The Importance of Birkot Ha’Torah – the Blessings Over Torah Learning

In the second of the three Berachot that comprise Birkot Ha'Torah – the series of blessings we recite each morning over Torah learning – we include a prayer that we and all our descendants should be devoted students of Torah. Some Rabbis teach that one should have special intention when reciting this prayer that his children and all his offspring should grow into Torah-committed adults. This second Beracha concludes, "Baruch Ata Hashem Ha'melamed Torah Le'amo Yisrael" – "Blessed are You, O G-d, who teaches Torah to His nation, Israel." This formulation reminds us that Hashem Himself teaches us Torah. Although we are, of course, required to invest maximum effort and exertion in the pursuit of Torah knowledge and understanding, we cannot attain any knowledge or comprehension without Hashem's assistance. Whenever we attend a class, or open a book to learn, Hashem is there with us teaching us the material, and it is only because of Him that we know all that we know and understand all that we understand. I was privileged to learn with several great Rabbis who, when they encountered a difficult passage or a difficult concept, and were struggling to understand the material, they turned to Hashem and prayed for His help. They truly understood that G-d is "Ha'melamed Torah Le'amo Yisrael," that He is the one teaching us whenever we learn. This text of the Beracha should also remind us of the great stature of Torah educators. I once visited the Skverer Rebbe together with a prestigious educator in our community, and the Rebbe turned to him and asked what he did. He replied that he teaches Torah. "You are emulating your Creator," the Rebbe said. "He is a teacher – and you're following in His ways." Teaching Torah is a special privilege, and a job which should elicit our respect and esteem – if for no other reason that a Torah educator is doing precisely what Hashem does. The final blessing of Birkot Ha'Torah concludes, "Baruch Ata Hashem Noten Ha'Torah" – "Blessed are You, Hashem, who gives the Torah." Significantly, we speak of Hashem giving us the Torah in the present tense. He did not give our nation the Torah only once, at Mount Sinai. Every time we learn, He is giving it to us anew. Each and every day, and at every moment, we have the opportunity to renew our connection to Hashem by receiving the Torah from Him. We must cherish every such opportunity and seize every moment we can to strengthen our bond with our Creator by inviting Him to give us the Torah anew.

Every morning, we recite Birkot Ha'Torah – a series of blessings over Torah learning. This series consists of three different Berachot. The text of the first Beracha resembles that of other blessings recited over Misvot. We thank Hashem "Asher Kideshanu Be'misvotav Be'sivanu Al Dibre Torah" – who commanded us to study Torah. Just like we recite a Beracha over other Misvot – such as over the Misva of Sisit, the Misva of Tefillin, Netilat Yadayim, and many others – we likewise recite a Beracha over the Misva of Torah learning, which is the most important of all the Misvot that we perform. This first Beracha, then, is a standard Birkat Ha'misva – blessing recited over a Misva. In the second Beracha, we beseech Hashem to make the words of Torah "sweet" and enjoyable for us and for all Am Yisrael ("Ve'Ha'areb Na Hashem Elokenu Et Dibreh Toratecha Be'finu…"). We ask that the experience of Torah learning should be uplifting and exhilarating, and not a burdensome task that we do only because we are required to. The Rebbe of Sochatchov (Rav Avraham Borenstein, 1838-1910), in the introduction to his work Igleh Tal, laments the fact that many people mistakenly assume that enjoying Torah study undermines the sincerity of the Misva. They think if one receives enjoyment and satisfaction from the experience, then he loses the element of "Li'shmah" – learning Torah "for its sake," purely for the Misva. In their view, the highest level of Torah learning is studying without any enjoyment, without enthusiasm, learning the material solely for the sake of fulfilling the Misva. The Rebbe of Sochatchov writes that this is a grave mistake, as to the contrary, enjoyment is an integral component of the Misva of Torah learning. The Misva is not only to learn Torah – but to reach the point where learning Torah is thrilling, and a source of immense joy and satisfaction. The Rebbe of Sochatchov explains that when a person enjoys learning, then the material he learns is fully absorbed into his being, and transforms him. The Zohar teaches that when a person learns with joy and enthusiasm, this experience has the effect of empowering and emboldening his Yeser Tob (good inclination), so it can overcome his Yeser Ha'ra (evil inclination). Indeed, many stories are told of great Sages who exuded unbridled joy when learning Torah. When they arrived at a new understanding or new insight, they would erupt in song and dance to celebrate. Of course, we are required to learn even when it does not provide us with joy and satisfaction, but we must always strive to experience the joy and sweetness of Torah. Thus, in the second of the three Birkot Ha'Torah, we ask Hashem to make Torah learning enjoyable for us, so we can observe this precious Misva at the very highest level. In the third blessing of Birkot Ha'Torah, we express our gratitude to Hashem "who has chosen us from among all the nations, and has given us His Torah." Torah is the greatest of all gifts, enabling us to access the divine wisdom and connect to Hashem, and so we recite this Beracha to thank Hashem for this extraordinary gift, the privilege to study His Torah. A number of writers addressed the question of why we do not recite a Beracha after we learn Torah, just as we recite Birkat Ha'mazon or a Beracha Aharona after eating. If we recite a Beracha before we enjoy the delight of Torah learning – the way we recite a Beracha before enjoying food – then why do we not recite a Beracha afterward – the way we recite a Beracha after enjoying food? The Rashba (Rav Shlomo Ben Aderet of Barcelona, 1235-1310) answers, very simply, that the Sages did not institute the recitation of a Beracha after the performance of a Misva. They established Berachot to be recited before the observance of certain Misvot, but not afterward. There are several Misvot enacted by the Sages for which they instituted Berachot to be recited afterward – such as Megilla reading, which is followed by the Beracha of "Ha'rab Et Ribenu" – but we never find a Beracha recited after the fulfillment of a Biblical obligation. The Bet Yosef offers an additional answer, explaining that one never truly finishes learning Torah. Whenever we are not learning Torah, we are tending to our necessary affairs with the intention of returning to our Torah study as soon as possible. We don't finish learning – we only take temporary breaks and then resume our studies. Therefore, there cannot be a Beracha to be recited when one finishes learning.

