Siman 47 – Birkas haTorah

1. Be very careful not to learn Torah before birkas haTorah and when you say it, say it with great joy. (ShA1 – MB2)

2. You must say birkas haTorah before learning anything – Tanach, Mishna, Gemara, or Midrash. (ShA2)

3. The Gr”a holds that merely thinking Torah thoughts requires birkas haTorah first. (MB7)

4. Parents must always have a prayer fluent in their months that their children should be Torah-learners, righteous, and have good character traits. Have a lot of devotion when praying Ahava Rabba, birkas haTorah (“venihye anachnu vetze’etza’aynu…”), and “Uva L’Tzion” (“l’maan lo niga lorik v’lo naylayd labeholla”). (MB10)

5. Say “la’asoke b’divray sorah” quietly, so no one can hear. There is a doubt in the poskim if listeners are to respond omayn on this part of the beracha. (MB12)

6. Since Ahava Rabba can exempt you from birkas haTorah, and there is a doubt if Shema counts for learning Torah, rather say birkas haTorah beforehand with a few pesukim and mishna afterwards like our minhag. (ShA 7,8)

7. There is an argument if napping in bed during the day requires you to say a new birkas haTorah. Therefore instead of saying it again (be maykel), have in mind to exempt yourself during Ahavas Olam and learn a little immediately after Maariv. When daavening is over, remember not to talk before learning something first.(MB13 – BeH “im”)

8. Our minhag is to say the parsha of Birkas Cohanim immediately after birkas haTorah so as not to interrupt between the beracha and the learning. (ShA9)

9. Our custom is to say as well “Ayloo d’varim she’ayn lohem shiur” and “Ayloo d’varim she’odom…” – to fulfil learning Tenach, Mishna and Gemara. (MB21)

10. A person does not remove his mind from learning Torah when he stops to go to work, to nap while sitting, or to go to the bathroom. Therefore he does not need a new birkas haTorah when resuming to learn. (ShA10 – MB23)

11. However there is an argument after a daytime nap on your bed. The custom is not to consider that an interruption either. However, if you want to rely on the other poskim and say another birkas haTorah after the nap, you have nothing to lose. (ShA11 – MB25)

12. If you napped at night, even at the beginning of the night, it is counted as an interruption from learning and a new birkas haTorah will be required. (MB28)

13. If you were awake all night there is a doubt if you need a new birkas haTorah in the morning. Therefore have someone be motzi you for birkas haTorah, or have in mind to exempt yourself during Ahava Rabba and learn Torah straight after daavening. But don’t say another birkas haTorah out of doubt. (MB28)

14. If you napped on your bed the day before you were up all night, you need to say another birkas haTorah in the morning without a doubt. (MB28)

15. If you woke up before dawn to learn Torah, you must wash your hands and say birkas haTorah beforehand. It will last you for the whole day. If you decide to go back to sleep on your bed, you don’t need a new birkas haTorah when you awake the second time. However we said above, many poskim hold you have nothing to lose by saying birkas haTorah again. (MB29)

1. Women say birkas haTorah but there is a doubt if they can be motzi men. (ShA14 – BeH “noshim…”)