Siman 140

It is stated in the Yerushalmi, the fifth chapter of Berakhot (halacha 3): If one was reading from the Torah and became mute, the one who stands in his place shall begin from the place where the first began. If you say "from the place where he stopped," the first [verses] were blessed before them but were not blessed after them, and the latter [verses] were blessed after them but were not blessed before them. And it is written: "The Torah of Hashem is perfect, restoring the soul" – that it must be entirely perfect. Thus far the wording of the Yerushalmi, and the Rif brought it at the end of the third chapter of Megillah, as did the Tur in this siman. All the Rishonim explained that this is the explanation: that this second person who ascends blesses before it, and begins from the place where the first began, and reads until the end of the parsha and blesses after it. For if not so, but rather he begins from the place where the first stopped and without a blessing – it results that the verses the first read have no blessing after them, and regarding what the second will read, there is no blessing before them. And should you say: let him begin from the place where the first stopped and bless before it? Still, the first verses were not blessed after them; therefore, he begins like the first and blesses before it, and automatically when he blesses afterward – the blessing also applies to the previous verses since he read them. And even in this time when the sheliach tzibbur reads, in any case it is all one, for he reads in place of the one who ascends, and it is as if the one who ascended read them (Tosafot R"I in the fifth chapter of Berakhot). And even if he did not delay long enough to finish the parsha – he must do so (Magen Avraham, subsection 2). And even though in the time of the Mishnah all those called to the Torah relied on the blessing of the first and the last – this was because such was their intent, which is not the case now when everyone blesses – no one intends to fulfill their obligation with the blessing of another. Therefore, every parsha requires a blessing at the beginning and the end (ibid.).

But the Rambam in chapter twelve of Laws of Prayer, law 6, wrote: If one read and became mute – another shall stand in his place, and he begins from the place where the first who became mute began, and he blesses at the end. Thus far his words. It is clear from his words that regarding the blessing before it, he relies on the predecessor. And that which he must read the verses that the first read – is in order to show that they are one reading, for if he were to begin from the place where the first stopped, they would appear as two readings. It would then be found that the first verses were not blessed after them, and the later ones were not blessed before them. And this is the intent of the Yerushalmi, meaning: that therefore he is forced to begin from earlier, and not regarding the matter of the blessing (Beit Yosef).

Our teacher, the Beit Yosef, wrote in section 2: One who stands to read from the Torah, and recited the blessing before it, and read some verses, and paused and spoke words of Torah or mundane matters – it is not considered an interruption, and he does not need to return and recite the blessing. Thus far his words. That is to say: even though in a case where one became mute and another stood in his place, the second must recite the blessing before it according to the opinion of most poskim, as has been explained – this is because the first did not intend in his blessing for what the other would read, according to our custom where each one recites the blessing. However, he himself who interrupted – behold, he intended for what he would read even after the interruption. And if it is because of the interruption itself – it is nothing, like an interruption during a meal where one does not need to return and recite "Hamotzi," because he intended for the entire meal. And so too regarding the blessings of Kriat Shema when one interrupts in the middle – he does not need to return to the beginning, and here too it is so.

However, it is implied from the wording of our teacher, the Beit Yosef, that specifically when he read a little after the blessing, whether he read three verses or fewer, in any event there was no interruption between the blessing and the reading. But if immediately after the blessing he interrupted—he must bless anew, for in all blessings such is the law. And even though regarding the birkat hatorah of the morning service it was explained in siman 47 that it does not constitute an interruption—this is for the reason explained there, because the obligation is upon him the entire day and the concept of interruption does not apply to it, which is not the case regarding the blessing over the Torah which is only for the reading of this parasha. And so wrote one of the great authorities (Eliyah Rabbah, subsection 2). Furthermore: for there too some disagree, as I wrote there. Nevertheless, it seems to me that he only needs to repeat the blessing. But "Barchu" he does not need to say again, for they have already fulfilled his words, as he said "Barchu" and the congregation answered "Baruch Hashem…".