Virtually all the Berachot that we are required to recite were introduced by the Sages. One notable exception is Birkat Ha'mazon – the obligation to recite a series of blessings after eating bread, which is explicitly mentioned by the Torah: "You shall eat and be satiated, and you shall bless Hashem your G-d…" (Debarim 8:10). According to some Rishonim, however, there is also another exception – Birkot Ha'Torah, the special blessing recited over Torah study each day. The Gemara (Berachot 21a) infers the obligation to recite a Beracha over the Torah from the verse in Parashat Haazinu (Debarim 32:3), "Ki Shem Hashem Ekra, Habu Godel L'Elokenu" – "When I call the Name of G-d, give praise to G-d." The Torah is comprised of the Names of Hashem; they are encoded in the text of the Torah. Thus, this verse means that when we learn the Torah – "calling" the Names of G-d – we must give praise to Hashem for granting us this precious gift. Indeed, the text of the blessing over the Torah includes a prayer that we and all our descendants should be "knowers of Your Name, and people who study Torah for its sake." By studying the Torah, we become "knowers" of Hashem's Name. Based on the Gemara's comment, the Ramban (Rav Moshe Nahmanides, Spain, 1194-1270) maintained that this Beracha constitutes a Torah obligation. Others, however, disagree. They explain the verse to mean that when we hear someone recite G-d's Name in a Beracha, we must respond "Amen." According to this view, the Gemara does not actually point to this verse as the source of the obligation of Birkot Ha'Torah, but rather it finds a subtle allusion in the Biblical text to a law enacted later by the Sages. This is the opinion of the Rambam, who does not include Birkot Ha'Torah in his list of Torah commands. The Shulhan Aruch appears to follow this view, ruling that if someone is uncertain whether or not he recited a required Beracha, he does not recite it – except in the case of Birkat Ha'mazon. Since Birkat Ha'mazon is required on the level of Torah obligation, we apply the rule of "Safek De'Orayta Le'humra" – that we must act stringently in a situation of uncertainty when a Torah law is at stake. The fact that the Shulhan Aruch mentions Birkat Ha'mazon as the only exception clearly indicates that this is the only Beracha mandated by the Torah, and he regarded Birkot Ha'Torah as a Rabbinic obligation, such that we act leniently in a situation of doubt. This inference is made by the Hida (Rav Haim Yosef David Azulai, 1724-1806), who notes that others disagree, and follow the opinion that Birkot Ha'Torah is a Biblical requirement. Later scholars who embraced this position include the Peri Hadash (Rav Hizkiya Da Silva, 1659-1698), the Mor U'kesi'a (Rav Yaakov Emden, Germany, 1697-1776), the Yad Aharon (Rav Aharon Alfandari, d. 1774), the Hikreh Leb (Rav Raphael Yosef Hazan, 1741-1820), and the Sha'agat Aryeh (Rav Aryeh Leib Ginsburg, d. 1785). The Mishna Berura writes that given the large number of Aharonim (later scholars) who accept the view that Birkot Ha'Torah constitutes a Biblical obligation, it is difficult to rely on the lenient position in a case of uncertainty. As for the practical Halacha, the Ben Ish Hai (Rav Yosef Haim of Baghdad, 1833-1909) writes that although we follow the Shulhan Aruch's view, that Birkot Ha'Torah is required only by force of Rabbinic enactment, nevertheless, we must seek to satisfy the stringent view. Therefore, if one cannot remember whether or not he recited Birkot Ha'Torah, he should recite it, but instead of verbalizing the words "Hashem Elokenu Melech Ha'olam," he should instead think these words in his mind. This is the ruling accepted by the Kaf Ha'haim (Rav Yaakob Haim Sofer, Baghdad-Jerusalem, 1870-1939) and Hacham Ovadia Yosef. Summary: If a person is unsure whether or not he recited Birkot Ha'Torah, he should recite it, but instead of verbalizing the words "Hashem Elokenu Melech Ha'olam," he should instead think these words in his mind.

