Two Halachot a Day: Torah Blessings and the Meaning of Brit Milah

Two daily halachot from the book BeHalacha U'VeAggadah, based on the rulings of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, of blessed memory.

What Is the Significance of the Blessings Over Torah Study?

A person should not engage in Torah study before reciting the blessings over the Torah (Birkot HaTorah). These blessings are therefore recited each morning and cover all Torah study undertaken throughout the day.

After reciting the blessings, it is customary to read the Priestly Blessing (Birkat Kohanim) so that words of Torah are recited immediately afterward, without interruption.

The blessings over Torah study carry great spiritual significance, and one should take particular care to recite them with sincere concentration and intention.

Understanding the Morning Blessings: What Are We Thanking God For?

Shelo Asani Isha – "Who has not made me a woman"

In this blessing, a man expresses gratitude to God for creating him as a Jewish man who is obligated to observe all the commandments. Although he has already thanked God for not making him a non-Jew or a slave, he acknowledges that he could have been created as a woman, who is exempt from certain time-bound positive commandments.

He therefore offers praise and thanksgiving for the opportunity to fulfill the full range of mitzvot required of Jewish men.

Baruch She'asani Kirtzono – "Blessed is He who made me according to His will"

Women recite this blessing to express gratitude to God for creating them according to His will. Although women are exempt from certain commandments, the traditional explanation presented here teaches that these exemptions enable them to devote themselves to their unique responsibilities and spiritual mission.

These responsibilities include helping establish a faithful Jewish home, caring for their husbands and children, and raising the next generation with a love of Torah and mitzvot in accordance with Jewish tradition.

According to this explanation, if women were required to devote time each day to commandments such as tzitzit, tefillin, acquiring the Four Species for Sukkot, and other time-bound obligations, it could interfere with their ability to fulfill these important responsibilities.

The blessing therefore expresses appreciation for the distinctive role and purpose that God has entrusted to women.

Hama'avir Chevlei Sheinah Me'einai Utnumah Me'af'apai – "Who removes the bonds of sleep from my eyes and slumber from my eyelids"

This blessing, which concludes with gratitude to God for bestowing kindness upon us, expresses appreciation for the gift of sleep and the ability to awaken refreshed.

When a person washes their face in the morning, they remove the lingering heaviness of sleep from their eyes. They then thank God for the tremendous kindness of allowing the body to rest and recover from the previous day's labor and exhaustion.

Sleep provides essential physical restoration, allowing the body to relax and food to be properly digested. Through this blessing, we acknowledge that even the ordinary experience of waking up each morning is a gift worthy of gratitude.

Daily Mitzvah: Brit Milah and the Eternal Covenant Between God and the Jewish People

Despite the many centuries of exile and the challenges faced by Jewish communities throughout history, the mitzvah of Brit Milah, or circumcision, has remained a central and enduring practice among the Jewish people.

What makes this commandment so significant, and what does it symbolize?

The First Responsibility of a Jewish Father

The mitzvah of circumcising a son is the first in the sequence of commandments that a father is obligated to fulfill on behalf of his child.

A father is commanded to bring his son into the covenant of circumcision on the eighth day after birth, as the Torah states: "And at eight days old, every male among you shall be circumcised" (Genesis 17:12).

When the eighth day falls on Shabbat, the circumcision is performed even on Shabbat, provided the halachic conditions are met. However, if the circumcision has been postponed for medical reasons, it may not be performed on Shabbat.

The Covenant of Abraham

Brit Milah is closely associated with Abraham because he was the first to perform the commandment in response to God's direct instruction. Through this act, Abraham established a lasting covenant that would be carried forward by his descendants, placing upon them a permanent symbol of their special relationship with God.

The word brit means "covenant," and circumcision is described as a physical sign of the eternal bond between the Jewish people and their Creator.

Three commandments in the Torah are specifically referred to as an ot, or "sign": Brit Milah, Shabbat, and tefillin. Each represents an enduring connection between a Jew and God.

Why Wasn't Man Created Already Circumcised?

Jewish tradition teaches that God deliberately created human beings with the opportunity to participate in their own process of perfection. Rather than creating a child already circumcised, God entrusted human beings with the responsibility of performing this mitzvah.

This principle also carries a deeper spiritual message. Just as circumcision involves a physical act of refinement, personal growth requires individuals to work on their character, refine their natural tendencies, and overcome their shortcomings.

Human beings are not expected to begin life in a state of perfection. Instead, they are given the opportunity and responsibility to develop themselves and strive toward greater spiritual completeness.

Celebrating the Covenant With Joy

Following a Brit Milah, it is customary to have a seudat mitzvah, a festive meal celebrating the fulfillment of the commandment. Through this celebration, the family expresses its happiness at welcoming another member into the service of the King of Kings.

The festive meal is more than a social gathering. It publicly demonstrates that the mitzvah is performed with joy and gratitude, reflecting the Jewish people's happiness in belonging to God and fulfilling His commandments.

Why Is There a Special Chair for Elijah the Prophet?

According to Jewish tradition, Elijah the Prophet is spiritually present at every Brit Milah.

The origin of this custom is connected to an episode in Elijah's life when he was being persecuted by Queen Jezebel. At that time, Elijah expressed his anguish over the spiritual condition of the Jewish people, declaring: "For the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant" (I Kings 19:10).

According to the Midrashic tradition, God responded by instructing Elijah to be present whenever the Jewish people would renew their covenant with Him. In this way, Elijah would witness that the Jewish people had not abandoned the covenant after all.

Elijah is therefore regarded as an unseen witness at every circumcision, which represents a renewal of the eternal bond between the Jewish people and their Creator. This tradition is the source of the custom of preparing a special chair, known as the Kisei Shel Eliyahu, or "Chair of Elijah," at a Brit Milah ceremony.

The chair symbolizes Elijah's presence as the messenger of the covenant and serves as a reminder that every Jewish child brought into the covenant continues a sacred tradition established by Abraham thousands of years ago.

Through Brit Milah, the Jewish people reaffirm their enduring relationship with God, connecting each new generation to a covenant that has survived exile, persecution, and the passage of time.