May one recite Birchas Hatorah after Shacharis?[1]
- Example-If one has already prayed Shacharis and then recalled that he forgot to say Birchas Hatorah, should it still be recited?
Initially one is to recite Birchas Hatorah prior to Davening, if he does not plan to learn Torah immediately after Davening.[2] If one forgot to say the blessing prior to Davening, and has already Davened then if he read the Shema immediately after the blessing of Ahavas Olam he is not to say Birchas Hatorah any more that day.[3] This applies even if he did not learn any Torah immediately after Davening. [Nevertheless initially one who Davened without saying Birchas Hatorah is to learn Torah immediately after Davening, and hence fulfill his obligation according to all opinions.[4] If this is not possible, or one has already delayed learning after davening, then one should try to hear the blessing from someone else.[5]] If one did not recite Shema immediately after Ahavas Olam, then he has not fulfilled his obligation of Birchas Hatorah, and is required to recite the blessing after Davening, prior to learning.[6]
Q&A
If one Davened without reciting Birchas Hatorah is he to omit all three blessings after Davening or only one of the blessings?
All three blessings are omitted as they are all fulfilled within the blessing of Ahavas Olam.[7]
If one Davened without reciting Birchas Hatorah is he to learn Torah immediately after Shemoneh Esrei or may he delay it until after Shacharis?[8]
One is not required to learn Torah immediately after Shemoneh Esrei and rather he may delay it until he completes Davening. After Davening he is then to immediately learn Torah.
Is listening to the Torah reading considered like one has learned Torah immediately after Davening?[9]
Yes.
If one is Davening past Zman Kerias Shema is the reading of the Shema considered like learning Torah immediately after Ahavas Olam?[10]
Yes. Thus according to all in such a case he has fulfilled his obligation of Birchas Hatorah.
If one remembered in middle of Davening that he did not recite Birchas Hatorah what is he to do?
If one remembers in middle of Pesukei Dezimra, or between Yishtabach and Barchu, then he is to stop and recite all three blessings of Birchas Hatorah, including the verses of Birchas Kohanim.[11] If however he already began Birchas Shema then he may no longer stop to say it. Some Poskim[12] rule he is to intend not to fulfill his obligation with Ahavas Olam and then recite Birchas Hatorah after Davening. Others[13] however rule that one is to specifically intend to fulfill his obligation with Ahavas Olam and is to then learn Torah immediately after Davening. Practically one is to follow the latter opinion.[14]
Does the blessing of Ahavas Olam in Maariv exempt the blessing of Birchas Hatorah?
Some Poskim[15] rule it has the same status as Ahavas Olam in Shacharis and hence exempts Birchas Hatorah afterwards. [Thus one who woke up before Alos and remembered that he did not yet Daven Maariv, is to recite Birchas Hatorah prior to Davening, if it is past midnight.[16]] Others[17] however rule that it is not similar to the Ahavas Olam of Shacharis and one does not fulfill his obligation with it.
[1] 47/6; Michaber 47/7-8; So rules also Kitzur SHU”A 7/7; Birchas Habayis 34/19; Kaf Hachaim 47/17; Ketzos Hashulchan 5/5.
Background:
The blessing of Ahava Raba or Ahavas Olam contains similar statements to those recited in Birchas Hatorah, as in it one recites “Visein Belibeinu Lilmod Ulilameid” etc. Therefore if one learns Torah immediately after completing Shema and Shemoneh Esrei, without any delay, he has fulfilled the obligation of reciting Birchas Hatorah. He is no longer required to recite it that entire day even if he stopped learning and then decided to learn again, just as was explained in Halacha 9 regarding Birchas Hatorah. [This applies even if one did not intend to fulfill Birchas Hatorah with Ahavas Olam (M”B 47/14) and even if he did not remember his omission of Birchas Hatorah until after Ahavas Olam. (see Biur Halacha “Poteres”)]
If one does not learn immediately afterwards: Regarding the law in a case that one did not learn Torah immediately after Davening, a dispute is recorded. The first opinion [Michaber 47/7] rules that if one did not learn Torah immediately after Davening then he has not fulfilled his obligation within Ahavas Olam and he must thus recite Birchas Hatorah prior to learning. The reason for this is because only when one learns Torah immediately after Davening is it recognizable that he was using the prayer of Ahavas Olam as a blessing over Torah study, such as to read the Shema. However others [Raavad; Shivlei Haleket; Michaber 47/8] rule that the above only applies if one did not read the Shema immediately following the prayer of Ahavas Olam, in which case since he did not learn Torah immediately after Ahavas Olam he must repeat the blessing. However if he recited Shema immediately after Ahavas Olam then it suffices [as a recognition] and exempts the learning of the entire day from Birchas Hatorah.