The Gemara in Masechet Nedarim (81a) famously attributes the destruction of the first Bet Ha'mikdash to the people's failure to recite Birkot Ha'Torah – the daily blessings over the Misva of Torah study. The prophet Yirmiyahu (9:11) rhetorically asks, "Al Ma Abeda Ha'aretz" – "On account of what was the land destroyed?" – and then relays to us Hashem's answer: "Al Ozbam Et Torati" – "on account of their abandoning My Torah." The Gemara clarifies that in truth, the people during the time of the first Bet Ha'mikdash learned Torah, but they were deemed guilty of "abandoning" the Torah in that they neglected to recite the required Berachot over Torah study. Later commentators advanced different approaches to explain why the failure to recite Birkot Ha'Torah was considered such a grievous infraction. One interpretation is that the Jews of the First Commonwealth viewed Torah study as nothing more than a practical necessity, a means of knowing what to do. They mistakenly thought that the only reason to learn Torah is to obtain the information needed for proper observance of the Misvot. But in truth, this is only one aspect of Torah learning. Certainly, we must learn practical Halacha so we can observe the Torah correctly – but the Misva of Torah study extends far beyond that. As we say each evening in the Arbit prayer, "Ki Hem Hayenu Ve'orech Yamenu" – "For they are our lives, and the length of our days." Torah is a vitally important component of religious life, the way we connect to Hashem and immerse ourselves in Kedusha. We learn Torah not just for the functional purpose of knowing how to perform the Misvot, but also as an integral part of our pursuit of spirituality and holiness, and our effort to build a close relationship with our Creator. During the time of the first Bet Ha'mikdash, the people did not recite Birkot Ha'Torah because Berachot are recited only over the fulfillment of a Misva, and not over the performance of a "Hechsher Misva" – the preparatory stage of a Misva. For example, we recite a Beracha on Sukkot when eat in the Sukka, which fulfills the Misva, but not when we build the Sukka, which we do only to facilitate the Misva. Similarly, a Sofer does not recite a Beracha when he prepares a pair of Tefillin; a Beracha is recited only when one actually fulfills the Misva by putting the Tefillin on. Hence, the people in the First Commonwealth, who mistakenly saw Torah study as just a means of facilitating Misva observance, did not see any reason to recite a Beracha over Torah study. But in truth, Torah study is itself a Misva – and an exceptionally important Misva – which warrants a Beracha, just like other Misvot. Rabbenu Yona (Spain, d. 1264) explained that the people of that time did not sufficiently value Torah learning. They learned Torah, but they failed to appreciate the singular importance of this great Misva, which, as the famous first Mishna in Pe'a teaches, is equivalent to all other Misvot combined ("Ve'talmud Torah Ke'negged Kulam"). The Gaon of Vilna (Rabbi Eliyahu of Vilna, 1720-1797) taught that each word of Torah that we learn is equivalent to the other 612 Misvot combined. The Jews during the period of the first Mikdash did not recognize the great value of this Misva – and they were thus considered to have neglected the Beracha, and for this they were punished.

