Birchot HaTorah: Difference between revisions

# Women are obligated in making the Birchot HaTorah.<ref> Shulchan Aruch 47:14, Magen Avraham 47:17 explains that it is because women have to learn the Halachot relevant to them. Minchat Chinuch 430:5 says that women can make these brachot because it is a praise of Hashem for giving us the Torah. The Gra 47:18 argues that women should not have to make the brachot since they are exempt from Torah learning. However he allows women to make the brachot like any other mitzvah from which women are exempt, Ashkenazic custom is to allow them to make a bracha. </ref>

# One should be particularly careful about saying the Birchot HaTorah because they show one's appreciation of Hashem’s gift of Torah to the Jewish people.<ref> Shulchan Aruch 47:1. Gemara Nedarim 81a it is maintained that because the Jews did not say Birchot HaTorah the fist Bet HaMikdash and [[Israel]] was destroyed. The Bach 47:1 explains that their intention was to learn Torah just to learn the knowledge and be arrogant in their wisdom. They did not internalize the holiness of Torah into their body and soul and this caused Hashem’s Shechina to be removed. </ref>

# The bracha of Ahavat Olam (the second bracha of [[Kriyat Shema|Birchot Kriyat Shema]]) exempts one’s obligation of Birchot HaTorah only if one learns immediately after tefillah.<ref> Shulchan Aruch 47:7 based on Brachot 11b says that one can fulfill one's obligation of reciting the brachot with the bracha before Shema. Mishna Brurah 47:15 in name of Levush says that one can finish tefillah and it is not considered an interruption. Beiur Halacha s.v. Im Lamad implies from the Or Zaruh that finishing tefillah is ok but talking would be an interruption. See Chikrei Lev vol. 9 regarding the requisite Kavanna to fulfill one's obligation.</ref>

#If one forgot to say [[Birchot HaTorah]] and remembered in middle of [[Pesukei DeZimrah]] one should say it between the paragraphs in [[Pesukei DeZimrah]].<ref>Mishna Brurah 51:10 </ref>

#If one forgot to say [[Birchot HaTorah]] and only remembered in [[Kriyat Shema|Brachot Kriyat Shema]] one should not interrupt to say the [[Brachot]] but rather have intent to fulfill one’s obligation of [[Birchot HaTorah]] with Ahavat Olam and then learn a little right after [[davening]].<ref>Mishna Brurah 52:9 </ref>

#If one forgot to say [[Birchot HaTorah]] before [[davening]] and only remembered afterwards and did not learn right after [[davening]], one should not say [[Birchot HaTorah]] because there is a doubt amongst poskim as to whether one fulfilled one’s obligation.<ref>Sulchan Aruch 47:8 </ref>

# Ashkenazim conclude the first bracha with the words “LaAsoak BeDivrei Torah” and Sephardim conclude with the words “Al Divrei Torah" <ref> Shulchan Aruch 47:5 based on Rif (Brachot 5b), Rambam (Tefilah 7:10), Talmedei Rabbenu Yonah (Brachot 5b D”H  Maiy Mevarech) and Arizal (Shaar Kavonot Nusach Hatefilah) have the version of Sephardim - Al Divrei Torah. Rosh (Brachot 1:13) and Tur 47 have the version of the Ashkenazim of LaAsoak BeDivrei Torah. </ref>  

# There is a dispute whether the first bracha of Birchot HaTorah includes VeHa'erev Nah or not. In light of this, there is a dispute whether one should answer [[Amen]] if one hears someone finish the bracha of LaAsok BeDivrei Torah, for Ashkenazim, or Al Divrei Torah, for Sephardim. Therefore, some advise saying this bracha quietly so that the listener will not be in doubt whether to answer [[Amen]] or not.<ref>Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 7:1</ref> The Sephardic custom is to answer Amen, though.<ref>Or LeTzion 2:4:5 citing the Chida and Ben Ish Chai and reporting that this is the common Sephardic custom.</ref>

## ''''VeHaRev Nah Hashem Elokenu… Halomed Torah LeAmo Yisrael''.<ref> Shulchan Aruch 47:6 rules that the bracha of HaRev Nah begins with the letter Vav to connect it to the last bracha. The Rama writes that though others hold that one should say it without a Vav, it is better to say it with a Vav. Magen Avraham 47:4 explains that the Vav shows that the first and following brachot are really one long bracha, and the opinion that the Rama quotes who argues that there should be no Vav holds that they are considered two separate brachot. Mishna Brurah 47:11 agrees.</ref>

