The Beginner's Guide: Unveiling the Profound Requests in Morning Blessings

At the start of the day, following the morning blessings, we say the Torah blessings. These blessings consist of three separate blessings, each carrying its own unique meaning. The first blessing is "Blessed are You, Hashem, our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us concerning the words of the Torah." This blessing deals with the mitzvah of studying the Torah, reminding us to dedicate time daily for Torah study—whether through classes, study books, or with a partner. The commandment of Torah study is considered extremely significant in the service of Hashem for a Jewish man, so much so that our sages stated the first of one's divine judgments in the heavenly court would be about their dedication to Torah study—"The initial judgment concerning a person will be about the words of Torah" (Tractate Kiddushin, page 40). This commandment has several reasons, including the importance of knowing the law, understanding what’s permitted or forbidden, and ensuring proper observance of commandments to avoid sin. Another reason is that engagement in Torah is itself a fulfillment of a mitzvah and the Will of Hashem. Therefore, even if our learning did not yield understanding that day, it is not considered a wasted effort, since the effort itself is seen as the fulfillment of the mitzvah of Torah. Finally, Torah study creates a profound connection and attachment to Hashem in a way that surpasses all other commandments, as stated in the Mishnah, "And the study of Torah is equivalent to them all" (Peah 1:1).

The second blessing is "May the words of Your Torah, Hashem our God, be sweet to us and to the people of the house of Israel. May we and our descendants and the descendants of our descendants know Your name and study Your Torah for its own sake. Blessed are You, Hashem, who teaches the Torah to His people Israel." In this blessing, we ask Hashem to grant us the delight and sweetness found in Torah study. Feeling enjoyment in learning motivates us and helps us allocate more time to the mitzvah of Torah study. We also pray in this blessing that we and our descendants remain faithful to Hashem, learn Torah with sincerity, and continue the generational chain along the path of Torah.

The third blessing is "Blessed are You, Hashem, our God, King of the Universe, who chose us from all the peoples and gave us His Torah. Blessed are You, Hashem, Giver of the Torah." Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin, one of the great disciples of the Vilna Gaon, reveals to us in his book 'Nefesh HaChaim' what would happen if there was ever a moment when no one in the world was engaged in Torah study: "The truth, without any doubt at all, is that if the entire world, from end to end, were devoid, God forbid, for even a moment from engaging in or contemplating Torah, at that moment all worlds, upper and lower, would be destroyed and become null and void, God forbid." Thus, perpetual Torah study sustains creation itself, and without it, creation would not exist.

The nation of Israel is the only nation that received the Torah; it is set apart and sanctified for Hashem. The Torah is the means through which we create attachment, connection, and belonging with the Creator of the Universe. Our covenantal relationship with the Creator of the Universe, through the Torah, is something we bless daily.

After the Torah blessings, verses from the Torah are recited to ensure the blessings are not in vain. This transition to teaching immediately follows the Torah blessings, as outlined in the Siddur.

The Weekly Challenge

Dedicate half a minute every morning to recite the Torah blessings, expressing gratitude to Hashem for choosing to give us the Torah, out of His love for us.

Also read:

"I work, and I don't have time to study Torah. Hashem understands me, right?": 5 surprising facts