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Highlights of a shiur by Dayan Yehoshua Grunwald
כי שם ה’ אקרא הבו גדל לאלקנו
When I call the name of Hashem, ascribe greatness to our G-d.
(Devarim 32:3)
According to the Ramban, this Passuk is the source of the Mitzva of Birkat HaTorah, reciting a blessing before studying Torah.
The Rambam, though, doesn’t reckon Birkat HaTorah among the Taryag Mitzvot. Why not?
One approach is that of the Aruch HaShulhan, that the Rambam’s view is that birkat haTorah is a component of the Mitzva of Talmud Torah.
The Ramban, for his part, specifically rejects this possibility. He argues that just as bringing bikkurim and reading Mikra Bikkurim are separately counted among the Taryag (613) Mitzvot, so are Talmud Torah and Birkat haTorah.
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Moshe Rabbenu has been teaching Torah to K’lal Yisrael for forty years. Why is Birkat HaTorah mentioned now for the first time?
The Netziv offers a fascinating answer:
Hachamim tell us that Moshe’s prophecy was delivered in real time: “Shechina medaberet mitoch g’rono shel Moshe” – the Shechina would speak out of Moshe’s throat… While other Nevi’im first received their prophecy and later, asynchronously, delivered it to the people. But in the unique case of Moshe’s prophecy, receipt and delivery were simultaneous, because Hashem spoke directly to the people through Moshe’s throat.
Moshe’s Torah teaching, says the Netziv, was never subject to Birkat haTorah, because it was miraculous, and no Beracha is recited upon the product of a miracle (for this reason, the Netziv maintains that no Beracha was recited when eating the Heavenly mann.)
But this time was different. Moshe wrote down Shirat Ha’azinu and read it aloud to the people. All natural, no miracle. For the first time in all the years of Moshe’s public Talmud Torah, Birkat haTorah was required!