Final ruling of Admur: Admur concludes that one is to suspect and be stringent like both opinions. Thus one is to initially recite Birchas Hatorah prior to Davening and is not to rely on the blessing of Ahavas Olam if he does not plan to learn immediately after Davening, as rules the first opinion. On the other hand if one forgot to say the blessing prior to Davening, and has already Davened [then if he read the Shema immediately after the blessing of Ahavas Olam] he is not to say Birchas Hatorah any more that day, as rules the second opinion. So rules also Kitzur SHU”A 7/7; Birchas Habayis 34/19; Kaf Hachaim 47/17; Ketzos Hashulchan 5/5.
Other Opinions: The M”B 47/17 and Biur Halacha “Viyeish” side to rule like the first opinion that if one did not learn immediately after Davening he is to say the blessing of Birchas Hatorah. So also rules Gr”a; Peri Chadash 47/7; Elya Raba 47/5; Chayeh Adam 9/5.
[2] To suspect for the first opinion mentioned in background that if one does not learn immediately after Davening he has not fulfilled his obligation.
The law if one plans to learn immediately after Davening: According to all opinions, if one plans to learn Torah immediately after Davening, without any delay, then he has fulfilled his obligation of Birchas Hatorah. Even initially he may rely on this and omit Birchas Hatorah prior to Davening, and intend to fulfill his obligation within Ahavas Olam and the subsequent learning. [so is implied from Admur ibid] However the M”B 47/18, in explanation of the Michaber, writes that one may come to forget to learn Torah immediately after Davening, and hence is to always recite Birchas Hatorah beforehand. However in Shaareiy Tziyon 14 he writes like Admur that it only applies if he does not plan to learn Torah afterwards.
[3] Thus suspecting for the second opinion mentioned in background that he has fulfilled his obligation within the prayer of Ahavas Olam and the subsequent Shema.
[4] Kaf Hachaim 47/17; Kitzur SHU”A 7/7; Upashut. Vetzaruch Iyun why this was not mentioned by Admur.
[5] Piskeiy Teshuvos 47 footnote 86; Based on 46/7 which mentions the possibility of hearing the blessing through someone else.
[6] As explained in background.
[7] M”A 139/12; Ketzos Hashulchan 5/8; Igros Moshe 1/23; However see Siddur Shaar Menachem that they write that only the first and last blessing is not said. Vetzaruch Iyun for their source.
[8] M”B 47/15 in name of Levush; Biur Halacha “Im Lamad Meyad” in name of Oar Zarua; Mamar Mordechai 47/7
[9] Makor Chaim [Chavos Yair] 47/7; See M”B 47/17 regarding Shema.
[10] M”B 47/17
[11] M”B 51/10; as there are opinions that say it is forbidden to recite the verses in Pesukei Dezimra prior to Birchas Hatorah.
[12] Peri Megadim 52; However there are Poskim that argue on this advice, and state it does not help even if one has this in mind. [See Biur Halacha 52 “Umikol Makom”; Tehila Ledavid 47/6]
[13] M”B 52/9; Biur Halacha “Umikol Makom”
[14] As explains Biur Halacha ibid and Tehila Ledavid ibid the reasons not to rely on the advice of the Peri Megadim, and so is also implied from Admur in 47/6
[15] M”B 47/13; Rabbeinu Yona brought in Tehila Ledavid 47/5
[16] As otherwise he will be unable to recite the blessing anymore that day, just as is the law regarding one who has Davened Shacharis. See Tehila Ledavid 47/5
[17] Levushei Mordechai 1/19; initial opinion of Tehila Ledavid 47/5; See Leket Yosher p. 44; Hagahos Over Oreiach 47; Sdei Chemed in Michtav Lechizkiyahu 4
If one recited the 6 remembrances (or parshas hamon, as some are accustomed) after davening, is it considered that he learned Torah immediately after davening?