The series of Berachot which we are required to recite each morning include Birkot Ha'Torah – three blessings over the privilege of studying Torah. The unique importance of these Berachot is expressed by the Gemara in Masechet Nedarim (81). The Gemara observes that some Torah scholars have children who do not become Torah scholars, and it attributes this phenomenon to the fact that these scholars do not recite Birkot Ha'Torah. It seems that in their eagerness to begin learning, they proceed directly to their studies without first reciting the Beracha over the Misva of Torah study. This neglect of Birkot Ha'Torah has an impact upon their children, causing them not to pursue Torah scholarship. Rav Yishak Abuhab (Spain, 14 th century) writes that the Gemara here refers to scholars who learned Torah as an intellectual exercise, for the mental satisfaction that Torah study brings, rather than for the purpose of fulfilling a Misva and connecting with Hashem. They therefore did not recite Birkot Ha'Torah, just as we do not recite Berachot over the study of other disciplines – because for them, Torah learning was just another field of study. This directly affected their children. In any event, it is clear from the Gemara's comment that one of the ways parents can help ensure that their children follow the path of Torah is by properly fulfilling the obligation of Birkot Ha'Torah. Many concerned parents approach me to receive advice, to ask what they can do so that their children will grow to become Torah-committed Jewish adults. One strategy is to recite Birkot Ha'Torah each morning with Kavana (concentration). Indeed, these Berachot include the prayer that our descendants should all study Torah ("Ve'niheyeh Anahnu Ve'se'esaenu Ve'se'esa'eh Se'esa'enu…"). By reciting this prayer with proper Kavana, we can help ensure that our children commit themselves to Torah. In our generation, especially, our children and grandchildren need all the help, encouragement and prayers they can get to remain committed to Torah learning, and so it behooves us all to do our part, which includes properly reciting Birkot Ha'Torah each morning. The Ateret Zekenim teaches that besides during Birkot Ha'Torah, there are also other places in the morning prayer service where one should pray with special intention that his offspring follow the path of Torah. One is the Beracha of "Ahabat Olam" recited before Shema, where we ask Hashem for the wisdom to properly learn and observe the Torah ("Ve'ten Be'libenu Bina Le'habin U'l'haskil…"). While one recites this prayer, he should have in mind his wish that his children and all his descendants become Torah scholars. And in the "U'ba Le'sion" prayer, we cite the verse in which G-d promises that the words of Torah "shall not leave your mouth, the mouth of your offspring, or the mouth of your offspring's offspring, from now and for all eternity" ("Lo Yamushu Mi'picha U'mi'pi Zar'acha…" – Yeshayahu 59:21). Here, too, one should pray that all his descendants will be devoted students of Torah. Toward the end of "U'ba Le'sion," we ask that Hashem "open our hearts" to learn Torah and to live with love and fear of Him – and one should concentrate at this point on his desire that his children grow to become Sadikim. Rav Yehezkel Landau of Prague (1713-1793) writes that in addition, reciting Birkot Ha'Torah properly, with Kavana, helps us remember the material we learn. Many students of Torah struggle to retain the information, and one way we can help remember what we learn is by paying closer attention to Birkot Ha'Torah each morning and reciting it with feeling and concentration.

The series of Berachot which we are required to recite each morning include Birkot Ha'Torah – three blessings over the privilege of studying Torah. The unique importance of these Berachot is expressed by the Gemara in Masechet Nedarim (81). The Gemara observes that some Torah scholars have children who do not become Torah scholars, and it attributes this phenomenon to the fact that these scholars do not recite Birkot Ha'Torah. It seems that in their eagerness to begin learning, they proceed directly to their studies without first reciting the Beracha over the Misva of Torah study. This neglect of Birkot Ha'Torah has an impact upon their children, causing them not to pursue Torah scholarship. Rav Yishak Abuhab (Spain, 14 th century) writes that the Gemara here refers to scholars who learned Torah as an intellectual exercise, for the mental satisfaction that Torah study brings, rather than for the purpose of fulfilling a Misva and connecting with Hashem. They therefore did not recite Birkot Ha'Torah, just as we do not recite Berachot over the study of other disciplines – because for them, Torah learning was just another field of study. This directly affected their children. In any event, it is clear from the Gemara's comment that one of the ways parents can help ensure that their children follow the path of Torah is by properly fulfilling the obligation of Birkot Ha'Torah. Many concerned parents approach me to receive advice, to ask what they can do so that their children will grow to become Torah-committed Jewish adults. One strategy is to recite Birkot Ha'Torah each morning with Kavana (concentration). Indeed, these Berachot include the prayer that our descendants should all study Torah ("Ve'niheyeh Anahnu Ve'se'esaenu Ve'se'esa'eh Se'esa'enu…"). By reciting this prayer with proper Kavana, we can help ensure that our children commit themselves to Torah. In our generation, especially, our children and grandchildren need all the help, encouragement and prayers they can get to remain committed to Torah learning, and so it behooves us all to do our part, which includes properly reciting Birkot Ha'Torah each morning. The Ateret Zekenim teaches that besides during Birkot Ha'Torah, there are also other places in the morning prayer service where one should pray with special intention that his offspring follow the path of Torah. One is the Beracha of "Ahabat Olam" recited before Shema, where we ask Hashem for the wisdom to properly learn and observe the Torah ("Ve'ten Be'libenu Bina Le'habin U'l'haskil…"). While one recites this prayer, he should have in mind his wish that his children and all his descendants become Torah scholars. And in the "U'ba Le'sion" prayer, we cite the verse in which G-d promises that the words of Torah "shall not leave your mouth, the mouth of your offspring, or the mouth of your offspring's offspring, from now and for all eternity" ("Lo Yamushu Mi'picha U'mi'pi Zar'acha…" – Yeshayahu 59:21). Here, too, one should pray that all his descendants will be devoted students of Torah. Toward the end of "U'ba Le'sion," we ask that Hashem "open our hearts" to learn Torah and to live with love and fear of Him – and one should concentrate at this point on his desire that his children grow to become Sadikim. Rav Yehezkel Landau of Prague (1713-1793) writes that in addition, reciting Birkot Ha'Torah properly, with Kavana, helps us remember the material we learn. Many students of Torah struggle to retain the information, and one way we can help remember what we learn is by paying closer attention to Birkot Ha'Torah each morning and reciting it with feeling and concentration.

