Daily Learning: Caution During the Three Weeks and a Practice for Long Life

Two Daily Halachot from Hidabroot, based on Halacha and Aggadah and the rulings of Maran Rabbi Ovadia Yosef.

Why Should One Avoid Walking Alone During the Three Weeks?

During the Three Weeks, one should avoid walking alone outside the city from the beginning of the fourth halachic hour of the day (approximately 9:10 a.m.) until the end of the ninth halachic hour (approximately 4:30 p.m.). According to Jewish tradition, these are times when harmful spiritual forces are more prevalent. For the same reason, one should also avoid walking in areas that are partly in sunlight and partly in shade during these hours.

May One Recite the Shehecheyanu Blessing During the Three Weeks?

It is customary to refrain from eating a new seasonal fruit from the night of the Seventeenth of Tammuz until after Tisha B'Av, so as to avoid reciting the Shehecheyanu blessing during this period.

However, it is permitted to recite Shehecheyanu over a new fruit on the intervening Shabbatot. Likewise, one may recite the blessing over a new garment on Shabbat, especially when wearing it enhances the honor of Shabbat. After Rosh Chodesh Av, however, new clothing should not be worn even on Shabbat.

A child who has not yet reached bar or bat mitzvah age may recite Shehecheyanu over a new fruit or new garment during this period, since this custom is a pious practice rather than a strict halachic obligation, and there is no need to be stringent with minors.

Daily Segulah

A Segulah for Long Life

Shnayim Mikra Ve'echad Targum is the obligation to read the weekly Torah portion twice in the original Hebrew text and once with the Aramaic translation of Onkelos each week.

The source of this obligation is found in the Talmud (Berachot 8a), where Rabbi Huna, in the name of Rabbi Ami, teaches:

"A person should always complete his Torah portions together with the congregation, reading the Scripture twice and the translation once... Whoever completes the weekly Torah portion together with the congregation will merit long life and many years."

One who faithfully reads the weekly Torah portion twice in Hebrew and once with the Targum each week is promised the blessing of longevity.

The Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 285:1–2) rules that every individual is obligated to personally read the weekly Torah portion twice in the original text and once with the Targum. 

The Tosafot, the Rif, Rabbeinu Yonah, TheMordechai, and the Rosh all explain that this is a full halachic obligation. The Tur (Orach Chaim 285) likewise writes, "One must be careful to complete the weekly Torah portion together with the congregation," and this is the ruling adopted by the Shulchan Aruch.

Similarly, Maimonides (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Tefillah 13:25) writes: "Although a person hears the entire Torah read publicly every Shabbat, he is nevertheless obligated to read for himself each week the portion of that Shabbat twice in the original text and once in the translation."

The Levush explains the purpose of this enactment: "Our Sages obligated every Jew to complete the weekly Torah portion each week by reading it twice in the original text and once in the translation, so that he will become well-versed in the Torah."