3) The Talmud (Megilah 31b) teaches us that nowadays that we don't have a Bais Hamikdash (may it be rebuilt speedily in our day), any person that delves into [the learning about] Karbanos (ritual sacrifices) is considered as if he actually brought that sacrifice.
Therefore it is a good custom to recite [and ideally understand the meaning of] the Pesukim of the Karbanos each morning before davening. It is also a good custom to recite the Parshiyos of the Kiyor (ritual water basin), Ketores (ritual incense) and Terumas HaDeshen (ritual Mizbayach ash shoveling) each day along with the Parsha of Karbanos. (See Shulchan Aruch Siman 1:5 and 9. See also Mishna Berura Siman 48 S"K 1. The Mekor chaim Siman 1:9 quotes the RiKanti (one of the Rishonim) that saying these Parshiyos is a Segulah for a good memory.)
4) There is a dispute amongst the Poskim if one is required to stand while reciting the Karbanos. It is therefore best to stand, if possible. If one can't stand for all of it, at least when reciting the Parshas HaTamid he should stand (Ruling of HaRav Chaim Kanievsky Zatzal in his Sefer Orchos Yosher page 102. See also Aruch Hashulchan Siman 1:26 that Kohanim surely should stand when reciting the parshiyos of Korbanos)
The Shulchan Aruch Harav quotes Rabbeinu Yonah that women are also obligated to recite Parshas HaTamid. Though most women nowadays do not have the custom to say Karbanos or Parshas HaTamid, if a woman knows that she is obligated in bringing a korban (were the Bais Hamikdash standing, for instance a Korban Yoledes 41 days after giving birth to a son or 81 days after giving birth to a daughter, or if she committed a sin by mistake, and thus would be obligated to bring a Korban Chatas, and the like) she should indeed read that Parsha in the Chumash to satisfy her obligation.
5) Every Jew (male and female alike), 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 with these blessings. (Shulchan Aruch Siman 47:1-3)
The Talmud (Nedarim 81a) relates that the reason that Eretz Yisroel was destroyed, even though they 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 and rather 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! (See Mishna Berura Siman 47 S”K 2)
6) One who isn't careful to recite birchos hatorah will chas v’shalom not merit to have sons who are Talmidei Chachamim, Torah scholars. 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 nation and giving us His most prized possession [the Torah].
It is also the accepted custom to recite the birchos hatorah while standing. (See Chayei Adam klal 9:2 and Mishna Berura ibid.).
...To be continued next week B’Ezras Hashem