The requirement to recite 100 Berachot each day refers to the period between sundown and sundown the following day. Hence, the Berachot recited in the evening count toward the next day's total with respect to this obligation. This gives rise to a number of interesting questions in situations where it is unclear how to classify a certain time-period. One such question involves Friday evenings in the summer, when many people recite Arbit and accept Shabbat early, before sundown (after the point of "Pelag Ha'minha"). Do those Berachot recited at Arbit – and the Berachot recited at the meal before sundown – count toward Friday's total of Berachot, since the sun has yet to set? Or, since one has accepted Shabbat, do these Berachot count toward the next day's number? Hacham Ovadia Yosef answered this question based on a ruling of the Taz (Rav David Segal, Poland, 1586-1667) regarding one who prayed Arbit early, before sundown, on the night of Shemini Aseret. In the case of Shemini Aseret, the day before this Yom Tob is Hoshana Rabba, the final day of Sukkot. Therefore, when one accepts Yom Tob early, before sundown, he faces the question of whether the time that remains until sundown is considered Sukkot or Shemini Aseret. In Israel, where people do not eat in the Sukka on Shemini Aseret, this question determines whether the individual must eat in the Sukka, because the sun has yet to set on the final day of Sukkot, or if he may eat inside his home, since he has already accepted Shemini Aseret, such that Sukkot has already ended. The Taz ruled that once the person recited Arbit, he has ushered in the new Halachic day, and so in this case, the individual does not need to eat in the Sukka. Hacham Ovadia accepts this ruling, and thus concludes that by the same token, one who accepts Shabbat early has transitioned to the next day, Shabbat, and all the Berachot he recites count toward Shabbat's total of Berachot, even though the sun is still out. This principle applies in the converse in the case of a Se'uda Shelishit meal that is eaten late in the afternoon on Shabbat, and continues after dark. Since the person has in effect extended Shabbat past sunset, the Berachot of Birkat Ha'mazon that he recites after dark still count toward Shabbat's total, as this period is still considered Shabbat. (However, if one recites Arbit during Se'uda Shelishit, then he has begun the new day, and thus the Berachot he recites subsequently during Birkat Ha'mazon will count toward Sunday's total.) This becomes especially important when we consider the difficulty entailed in reaching the total of 100 Berachot on Shabbat, when the Amida consists of only seven blessings (as opposed to the weekday Amida, which consists of 19 Berachot). Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (Jerusalem, 1910-1995) disagreed. He maintained that the obligation of 100 daily Berachot refers to the period from sunset to sunset, even if one accepts Shabbat before sunset or extends Shabbat past sunset. In his view, all the Berachot recited before sunset count toward the previous day's total, whereas the Berachot recited after sunset count toward the new day's total. (This poses a challenge for those who accept Shabbat early, as the Berachot of Arbit are not counted toward the required 100 Berachot of Shabbat.) In any event, we follow Hacham Ovadia's opinion, that if one accepts Shabbat early or extends Shabbat past sundown, the Berachot count toward Shabbat's total. Does this apply also on weekdays? If a person recites Arbit before sundown on a weekday during the summer, do the Berachot recited at Arbit, and Berachot recited subsequently, before sunset, count toward that day's number of Berachot, or the next day's total? This question seems to hinge on a debate among the Rishonim concerning the case of a woman who performed the Hefsek Tahara inspection (which establishes the cessation of bleeding, so she can begin the "seven clean days") after reciting Arbit. This inspection must be performed during the day, and the question thus becomes whether it is valid if was done before sundown but after the woman recited Arbit. The Terumat Ha'deshen (Rav Yisrael Isserlein, 1390-1460) maintained that once a person recites Arbit, even before sundown, he has begun Halachic nighttime, and thus the woman in this case has already begun the night, when it is too late to perform the Hefsek Tahara. By contrast, the Maharil (Rav Yaakob Moelin, Germany, 1365-1427) ruled that the recitation of Arbit does not affect the status of the time that remains until sunset, and it is still considered daytime. Therefore, the woman may still perform a Hefsek Tahara even after reciting Arbit, as long as the sun has not set. Hacham Ovadia Yosef, in his Taharat Ha'bayit, follows the Maharil's position, that a woman may perform a Hefsek Tahara after she recited Arbit if the sun has not set. We would thus seemingly assume that with regard to the obligation of 100 daily Berachot, too, reciting Arbit before sundown on a weekday does not mark the onset of nighttime, and thus the Berachot recited count toward that day's number of Berachot. A similar question arises in the case of a person who, for whatever reason, did not put on Tefillin all day, and recited Arbit before sundown. The Shulhan Aruch – seemingly following the opinion of the Terumat Ha'deshen – rules that this individual can no longer put on Tefillin, because by reciting Arbit he has begun the nighttime, when Tefillin are not worn. Hacham Ovadia, however, writes that the person can still put on Tefillin, since the sun had not set. Returning to the issue of the 100 daily Berachot, it would seem that according to the Shulhan Aruch, the Berachot recited during Arbit before sundown count toward the next day's total, whereas according to Hacham Ovadia, they count toward the previous day's total. Given the different opinions, this issue remains unresolved, and we cannot ascertain the status of Berachot recited after a person recited Arbit before sundown. Summary: If a person begins Shabbat early, before sundown, the Berachot he recites during Arbit and after Arbit count toward his number of blessings recited on Shabbat with respect to the obligation of 100 daily blessings, even though the sun has not yet. Likewise, if one extends Se'uda Shelishit past sundown, the Berachot of Birkat Ha'mazon count towards Shabbat's total, since he has yet to end Shabbat. On weekdays, however, if one recites Arbit before sundown, it is unclear whether those Berachot – and the Berachot recited after Arbit, before sundown – count toward the previous day's total, or the next day's total.

