The connection between the priestly benediction and the Torah reading and its real-life application in a Yemenite synagogue. TB Sotah 39

Today’s daf TB Sotah 39 contains an assortment of halakhot concerning the priestly benediction and the Torah reading. The rabbis saw the connection between the two on how they were conducted in the synagogue.

“Rav Ḥisda says: The priests who spread their hands open during the benediction are not permitted to bend the joints of their fingers until they turn their faces away from the congregation once they have completed the benediction. Rabbi Zeira says that Rav Ḥisda says: The one who calls the priests forward is not permitted to call out: Priests, until the response amen to the blessing of thanksgiving concludes from the mouths of the congregation, in order to ensure that everyone will hear the voices of the priests…

“And in a similar vein, Rabbi Zeira says that Rav Ḥisda says: The congregation is not permitted to answer amen to the blessing recited over the Torah reading until the blessing of the one reading from the Torah concludes from his mouth. And the reader is not permitted to begin reading from the Torah until the response amen to the preceding blessing concludes from the mouths of the congregation. And the translator is not permitted to begin the translation of the Torah reading until the reading of the verse from the Torah concludes from the mouth of the reader. And the reader is not permitted to begin reading another verse until the translation concludes from the mouth of the translator.” (Sefaria.org translation)

When Jews no longer understood Hebrew, there was a custom that after every verse in the Torah, a person would translated it into Aramaic, the language they understood. When I was a rabbinical school student studying in Jerusalem, I discovered a small Yemenite congregation. The men dressed in their traditional clothing which to me looked like pajamas with pointed slippers. A dagesh in a letter what actually change its sound that had to be influenced by the Arabic culture they came from. For example, a dagesh in the letter gimmel (גּ) turned his son from a hard “g” to a “j.” The sound of a ‘j’ doesn’t exist in Modern Hebrew! Davening in that synagogue was a real experience for me.

Here are some assorted laws found on our daf:

Here’s one that is too bad we don’t observe at all. “§ Rava bar Rav Huna says: Once a Torah scroll has been opened, it is prohibited to converse, even about a matter of halakha. As it is stated: “And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people, and when he opened it, all the people stood up” (Nehemiah 8:5), and standing is referring to nothing other than silence, as it is stated: “And shall I wait, because they do not speak, because they stand still, and answer no more?” (Job 32:16). Rabbi Zeira said that Rav Ḥisda said: The prohibition against conversing is derived from here: “And the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law” (Nehemiah 8:3). They were not listening to any other voice.” (Sefaria.org translation)  From my vantage point on the bimah, I see people talking during the most inappropriate times.

The next two are our custom we follow. “The Gemara asks: What blessing does the priests recite before the benediction? Rabbi Zeira says that Rav Ḥisda says: Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us with the sanctity of Aaron and commanded us to bless His people, Israel, with love.” (Sefaria.org translation)

Although the reading from the prophets, the haftorah, is important, the rabbis wanted to make sure we understand that the Torah reading is still more important than the readings from the prophets. Rashi provides another answer. The haftorah is important enough that everybody should listen to it. Lifting and dressing the Torah after the Torah reading is not an excusable action. These honorees need to give the halforah reading their undivided attention.

“Rabbi Tanḥum says that Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says: The one who concludes with a reading from the Prophets [haftara] must first read several verses from the Torah. And Rabbi Tanḥum says that Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says: The one who concludes is not permitted to conclude with a reading from the Prophets until the Torah scroll is furled.” (Sefaria.org translation)