Question:
This has happened to me more than once. I don’t know why it happens, but sometimes when I start saying the morning blessings—birchos hashachar—right after waking up and washing my hands, I absent‑mindedly begin reciting birchas HaTorah before Hanosein Lasechvi Bina and the other blessings. Meaning, I finish the first three blessings—Asher Yatzar, Elokai Neshamah, etc.—but instead of continuing to the next morning blessings, I go straight into birchas HaTorah. If I realize this in the middle, should I stop and consider it a blessing in vain? Or should I continue the birchas HaTorah and later say the other blessings? Should I say all three blessings of birchas HaTorah and then return to the rest of birchos hashachar? Thank you.
Answer:
Although reciting birchas HaTorah after birchos hashachar is the custom in Chabad and Sephardic communities, it is not a strict requirement. Therefore, if you inadvertently said birchas HaTorah earlier, prior to Birchas Hashachar, it remains completely valid. In such a case, simply finish the blessing you are holding by, continue with the remaining two blessings of Birchas Hatorah, and then proceed with the rest of birchos Hashachar. Indeed, this is the Nussach of Davening practiced by Ashkenazi Jewry [including Nussach Sefarad] to recite Birchas Hatorah before Birchas Hashachar, and is hence certainly valid Bedieved for everyone else.
Explanation:
In the Alter Rebbe’s Siddur, birchas HaTorah is placed after birchos Hashachar. This is based on an opinion brought in the parentheses by Admur in his Shulchan Aruch, which itself is based on Siddur Rav Amram Gaon, the Rambam, the Tanya Rabasi in name of Rav Nutraiy Gaon, the Abudarahm, the Seder Hayom, the Arizal and the Shelah Hakadosh. This has become the standard practice for Sephardim who Daven Nussach Edut Hamizrach. This placement, however, is a minhag, not a halachic requirement. The obligation is simply to recite birchas HaTorah before learning Torah—not to say it in any specific order relative to the other morning blessings. Because of this, many communities, mainly of Nussach Ashkenaz, even initially recite birchas HaTorah immediately after Elokai Neshamah, prior to Birchas Hashachar, and this is considered fully valid even lechatchilah. In fact, this location of recital, immediately after Elokaiy Neshama, is explicitly mentioned in the Rama in the Shulchan Aruch, and in the Alter Rebbe’s Shulchan Aruch, and it is only in parentheses that he brings the second opinion which we follow today based on the Alter Rebbe’s Siddur.
Therefore, if you absent‑mindedly recite birchas HaTorah out of order—even before reciting all of birchos hashachar—your blessings are completely valid, because the order is not essential.
Sources:
Admur 46:8: “There are places where the custom is to recite Birchos HaTorah before the passage of the Korban Tamid. And even though many verses are said before Birchos HaTorah, we are not concerned about this, since they are said in the manner of supplications and not in the manner of Torah study and formal reading. However, the more correct custom is that of those who recite the blessings immediately after Asher Yatzar and Elokai Neshamah, (or after Hagomel Chassadim Tovim and V’yehi Ratzon), before reciting any verses from Scripture.”
Custom to recite Birchas Hatorah immediately after Asher Yatzar: 1st opinion in Admur ibid; Rama 46:9 “The custom is to recite Birchas Hatorah immediately after Birchas Asher Yatzar”; M”A 46:15
Custom to recite Birchas Hatorah immediately after Elokaiy Neshama: 1st opinion in Admur ibid; Tur 46
Custom to recite Birchas Hatorah after all Birchas Hashachar: 2nd opinion in Admur ibid in parentheses; Peri Eitz Chaim 4; Shelah Miseches Chulin Emek Habracha; Shaar Hakolel 1:16