The requirement to recite 100 Berachot each day refers to the period between sundown and sundown the following day. Hence, the Berachot recited in the evening count toward the next day's total with respect to this obligation. This gives rise to a number of interesting questions in situations where it is unclear how to classify a certain time-period. One such question involves Friday evenings in the summer, when many people recite Arbit and accept Shabbat early, before sundown (after the point of "Pelag Ha'minha"). Do those Berachot recited at Arbit – and the Berachot recited at the meal before sundown – count toward Friday's total of Berachot, since the sun has yet to set? Or, since one has accepted Shabbat, do these Berachot count toward the next day's number? Hacham Ovadia Yosef answered this question based on a ruling of the Taz (Rav David Segal, Poland, 1586-1667) regarding one who prayed Arbit early, before sundown, on the night of Shemini Aseret. In the case of Shemini Aseret, the day before this Yom Tob is Hoshana Rabba, the final day of Sukkot. Therefore, when one accepts Yom Tob early, before sundown, he faces the question of whether the time that remains until sundown is considered Sukkot or Shemini Aseret. In Israel, where people do not eat in the Sukka on Shemini Aseret, this question determines whether the individual must eat in the Sukka, because the sun has yet to set on the final day of Sukkot, or if he may eat inside his home, since he has already accepted Shemini Aseret, such that Sukkot has already ended. The Taz ruled that once the person recited Arbit, he has ushered in the new Halachic day, and so in this case, the individual does not need to eat in the Sukka. Hacham Ovadia accepts this ruling, and thus concludes that by the same token, one who accepts Shabbat early has transitioned to the next day, Shabbat, and all the Berachot he recites count toward Shabbat's total of Berachot, even though the sun is still out. This principle applies in the converse in the case of a Se'uda Shelishit meal that is eaten late in the afternoon on Shabbat, and continues after dark. Since the person has in effect extended Shabbat past sunset, the Berachot of Birkat Ha'mazon that he recites after dark still count toward Shabbat's total, as this period is still considered Shabbat. (However, if one recites Arbit during Se'uda Shelishit, then he has begun the new day, and thus the Berachot he recites subsequently during Birkat Ha'mazon will count toward Sunday's total.) This becomes especially important when we consider the difficulty entailed in reaching the total of 100 Berachot on Shabbat, when the Amida consists of only seven blessings (as opposed to the weekday Amida, which consists of 19 Berachot). Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (Jerusalem, 1910-1995) disagreed. He maintained that the obligation of 100 daily Berachot refers to the period from sunset to sunset, even if one accepts Shabbat before sunset or extends Shabbat past sunset. In his view, all the Berachot recited before sunset count toward the previous day's total, whereas the Berachot recited after sunset count toward the new day's total. (This poses a challenge for those who accept Shabbat early, as the Berachot of Arbit are not counted toward the required 100 Berachot of Shabbat.) In any event, we follow Hacham Ovadia's opinion, that if one accepts Shabbat early or extends Shabbat past sundown, the Berachot count toward Shabbat's total. Does this apply also on weekdays? If a person recites Arbit before sundown on a weekday during the summer, do the Berachot recited at Arbit, and Berachot recited subsequently, before sunset, count toward that day's number of Berachot, or the next day's total? This question seems to hinge on a debate among the Rishonim concerning the case of a woman who performed the Hefsek Tahara inspection (which establishes the cessation of bleeding, so she can begin the "seven clean days") after reciting Arbit. This inspection must be performed during the day, and the question thus becomes whether it is valid if was done before sundown but after the woman recited Arbit. The Terumat Ha'deshen (Rav Yisrael Isserlein, 1390-1460) maintained that once a person recites Arbit, even before sundown, he has begun Halachic nighttime, and thus the woman in this case has already begun the night, when it is too late to perform the Hefsek Tahara. By contrast, the Maharil (Rav Yaakob Moelin, Germany, 1365-1427) ruled that the recitation of Arbit does not affect the status of the time that remains until sunset, and it is still considered daytime. Therefore, the woman may still perform a Hefsek Tahara even after reciting Arbit, as long as the sun has not set. Hacham Ovadia Yosef, in his Taharat Ha'bayit, follows the Maharil's position, that a woman may perform a Hefsek Tahara after she recited Arbit if the sun has not set. We would thus seemingly assume that with regard to the obligation of 100 daily Berachot, too, reciting Arbit