Our teacher, the Beit Yosef, wrote in section 3: One who goes up to read from the Torah, and they showed him the place where he must read, and he recited the blessing over the Torah, and he began to read or did not begin to read, and they reminded him that he must read a different parashah, and he rolled the sefer Torah to the place where he must read—some say that he does not need to repeat the blessing, and some say that he must. Thus far his words, and he was very brief in this. And those who require him to bless, the reason is simple: since his intention was not at all for this place, it is like one who recited a blessing over this fruit and it fell from his hand and was lost, and he was forced to take another which he had no intention at all to eat, for he must recite another blessing as will be explained in siman 206. And here too it is so. And those who do not require him to bless hold: since the entire Torah is placed before him—the blessing takes effect on the entire Torah. And this is a strained argument (see Beit Yosef). And the opinion of our teacher, the Beit Yosef, is like the second "some say" that he must bless, as is explained in his great work. And therefore he wrote the two opinions with the phrasing "some say," to indicate that the latter is the primary ruling (Derishah end of siman 206).

And thus the great later authorities concluded as the halacha, that if they showed him on this column or even on another column in the same matter, that he may read. And this means that they showed him several verses after the place where he needs to read—he does not need to recite the blessing, for his intention during the blessing was to read here, and in truth he will read here, only that he will begin a little earlier (so it is implied in the Taz, subsection 4, and Magen Avraham, end of subsection 4). And behold, it is also so regarding fruit: if his intention was for several fruits to eat them, and he took one and recited the blessing over it and it was lost—he takes another without a blessing, as will be explained in siman 206. However, if they showed him above the place of his reading where they had already read, or even below the place of his reading but very far from the place of his reading in a manner that it certainly did not enter his mind to read until there—he must recite the blessing. And see in section 9.

And some say that even if they showed him above the place of his reading, since they showed him within this parashah—he does not need to recite a blessing, for he is permitted to read what the previous person read, as I wrote in siman 137, see there (Magen Avraham ibid.). And these words are astonishing: for what is the connection between this and that, as it is simple that his intention was not for this place at all? Therefore, the main point is that in such a case he must recite a blessing, and thus the great authorities agreed. (Eliyah Rabbah subsection 5, and Derishah in siman 206. And it is also implied in the Taz subsection 4 who wrote: specifically if it were possible that they would read this parashah for him, see there.) (And regarding what the Magen Avraham wrote at the end of subsection 5, see the end of siman 684 that it is not so, see there.)

There is furthermore one who says that all this is specifically when they saw that they erred immediately after the blessing. However, if he began to read some verses, and afterward they saw that they erred – he does not need to bless, for the interruption is not harmful, as I have written. And if it is because his intention was not on this place – it is similar to one who ate a fruit and blessed over it, and they brought him more of that same species, where he does not need to bless (Magen Avraham there). And there is one who disagrees on this, and holds that he must bless (Eliyah Rabbah there). And so it appears to be the primary view, for even with fruits, if his intention was explicitly not to eat anymore, and he reconsidered to eat – he must bless. And here it is a complete reconsideration, for his intention was not at all on this place. And we should not exempt him from a blessing except when they showed him below the place of his reading, not very far from the place of his reading, as I wrote in section 6. And so one should instruct. And it appears to me that when he returns and blesses – he returns only from the blessing. But "Barchu" he shall not say another time, as I wrote in section 4.

And know that I wonder about the essence of this law, for all the great authorities agreed that when they showed him slightly below this place, he does not need to bless, as I have written. But the Yerushalmi is particular that it is specifically necessary that all the verses be blessed, as I wrote in section 1. And if so, here too: even though his intention was for this place as well, nevertheless, in any event, regarding these verses until this place, he had no intention at all in his blessing, and if so, these verses were not blessed. And it requires further study.