Being Yotzei Another's Bracha on Shavuos

Q. I was up all night. Can I listen to the birchos haTorah of my wife, and thereby fulfill my obligation?

A. The Mishnah Berurah (Beiur Halacha 47, s.v. nashim) writes that whether a woman may recite birchos haTorah on behalf of a man depends on the reason why women recite birchos haTorah (as recorded in Shulchan Aruch OC 47:14) even though they are not required to study Talmud Torah.

The Magen Avraham (47:14) explains that although women are not obligated to study Torah, they are obligated to study halachos that pertain to them. Furthermore, they are obligated in tefillah, and this includes reading certain sections of the Torah, such as the sections pertaining to the Korbanos. Because women are obligated to read these sections of the Torah, they are obligated to recite birchos haTorah. Accordingly, the Pri Megadim (OC Mishbetzos Zahav 47:1) writes that women can recite birchos haTorah on behalf of men.

On the other hand, the Vilna Gaon (Beiur HaGra OC 47:14) disagrees. He writes that women are completely exempt from the mitzvah of studying Torah. (Though women must study relevant halachos, that is a practical matter but not required because of the mitzvah of Talmud Torah.) Nevertheless, women may recite birchos haTorah just like they may recite a bracha on other mitzvos which they are not required to perform, such as listening to shofar or shaking lulav (according to the Rama).

The Mishnah Berurah writes that according to the Vilna Gaon, it is clear that a man who listens to the birchos haTorah of a woman would not fulfill his obligation, since one who is obligated cannot be exempted by one who is not obligated. However, according to the Magen Avraham and the Pri Megadim, a woman may recite the bracha on her husband’s behalf since she is obligated in selective Talmud Torah.

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The Gerald & Karin Feldhamer OU Kosher Halacha Yomis is dedicated to the memory of Rav Yisroel Belsky, zt"l, who served as halachic consultant for OU Kosher for more than 28 years; many of the responses in Halacha Yomis are based on the rulings of Rabbi Belsky. Subscribe to the Halacha Yomis daily email here.