It seems so natural, so ingrained in Jewish practice, that we might not even stop to ask why. But the Rabbis of old, they were always asking. They wanted to know the source, the reason, the deep meaning behind every single mitzvah, every commandment. Let's dive into what they discovered about the blessing of the Torah.
The verse that sparks this whole exploration comes from Deuteronomy 30:11: “For this mitzvah that I command you today, it is not hidden from you, and it is not distant.” The Rabbis in Devarim Rabbah (Deuteronomy Rabbah) focus on the words "For this mitzvah," and they connect it to the halakha, the Jewish law, surrounding the reading of the Torah.
So, what’s the proper way to recite the blessing? Well, the Sages taught that whoever begins and concludes the Torah reading must recite a blessing both before and after. But where does this practice even come from? How do we know it's required?
The answer, according to the Rabbis, is found scattered throughout Scripture. To show the need for a blessing before reading, they point to Psalm 119:12: “Blessed are You, Lord… Teach me Your statutes.” See how the blessing, "Blessed are You, Lord," comes before the request to be taught? That sets the precedent.
And what about the blessing after the reading? Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman, quoting Rabbi Yonatan, finds the answer in Deuteronomy 33:1, at the end of the portion of Ha'azinu (Deuteronomy 32:1–43): “This is the blessing.” The idea is that Moses taught the Israelites the Torah, and then he gave them a blessing. This teaches us the importance of a blessing after the Torah reading.
But there's more than just precedent here. It’s not just about following a ritual. The Holy One, Blessed be He, has a stake in this too! The Rabbis say that God said, “If you utter the blessing of the Torah, I, too, will bless you.” This is based on a fascinating interpretation of Exodus 20:21, "In every place that I mention my name, [I will come to you and I will bless you]." The Rabbis read this as "wherever you mention My Name." It’s a reciprocal relationship! We bless God through the Torah, and God, in turn, blesses us.
And if that wasn’t enough, there’s another layer. The Rabbis continue, saying that God said, “If you recite a blessing on the Torah, you recited the blessing for yourself.” It’s not just about duty; it's about personal enrichment. Where does this come from? Proverbs 9:11: “For with Me your days will be increased, and years of life will be added for you.”
There’s a beautiful idea here: perhaps you think the Torah is a burden, a set of rules and regulations that limit you. But God says, “I gave it to you only for your benefit!” It's a gift, not a punishment.
Think about that. The Rabbis even suggest that the ministering angels yearned for the Torah, but it was beyond their grasp! As it says in Job 28:21, “It is vanished from the eyes of all living… and hidden from the birds [umeof] of the heavens.” The Rabbis interpret "birds of the heavens" as referring to angels, drawing a parallel from Isaiah 6:6, “One of the seraphim flew [vayaaf] to me.” The same root word, aaf, meaning "to fly," connects the angels to the "birds."
So, God says to the Israelites, "My children, it is hidden from the ministering angels, but from you it is not hidden!" That’s why the verse we started with, Deuteronomy 30:11, is so powerful: “For this mitzvah that I command you today, it is not hidden from you.”
Isn't that incredible? The next time you hear or recite the blessing before and after the Torah reading, remember this. Remember that it's not just a ritual, but a connection. A connection to God, a connection to our heritage, and a connection to a wisdom that even the angels envy. It’s a gift, freely given, and a blessing to be cherished.