Unlimited Pleasure: Understanding the Blessings on Torah Study

Praying For Children

In the blessing of "v'haerev nah" we ask that our offspring should be Torah scholars. Since our Sages promise that if the Torah stays with us for three generations it will never leave, some add a request that our grandchildren should also be Talmudic scholars (Elia Raba 47,3). Others rule that we only need to mention offspring, which includes all subsequent generations (Mishna Berura 47,9).

When asking for the success of our offspring in Torah, we should have special concentration in order that our prayers should be answered. Similarly when saying the words ahava rabba (abundant love) in the second blessing before Shema, and the words "so we do not struggle in vain or produce for futility" in the uva l'Tzion prayer we should think about our children, since these words refer to them. Meriting to have offspring who are Talmudic scholars requires constant prayers (Mishna Berura 47: 9 -10).

The Chasam Sofer had many generations of Torah scholars as descendants. When asked what his secret was he pointed to his hat. "More than once I filled this hat up with tears while praying that my offspring should devote themselves to Torah."

Text Copyright © 2007 by Rabbi Daniel Travis and Torah.org