{"id":6145,"date":"2010-01-10T03:00:16","date_gmt":"2010-01-10T01:00:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/?p=6145"},"modified":"2018-05-24T11:24:53","modified_gmt":"2018-05-24T08:24:53","slug":"02-10-03","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/02-10-03\/","title":{"rendered":"03 – Is the Recital of Birkot HaTorah a Biblical Commandment?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cRav Yehudah says in the name of Rav, where do we learn that [the obligation to] recite a blessing prior [to learning Torah] is biblical? As it is written (Deuteronomy 32:3), \u2018When I proclaim Hashem\u2019s Name, ascribe greatness to our God\u2019\u201d (Berachot<\/i> 21a). The interpretation of this verse is that the entire Torah is comprised of the names of HaKadosh Baruch Hu<\/i> (Zohar<\/i>, part 2, 87:1; Tikunei Zohar<\/i>, Tikun<\/i> 10) for He is completely concealed from us, and through the Torah HaKadosh Baruch Hu<\/i> is revealed to the world. Hence, we learn that the Torah is the names of HaKadosh Baruch Hu<\/i> and through it He is manifest. That is the meaning of the verse, \u201cKi Shem Hashem ekra<\/i>,\u201d \u201cWhen I proclaim Hashem\u2019s Name\u201d \u2013 before learning Torah, \u201cHavu godel l\u2019Elokeinu<\/i>,\u201d \u201cAscribe Greatness to our God\u201d \u2013 recite a blessing for the Giver of the Torah.<\/p>\n

In practice, the Rishonim<\/i> are divided concerning the question of whether these words should be taken literally, making the recital of Birkot HaTorah<\/i> before learning a biblical commandment. According to the Rambam<\/i> and the Shulchan Aruch<\/i> (Orach Chaim<\/i> 209:3), reciting Birkot HaTorah<\/i> is a rabbinic enactment and what Chazal<\/i> extrapolated from the verse is none other than an asmachta<\/i> (a reference). Based on this, in a case of doubt, one must be lenient and refrain from reciting the blessings, and that is the custom of the Sephardim<\/i> (Kaf HaChaim<\/i> 47:2). According to the majority of Rishonim<\/i>, among them the Ramban<\/i> and the Rashba<\/i>, the source for the mitzvah to recite Birkot HaTorah<\/i> is biblical. Therefore, when a person is uncertain as to whether or not he recited Birkot HaTorah<\/i>, he must be stringent and recite them, in keeping with the rule, sefeika d\u2019oraita l\u2019chumra<\/i> (we are stringent concerning matters of biblical uncertainty), and that is the minhag<\/i> of the Ashkenazim<\/i> (Mishnah Berurah<\/i> 47:1).[3]<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n

However, all opinions agree that if there is a person present who did not yet recite Birkot HaTorah<\/i>, it is preferable to fulfill one\u2019s obligation by hearing him recite them and in that way avoid uncertainty. When there is no such option, if one is about to pray and recite Ahavat Olam<\/i> (or Ahavah Rabbah<\/i>), he should have kavanah<\/i> to fulfill his obligation of Birkot HaTorah<\/i> in his recital of that berachah<\/i>. Nevertheless, if the time to pray has not yet arrived, and there is no one whom he can hear recite the berachot<\/i>, according to those who maintain that the obligation to recite Birkot HaTorah<\/i> is biblical, he must be stringent and recite them out of uncertainty. It is sufficient to recite only the third berachah<\/i>, \u201cAsher bachar banu<\/i>\u201d (\u201cWho chose us,\u201d) for it is the most important from among Birkot HaTorah<\/i>.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
[3]<\/a>.\u00a0According to the Rambam<\/i>, Birkat HaMazon<\/i> is the only blessing that is a biblical commandment, and that is what the Shulchan Aruch<\/i>, Orach Chaim<\/i> 209:3, writes. However, most Rishonim<\/i> and Acharonim<\/i> maintain that Birkot HaTorah<\/i> are also a biblical obligation. Similarly, the Sha\u2019agat Aryeh<\/i> 24 proves this from the fact that the Gemara<\/i> wants to learn a principle of kal vachomer<\/i> from Birkot HaTorah<\/i> and apply it to the berachah<\/i> before eating and a kal vachomer<\/i> principle cannot be learned from a rabbinic ruling. Nevertheless, concerning a case of uncertainty, although there are those who rule to recite all the berachot<\/i>, he writes that one must recite only the \u201cAsher bachar banu<\/i>\u201d berachah<\/i> as it is written in the Mishnah Berurah<\/i> 47:1. See Yalkut Yosef<\/i> 47:2 for an expanded list of sources. Additionally see Aruch HaShulchan<\/i> 47:2 who explains that even according to the Rambam<\/i>, Birkot HaTorah<\/i> is biblical, yet it is included in the mitzvah of learning Torah and therefore is not listed as its own commandment.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cRav Yehudah says in the name of Rav, where do we learn that [the obligation to] recite a blessing prior [to learning Torah] is biblical? As it is written (Deuteronomy 32:3), \u2018When I proclaim Hashem\u2019s Name, ascribe greatness to our God\u2019\u201d (Berachot 21a). The interpretation of this verse is that the entire Torah is comprised […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6145","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-10-birkot-hatorah-the-blessings-on-the-torah"],"yoast_head":"\n03 - Is the Recital of Birkot HaTorah a Biblical Commandment? - Peninei Halakha<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/02-10-03\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"03 - Is the Recital of Birkot HaTorah a Biblical Commandment? - Peninei Halakha\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"\u201cRav Yehudah says in the name of Rav, where do we learn that [the obligation to] recite a blessing prior [to learning Torah] is biblical? As it is written (Deuteronomy 32:3), \u2018When I proclaim Hashem\u2019s Name, ascribe greatness to our God\u2019\u201d (Berachot 21a). 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