Shnayim Mikra - Obligation

QUESTION: What is the mitzvah of “Shnayim Mikra V’echad Targum”? Who is obligated? Is it an absolute obligation?

ANSWER: Every Shabbos, a new parasha (portion) of the Torah is read in public by a baal koreh (the one who reads the Torah aloud), and the members of the congregation are obligated to listen to this reading. In addition, the Gemara (Berachos 8a) relates that every individual has a personal obligation to privately read “Shenayim Mikrah” (the Torah portion twice) and “Echad Targum” (the translation of Onkelos or the commentary of Rashi one time) each and every week. This mitzvah is recorded as halacha in Shulchan Aruch (OC 285:1). The purpose of reading the Targum is to understand the Torah reading. This mitzvah is part of the general obligation of learning Torah, and therefore only men are obligated. Boys below the age of Bar Mitzvah should also be taught to review the parsha because of the mitzvah of chinuch. Teshuvos V’hanhagos (1:261) writes that since the mitzvah is not only to read the Torah, but to understand it as well, the mitzvah of chinuch only begins when a boy is old enough to comprehend what he is reading. Igros Moshe (OC 5:17) writes that reviewing the parsha each week Shnayim Mikra V’echad Targum is a Rabbinic obligation which cannot be absolved by studying other areas of Torah instead. 

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