before sundown on a weekday does not mark the onset of nighttime, and thus the Berachot recited count toward that day's number of Berachot. A similar question arises in the case of a person who, for whatever reason, did not put on Tefillin all day, and recited Arbit before sundown. The Shulhan Aruch – seemingly following the opinion of the Terumat Ha'deshen – rules that this individual can no longer put on Tefillin, because by reciting Arbit he has begun the nighttime, when Tefillin are not worn. Hacham Ovadia, however, writes that the person can still put on Tefillin, since the sun had not set. Returning to the issue of the 100 daily Berachot, it would seem that according to the Shulhan Aruch, the Berachot recited during Arbit before sundown count toward the next day's total, whereas according to Hacham Ovadia, they count toward the previous day's total. Given the different opinions, this issue remains unresolved, and we cannot ascertain the status of Berachot recited after a person recited Arbit before sundown. Summary: If a person begins Shabbat early, before sundown, the Berachot he recites during Arbit and after Arbit count toward his number of blessings recited on Shabbat with respect to the obligation of 100 daily blessings, even though the sun has not yet. Likewise, if one extends Se'uda Shelishit past sundown, the Berachot of Birkat Ha'mazon count towards Shabbat's total, since he has yet to end Shabbat. On weekdays, however, if one recites Arbit before sundown, it is unclear whether those Berachot – and the Berachot recited after Arbit, before sundown – count toward the previous day's total, or the next day's total.

On Shabbat (and Yom Tob), fulfilling the daily requirement of reciting 100 Berachot is more difficult than on weekdays, due to the fact that the Amida prayer on Shabbat consists of only seven Berachot (as opposed to the weekday Amida, which contains 19 Berachot). As discussed in previous installments, the Poskim have proposed several different strategies for reaching the required total of 100 Berachot. Amidst this discussion, the Poskim addressed the question of whether one may intentionally delay dessert during the Shabbat meals until after Birkat Ha'mazon in order to facilitate an additional Beracha. If dessert is eaten before Birkat Ha'mazon, one does not recite a separate Beracha Aharona over the dessert, because it is covered by Birkat Ha'mazon which is recited over the entire meal. (One does recite a Beracha before eating dessert, as the dessert is separate from the main meal and is thus not covered by the Beracha of Ha'mosi recited over the bread.) Thus, by reciting Birkat Ha'mazon before dessert, one puts himself in a position where he would need an additional Beracha – the Beracha Aharona after dessert – which could help him reach the required total of 100 blessings. At first glance, this practice seems improper, as it falls under the category of "Beracha She'ena Sericha" – an unnecessary Beracha. Halacha does not allow intentionally arranging a situation that necessitates a Beracha that would otherwise not be needed. We might therefore assume that one should not recite Birkat Ha'mazon before dessert for the purpose of facilitating an additional Beracha. However, the Shela Ha'kadosh (Rav Yeshaya Ha'levi Horowitz, d. 1630) writes that the effort to reach 100 Berachot on Shabbat qualifies as a legitimate need, such that facilitating an extra Beracha is acceptable. Although normally Halacha would not allow intentionally arranging a situation that requires an additional Beracha, this is allowed if one's goal is to ensure to fulfill the obligation of 100 daily blessings. This view is taken by several other Poskim, as well, including the Elya Rabba (Rav Eliyahu Shapira, Prague, 1660-1712) and the Erech Ha'shulhan (Rav Yishak Tayeb, Tunisia, 1786-1830), and this is the ruling of Hacham Ovadia Yosef. Hacham Ovadia adds that one should preferably not bring the dessert to the table until after Birkat Ha'mazon in such a case, so he does not recite Birkat Ha'mazon with the dessert right in front of him at the table. Additionally, Hacham Ovadia emphasizes that this is allowed only on Shabbat and Yom Tob, due to the challenge of reaching a total of 100 Berachot on these days. On weekdays, when one naturally reaches 100 Berachot by reciting the required daily prayers and Berachot, one should not intentionally facilitate an additional Beracha. Summary: If one is concerned that he might not reach the obligatory total of 100 daily Berachot on Shabbat (when the Amida prayer consists of only seven Berachot), he is allowed to facilitate additional Berachot by reciting Birkat Ha'mazon before dessert at the Shabbat meals, such that he must recite a Beracha Aharona. If one does this, he should preferably ensure to recite Birkat Ha'mazon before the dessert is brought to the table. This may be done only on Shabbat and Yom Tob, but not on weekdays, when it is relatively easy to reach a total of 100 blessings.

