Before I give my dvar torah. (This is a non-CR personal shout out) I’d like to say a personal farewell to the one who gave me a tremendous chizuk at a time when it was appreciated most. Thanks Rabbi J, You know who you are and I hope you will read this. I see where you are coming from, you feel it is time for you to move on, and you are probably correct. Hatzlacha to you in all your endeavors and your dropping me a bracha now and then will always be appreciated.
I’m not on tap to do one tonight, but this one is for you.
To all whom that was not intended for, thanks for your patience.
This Shabbos being Mevorchim, I thought I’d do something on the Birchas HaChodesh.
(As seen in the Gevuras Yitzchak on Shavuos & Rambam Hilchos Talmud Torah)
Why does the Birchas HaChodesh, with all its wonderful brachos not contain a bracha on Torah? We have many tfillos in which we request Torah and assistance with our Torah (some even composed just for this purpose) Why is Torah not in the Birchas HaChodesh?
The Gemarra in Nidda says ?? ???? ??? ????? ??? ??? ???? ?????? ????? ?????? ???? ???? ??? ?? ??? ????? ??? ??? ????? ????? ??? ?????? ??? ????? (???? ?) ?? ?’ ??? ???? ???? ??? ??????
What should a person do to to gain wisdom in Torah? He should learn more and work less. But many did this and it did not work for them. Rather he shall additionally daven for mercy from the one who grants wisdom.
So we see from here that one needs to daven for Torah! So why don’t we in Birchas HaChodesh?
We could answer that we do in fact daven for Torah in Birchas HaChodesh. We ask that the new month be ????? ??????. In Pirkei Avos it says The only Tov (good) is Torah. The Gra’s siddur (in Shabbos Mincha )explains that the only ???? is Torah.
We also ask for ???? ?? ????. The Yalkut on Mishlei says on the passuk ????? ???????????? ??????, That the Torah is ???? ????.
The siddur of the Gra states on the passuk ?’ ??? ???????? ?????? ?’ ???????? ??? ?????? ?????????? that only through Torah can one reach ?????, so we see that this part of Birchas HaChodesh also refers to Torah.
The only question we are left with, is why we ask for Torah in this manner and we do not ask for it outright ??”?