...Continued from previous week
1) 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)
2) One who isn't careful to recite birchos haTorah will G-d forbid 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.)
3) According to many rishonim (including Ramban, Rashba, Sefer Hachinuch, Rambam [according to the interpretation of the Aruch HaShulchan Siman 47:2], and others) birchos haTorah are a biblical obligation. (See Mishna Berura Siman 47 S”K 1)
Others (including Rambam [according to the interpretation of the Sha'agas Aryeh], Levush, and Ma'amar Mordechai) maintain that it is a rabbinic obligation. We are stringent and are concerned for the latter opinion, and thus if one isn't sure if he recited them or if one was awake all night, he/she should not say them him/herself and should rather hear them from someone else or have in mind by the blessing of "Ahava Rabba" / "Ahavas Olam" to satisfy the obligation. (see Mishna Berura ibid.)
4) The following 3 brachos form "birchos haTorah", and each serves a unique purpose (see Shulchan Aruch Siman 47:5):
- a) ...Asher kideshanu...La'asok b'divrei Torah (a birchas hamitzvos. Necessary as learning Torah is a mitzvah like many other mitzvos that require a bracha before performing them)
- b) V'haarev na...V'nih'yeh anachnu v'tzetza'enu... (birchas hanehenin. Necessary as learning Torah and doing Mitzvos is full of sweetness and enjoyment like other pleasurable things in life that require a bracha before we may partake of the pleasures)
- c) ...Asher bachar banu mikal ha’amim...(birchas hashevach. Necessary as we must praise and thank Hashem for giving us His holy Torah, which is the most valuable gift in the entire universe, as it transforms us from lowly creatures into spiritual, lofty vehicles of kedusha etc. See Tur Siman 47. See Taz Siman 47:5 that this bracha is signed off with "Nosein haTorah", present tense, and not "Nasan haTorah", past tense, as Hashem constantly gives us the Torah anew each day, and allows us to constantly delve deeper and find new understanding in its holy words.)
5) Immediately after reciting birchos haTorah, some Torah must be learnt, and it is prohibited to make an interruption between the brachos and the learning. (Ruling of the Mishna Berura Siman 47 S”K 19 and most poskim, who argue on the mechaber, Siman 47:9, who is more lenient.)
6) Therefore, the custom was instituted to recite the pesukim of birchas kohanim, "Yevarechecha Hashem v'yishmirecah..." and the Mishnah of "Eilu Devarim she'ain lahem shiur..." and the Talmudic statement of "Ailu devarim she'adam ochel peiroseihem...", immediately following birchos haTorah. (See Mishna Berura Siman 47 S”K 20 and 21 that these satisfy Mikrah, Mishna and Gemara, the 3 main varieties of Torah learning)
...To be continued next week B’Ezras Hashem
