R’Saffer B”Iyun Newsletter B’racha Rishoina Learning during Laining Vol. 1, Issue # 9

After discussing the issur of leaving the shul seem satisfying on the surface, but requires during Kriyas haTorah, our gm (brachos 8a) much more rigorous study upon further relates that Sheishes used to “turn his inspection. head and learn” during Kriyas haTorah, (rav sheishes mehader apei v’garis…). The Let’s dig in. Tosafos (d”h rav sheishes) first implication from the gm is that, while leaving posits that the issur of talking in learning the room in the middle of laining is described in gm sotah is a prohibition against unacceptable, learning during laining is being mevatel k’riyas hatorah by making a permissible. "loud" ruckus so that others will not be able to hear the laining properly (b’kol ram k’dei The rishoinim note that the gm in sotah 39a shelo yivatlu kol kriyas hatorah). In contrast, seems to directly contradict our gm. The gm Rav Sheishes in our gm was learning quietly in Sotah states: “ bar said: (b’nachas). Tosafos suggests that Rav When the Sefer is open, it is assur to Sheishes in our gm was careful not to distrupt speak even in divrei halacha, as it states ”and the k’riyas hatorah, and therefore did not when they opened (the sefer torah) the entire violate the issur stated in the gm sotah, nation amdu (stood still)”and when the pasuk says “amdu” it means “they were silent”… It would be easy to accept the explanation of Rav in the name of Rav Chisdah Tosafos at face value, but R’ Saffer (and no learned it from “and the ears of the entire doubt fervent devotees of the chabura and nation were (directed ) towards the Sefer b’racha rishoina as well) would never stand Torah” (Rava bar Rav Huna amar, keivan for that. First of all, it is hard to believe that she’niftach sefer torah assur l’sapeir afilu the gm in sotah would advance an agenda of b’dvar halacha she’nehmar “ub’paschu not being mevatel k’riyas hatorah by citing amdu kol ha’am’” v’ein amidah ela shetikah two different p’sukim that call for complete she’nehmar “v’hochalti ki lo yedabeiru ki attention during k’riyas hatorah. As we amdu lo anu” , Rav Zeira amar Rav Chisda described, the first pasuk describes “k’lal mei’hacha “v’aznei kol ha’am el ha’sefer yisroel standing silently in attention” and the torah”). other describes how “all ears were directed to the words of the k’riya”. Do we really need The sources in sotah 39a point to a blanket these p’sukim to teach us that it is issur on talking during laining that includes inappropriate to cause a commotion and even learning (divrei halacha). How then, did totally ruin the laining? Furthermore, does Rav Sheishes learn during k’riyas Hatorah? Tosafos mean to imply that there is nothing The rishoinim here and in sotah offer over a wrong with sitting quietly in the back of the half a dozen resolutions to this seeming shul and even reading the New York Post contradiction. Many of these resolutions are (from right to left), as long as you don’t reflected l’halacha in SA OC 146:2 . For a disturb the k’riyah? Is the halacha of paying fuller discussion of the entire sugya, go to attention to k’riyas hatorah simply a matter www.beistefillahshiurim.org . For B’racha of not butchering the kriyah for others? The Rishiona purposes, however, we will limit simple understanding of Tosafos should allow our discourse to the first teiretz of Tosafos. R’ Moshe Burt to read the "Philadelphia Faithful members of B’racha Rishoina Nation Phillies Yearbook" while R’ Ari Gruen is will notice that our unique analysis of reading “ha’kol kol yaakov, v’hayadayim Tosafos in this context is a good illustration yedei eisav”. of how a simple answer found in Tosafos can

1 R’ Saffer offered the following analysis for rishoina) and other sifrei kodesh will be Tosafos: permissible according to Tosafos.

Our analysis begins with the two p'sukim It is important to realize while we believe mentioned in sotah . The first pasuk, which our analysis of shitas Tosafos is emes, this calls for k’lal yisroel to be quiet during should not be followed halacha l’maiseh. k’riyah (‘amdu v’lo anu’, v’ein amida ela The SA, MB and BH (OC 146) all state shetika), contrary to the simple interpretation unequivocally that one should not learn at of the words, does NOT teach us that one can all during Kriyas haTorah and all should not talk so loud that kriyah is inaudible to the pay close attention to every word of the kehilla. No pasuk is necessary to teach us kriyah (to understand why this is so, we the obvious. Rather, the pasuk of “being once again refer you to quiet during kriyah” can be understood as a www.beistefillahshiurim.org ). “kavod haTorah” directive not to disturb the k’riyah (even if everyone in shul could still hear R’ Zev Kaplan). The second pasuk, on Have a great Shabbos! the other hand, demanding that the listener “lend his ears” to the k’riyah (v’aznei kol This publication is not intended to substitute in ha’am el ha’sefer torah) is teaching a second any shape or form for the learning that goes on halacha. Not only is there an issur not in the R’ Saffer iyun chabura. No newsletter or disturb k’riyah, one must be attentive to the write-up can give over what the chabura is all about - a group of individuals guided by a k’riyah as well. Rebbe , involved in the learning process. While we have tried to make this newsletter an easy The first halacha of not disturbing the read, the learning process is just the opposite. kriyah, disallows any “loud” talking, even of The learning process is a combination of Torah content. Reading b’racha rishoina out commitment, hasmada, and shvitz. It is loud, for example, would be assur even if searching for emes with precise analysis everyone could still hear Dr. Rosen, as it is utilizing an authentic Torah approach. The disturbing the kriyah. The second “kavod intended purpose of this publication is to haTorah” halacha, that one must be attentive highlight some of the fruits of our labor so that to k’riyah, prohibits even the silent reading you will be enticed to come and try out the chabura. We undoubtedly have not captured of ridiculous "blogs" and publications. fully the ideas expressed in shiur. Of course we hope and pray that it will be a very meaningful The question persists. If there is a command and inspiring Shabbos journal for all. to “be attentive to k’riyah” then how was Rav Sheishes allowed to learn Torah, albeit For more details contact Edo Lavi at quietly (b’nachas)? Why should this be [email protected] permitted? He was not being attentive to kriyas haTorah! How to deal with this seemingly deadly problem is an example of why lomdus and definitional analysis is so critical to the learning process. Obviously, some redefining of this second “kavod haTorah“ halacha is in order. When the gm in sotah teaches that one “must be attentive to kriyah” that is not the formulation of the halacha. The demand to be attentive and “lend one’s ear” is really just an expression of a halacha to “show respect to kriyas hatorah”. Therefore, only engaging in a disrespectful activity violates the command of “v’aznei kol ha’am el ha’sefer torah”. So while “People Magazine" might be assur to read during kriyah, reading BR (bracha

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