The Shulhan Aruch (in Bet Yosef) presents a list of Berachot which a Jew recites as part of his daily routine, showing that at least on weekdays, one will generally reach the required sum of 100 daily Berachot without difficulty. In this list, he includes the nighttime Shema (which includes the Beracha of "Ha'mapil") as part of the total of the following day's Berachot – clearly indicating that the "day" with regard to this requirement begins in the evening. Meaning, when Halacha requires one to recite 100 Berachot each day, this means that one must recite 100 Berachot from after sunset until sunset the following day. The Torat Haim Sofer disagrees, noting that the Birkot Ha'shahar (morning blessings) cover the period from the morning through the next night. These Berachot thank Hashem for various phenomena that we experience each day, and we recite them in the morning, not at night. By the same token, the Torat Haim Sofer asserts, the requirement of 100 Berachot applies to the period from the morning through the following nighttime. According to this view, we have a partial solution to the problem discussed in a previous installment regarding Shabbat, when the Amida consists of only seven Berachot – as opposed to the 19 Berachot of the weekday Amida – making it more difficult to reach the total of 100 Berachot. If the "day" begins in the morning, then the 19 Berachot during the Amida on Mosa'eh Shabbat count toward that day's total, making it at least somewhat less difficult to reach a total of 100. This point reinforces our previous inference that the Shulhan Aruch did not accept this opinion, as the Shulhan Aruch did not mention the Mosa'eh Shabbat prayer as a partial solution to this problem. (As we saw, the Shulhan Aruch writes that listening to the Berachot over the Torah reading counts toward the sum of 100 Berachot.) Regardless, Hacham Ovadia Yosef ruled that the "day" begins at sundown, and thus one must ensure to recite 100 Berachot from the period between sundown until sundown the following day. The period in between sunset and Set Ha'kochavim – nightfall, when the stars become visible – is called Ben Ha'shemashot. (There is considerable discussion regarding the length of Ben Ha'shemashot, but let us assume for our purposes that it extends for 13 minutes after sunset.) This is a time of Halachic uncertainty, as it is unknown whether this period is considered daytime or nighttime. The question thus arises as to whether Berachot recited during this period count toward the previous day's total number of Berachot, or the next day's total. The answer emerges from a position taken by Hacham Ovadia Yosef in numerous contexts regarding the status of Ben Ha'shemashot, applying the principle of "Sefek Sefeka" (literally, a "double doubt"). This principle says that when there is a Halachic uncertainty, but one of the two possibilities is itself uncertain, as there is another doubt at play, then this second doubt tips the scales, so-to-speak, in favor of the other side of the initial uncertainty. In the case of Ben Ha'shemashot, we are uncertain whether this period qualifies as daytime or nighttime – but the possibility that it qualifies as nighttime is subject to a different question. Rabbenu Tam (France, 1100-1171) maintained that halachic sunset occurs not what we consider sunset – when the sun dips below the western horizon – but nearly an hour later. Accordingly, there are two reasons why we might consider the period of Ben Ha'shemashot daytime: 1) perhaps Ben Ha'shemashot really is part of the day; 2) perhaps Halacha follows Rabbenu Tam's opinion, that what we consider Ben Ha'shemashot is actually the period preceding sundown, and Ben Ha'shemashot begins much later. (Hacham Ovadia also noted a third factor – a view that Ben Ha'shemashot begins a half-minute after the period we consider to be Ben Ha'shemashot.) On this basis, Hacham Ovadia ruled that as a practical matter, one may assume that Ben Ha'shemashot is still Halachic daytime. Thus, for example, on Ereb Yom Kippur, if someone was unable to put on his Tallit before sunset, he may still do so – and recite the Beracha – during the period of Ben Ha'shemashot after sunset, based on the assumption that it is still daytime. Likewise, if a person did not read the Megilla reading on Purim before sundown, he may do so after sundown, during Ben Ha'shemashot, and recite the Berachot over the reading. Another example is Berit Mila on the child's eighth day– if the Mohel was delayed, and arrived right after sunset, he may perform the Berit and recite the Berachot, as long as it is still within the period of Ben Ha'shemashot. This applies also to the "Hefsek Tahara" inspection that a married woman must perform to establish the cessation of bleeding so she can begin the "Shib'a Nekiyim" (seven clean days). This inspection must be made before sundown, but if a woman was unable to do so before sunset, she may perform the inspection during the period of Ben Ha'shemashot. Applying this principle to our subject, Berachot recited during the period of Ben Ha'shemashot after sunset are counted toward the previous day's total of Berachot, as we assume that this period has the status of Halachic daytime. Summary: The obligation to recite 100 Berachot each day means that one must recite 100 Berachot from sundown until sundown the next day. Berachot which one recites during Ben Ha'shemashot – the 13-minute period after sundown – count toward the previous day's total.