# One has to recite Birchot HaTorah for any learning including Torah, Midrash, Mishna, and Gemara.<ref> [[Brachot]] 11b, Shulchan Aruch 47:2, Yalkut Yosef 47:2 </ref>

# Writing Torah even without reading, if one understands what one is writing, is considered learning for which one has to recite Birchot HaTorah.<ref> Shulchan Aruch 47:3 based on Avudraham (Birchot Hashachar beginning). Magen Avraham 47:1 adds that one has to understand what one is writing in order for it to be considered learning, but just copying over text is not learning. This is also the opinion of Biur Heitev 47:2. </ref>

# According to Ashkenazim, one should not think Torah before making Birchot HaTorah, as there is a dispute whether or not thinking Torah requires a Beracha beforehand. However, it is permissible to do a Mitzvah before reciting the Beracha even though it will cause one to think about the laws of the Mitzvah.<ref>Mishna Brurah 47:7 because of the Gra who argues on Shulchan Aruch.</ref> According to Sephardim thinking words of Torah does not require Birchot HaTorah, so it is permissible to think Torah before Birchot HaTorah.<ref> Shulchan Aruch 47:4 based on Shabbat 151a, Agur 2, and Tosfot 20b s.v. VeRav Chisda. This is also the opinion of Yalkut Yosef (vol 3 pg 81) that it is permissible to think Torah before Birchat HaTorah. </ref>

# Some say that one can interrupt between the brachot and the learning, but it is correct not to do so. So the practice is the say the Parshat [[Birkat Cohanim]] right after the brachot.<ref> Shulchan Aruch 47:9. Tosfot Brachot 11b s.v. Shkevar in name of the Ri, Rabbenu Yonah 5b, and Mordechai 31 hold an interruption is not a problem. Rambam (as understood by Bet Yosef) holds one may not make an interruption. Magen Avraham 47:8 says that one can say these psukim even before daylight unlike the Maharshal who says one does not read psukim of [[Birkat Cohanim]] at night. </ref>

# One who stops his learning by means of working, bathing, or sleeping, is not considered to have interrupted his learning and he does not recite new brachot.<ref> Shulchan Aruch 47:10. See Tosfot [[Brachot]] 11b.  

* The Agur (cited by Divrei Chamudot Brachot 1:76) explains that the reason there is no interruption when it comes to Birchot HaTorah is because a person is always involved in activities that require following halacha. The observance of halacha keeps a person’s mind connected to learning. Shulchan Aruch 47:10 holds that going to work or going to the bathroom is not considered an interruption and you do not therefore have to recite Birchot HaTorah again. </ref>

# If one slept during the day for a long period of time one does not recite Birchot HaTorah again upon [[waking up]]. Even though there is what to rely on for one to recite the brachot again, the Minhag HaOlam is not to do so, and one should instead hear them from someone who is obligated to recite them (both must have kavana, and after the bracha, both learn some pesukim such as Parshat [[Birkat Cohanim]]). <Ref> Shulchan Aruch 47:11 quotes those who say that a fixed sleep during the day is a [[hefsek]], and then quotes those who say that it is not a [[hefsek]]; the minhag follows the latter view. However, Eliyah Rabba 47:9 quotes many poskim who say that one should recite a bracha and agrees with them; Mishna Brurah 47:25 quotes many main acharonim who say to recite Birchot HaTorah, and concludes that one who does will not lose out. However, many contemporary poskim including Piskei Teshuvot 47:14, Halichos Shlomo [[Tefilla]] ch. 6 fnt. 6, Rivevos Ephraim 8:609:1, Ishei Yisrael 6:25, Karna Deigrata 1:133, Halachically Speaking (vol 3, article 1, pg 5), and Piskei Teshuvot 47:14 write that the minhag is not to recite any Birchot HaTorah after sleeping again in the day. Halichot Shlomo 6:2 writes that the minhag is that we don't recite new brachot hatorah after a daytime sleep. He explains that by doing so we indicate that the birchot hatorah aren't simply for the words of Torah but for the all encompassing obligation of learning Torah. Halichot Shlomo 6:3 writes that one shouldn't recite a stipulation that one's birchot hatorah expire after one takes a nap. Even though it would be effective it is degrading the takana of chazal.</ref>

#Someone who wakes up early in the morning before dawn can recite all the brachot ([[Birchot HaShachar]] and Birchot HaTorah) except Hanoten LeSachvi Binah and Parshat HaTamid which should wait until Or hayom. The Birchot HaTorah then covers his brachot all day.<ref> Shulchan Aruch 47:13 </ref>