Blessings Over the Torah

Birchot HaTorah

בִּרְכוֹת הַתּוֹרָה

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Num. 6

Hebrew

וַיְדַבֵּר יהוה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר:
דַּבֵּר אֶל־אַהֲרֹן וְאֶל־בָּנָיו לֵאמֹר
כֹּה תְבָרְכוּ אֶת־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל
אָמוֹר לָהֶם:
יְבָרֶכְךָ יהוה וְיִשְׁמְרֶךָ:
יָאֵר יהוה פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ וִיחֻנֶּךָּ:
יִשָּׂא יהוה פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ וְיָשֵׂם לְךָ שָׁלוֹם:
וְשָׂמוּ אֶת־שְׁמִי עַל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וַאֲנִי אֲבָרְכֵם:

Sephardi

Vayedaber Adonai el-Moshe lemor:
Daber el-Aharon ve'el-banav leimor
Koh tevarechu et-benei Yisrael
Amor lahem:
Yevarechecha Adonai veyishmerecha:
Ya'eir Adonai panav elecha vichuneka:
Yisa Adonai panav elecha veyasem lecha shalom:
Vesamu et-shemi al-benei Yisrael, va'ani avarchem:

English

The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to Aaron and his sons, and tell them, You shall bless the Israelites like this; say to them: May the LORD bless you and protect you. May the LORD make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the LORD turn His face toward you and grant you peace. And so they shall place My name over the Israelites, and I will bless them.

Mishna Pe'ah 1:1

Hebrew

אֵלּוּ דְּבָרִים שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם שִׁעוּר
הַפֵּאָה וְהַבִּכּוּרִים וְהָרֵאָיוֹן, וּגְמִילוּת חֲסָדִים וְתַלְמוּד תּוֹרָה.

Sephardi

Eilu devarim she'ein lahem shiur
Hape'ah vehabikurim vehare'ayon, ugemilut chasadim vetalmud Torah.

English

These are the things for which there is no fixed measure: the corner of the field, first-fruits, appearances before the LORD [on festivals, with offerings], acts of kindness and the study of Torah.

Shabbat 127a

Hebrew

אֵלּוּ דְּבָרִים שֶׁאָדָם אוֹכֵל פֵּרוֹתֵיהֶם בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה
וְהַקֶּרֶן קַיֶּמֶת לוֹ לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא
וְאֵלּוּ הֵן
כִּבּוּד אָב וָאֵם, וּגְמִילוּת חֲסָדִים
וְהַשְׁכָּמַת בֵּית הַמִּדְרָשׁ שַׁחֲרִית וְעַרְבִית
וְהַכְנָסַת אוֹרְחִים, וּבִקּוּר חוֹלִים
וְהַכְנָסַת כַּלָּה, וּלְוָיַת הַמֵּת
וְעִיּוּן תְּפִלָּה
וַהֲבָאַת שָׁלוֹם בֵּין אָדָם לַחֲבֵרוֹ וּבֵין אִישׁ לְאִשְׁתּוֹ
וְתַלְמוּד תּוֹרָה כְּנֶגֶד כֻּלָּם.

Sephardi

Eilu devarim she'adam ochel peroteihem ba'olam hazeh
Vehakeren kayemet lo la'olam haba
Ve'eilu hen
Kibud av va'em, ugemilut chasadim
Vehashkamat beit hamidrash shacharit ve'arvit
Vehachnasat orchim, uvikur cholim
Vehachnasat kalah, ulevayat hamet
Ve'iyun tefilah
Vahava'at shalom bein adam lachavero uvein ish le'ishto
Vetalmud Torah keneged kulam.

English

These are the things whose fruits we eat in this world but whose full reward awaits us in the World to Come: honoring parents; acts of kindness; arriving early at the house of study morning and evening; hospitality to strangers; visiting the sick; helping the needy bride; attending to the dead; devotion in prayer; and bringing peace between neighbors, and between husband and wife – but the study of Torah is equal to them all.

Some say:

Ps. 111

Hebrew

רֵאשִׁית חָכְמָה יִרְאַת יהוה, שֵׂכֶל טוֹב לְכָל־עֹשֵׂיהֶם, תְּהִלָּתוֹ עֹמֶדֶת לָעַד:

Sephardi

Reshit chochmah yirat Adonai, sechel tov lechol-oseihem, tehilato omedet la'ad:

English

Wisdom begins in awe of the LORD; all who fulfill [His commandments] gain good understanding; His praise is ever-lasting.

Deut. 33

Hebrew

תּוֹרָה צִוָּה־לָנוּ מֹשֶׁה, מוֹרָשָׁה קְהִלַּת יַעֲקֹב:

Sephardi

Torah tzivah-lanu Moshe, morashah kehilat Ya'akov:

English

The Torah Moses commanded us is the heritage of the congregation of Jacob.

Prov. 1

Hebrew

שְׁמַע בְּנִי מוּסַר אָבִיךָ וְאַל־תִּטֹּשׁ תּוֹרַת אִמֶּךָ:

Sephardi

Shema beni musar avicha ve'al-titosh torat imecha:

English

Listen, my son, to your father's instruction, and do not forsake your mother's teaching.

Hebrew

תּוֹרָה תְּהֵא אֱמוּנָתִי, וְאֵל שַׁדַּי בְּעֶזְרָתִי. בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד.

Sephardi

Torah tehei emunati, ve'El Shadai be'ezrati. Baruch sheim kevod malchuto le'olam va'ed.

English

May the Torah be my faith and Almighty God my help. Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom for ever and all time.