Q. Querido Rabino. I sending you a popular question from our distant past and everyone’s present. If someone takes during the middle of the day a ‘siesta’ and sleeps for a couple of hours, does he have to make a Birchat Hatora when he begins learning Torah after he wakes up?
A. This Shaila is actually popular for many elderly everywhere, that often enjoy a ‘siesta’ in the middle of the day.
Shulchan Aruch (O.H. 47: 11), quotes two dissenting opinions on ‘Shinas Kebba’ or established sleep on one’s bed during the day, if it creates an interruption and is similar to the sleep at night. The above will require a new blessing of the Torah when one wakes up. He mentions that the custom is not to recite a new blessing when one wakes up.
However, Mishna Berura (ibid. 25) after also quoting other Poskim, rules that it is accepted if one decides to recite a new brocho on the Torah.
Piskei Teshuvos (ibid 14) quotes many other opinions that it is better not to recite a new brocho. He mentions that in such a case, preferably one should recite the blessing on the Torah without mentioning Hashem’s name or just repeat it in his mind. He adds, that if one is close to davening Maariv, he should have in mind to comply with the blessing of Ahavas Olam and after the end of the Tefila, learn immediately some words of Torah.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller, Horav Dovid Pam, Horav Aharon Miller and Horav Chanoch Ehrentreu Shlit’a
Important Numbers
