In Parshas Nitzovim the possuk says, “Ki hamitzvah hazos lo niflais he mimcha, lo bashomayim he laimor mi ya’aleh lonu hashomayma etc. ki karov eilecha hadovor meod etc.”- “For this mitzvah is not distant in the heavens that one may say that that we must travel to the heavens to access it, rather, it is close and within our reach”.



The Rambam explains this possuk as referring to the mitzvah of teshuvah.

Rav Moishe Shternbuch asks why the Torah had to relay to us that this particular mitzvah is not located in the distant heavens. Is there any reason that one may think that this mitzvah must be performed in the heavens? Aren’t mitzvos given to be performed strictly in this world? We do not find that the Torah makes a similar mention by any other mitzvah.  What is special about the mitzvah of teshuvah?

Rav Chaim Volozhiner explained that it is well known that the actions of every individual Yid has tremendous effects and repercussions in the upper echelons of the various heavenly worlds. He famously points out that Titus, upon entering the kodesh hakodoshim and defiling it in the most disgusting manner, was not able to affect the olamos h’elyonim. A non-Jew has no connection to the upper spheres of the creation. One inappropriate thought of a poshute Yid causes more damage in the heavenly world than the actions of Titus. Every single mitzvah act that a Yid performs illuminates the upper worlds and, conversely, any aveirah wreaks havoc and destruction in the heavenly spheres. Also, every sin creates a spirit of tumah that permeates one’s surroundings and spreads to great distances.

When one does teshuvah, Hashem eradicates the ruach of tumah that was created by the original sin and rebuilds the ruins that were caused by the aveirah that was now rectified. This is a tremendous chesed, that in His boundless mercy, He rebuilds all the ruins created by the force of the aveiros.

When the Torah writes that teshuvah is not in shomayim, it is telling us the following. In truth, teshuvah should warrant and require the sinner to travel to the heavens to rectify all the destruction wrought there as a result of his sins. Since this is a practical impossibility, one would never be able to successfully do teshuva and repair all the damage that he caused. Therefore, the Torah wrote, “Lo bashomayim he”, to declare, that teshuvah is so powerful that a person does not need to travel all the way to shomayim to make amends. A person is also not required to travel to great distances, to expunge the ruach tumah caused by his aveiros. Rather, “Ki karov eilacha hadovor”. Hashem simplified the mitzvah of teshuvah. Although much repair is required, Hashem eased the burden. As soon as one undertakes the process of teshuvah, the Eibershter, personally, repairs all the fallout from one’s past aveiros.

Are women obligated to say Birchos Hashachar?

Shulchon Aruch says that women recite the brocha of She’asani Kirtzono instead of Shelo Asani Isha. It would seem from this ruling that women are obligated to recite Birchos Hashachar, albeit in a slightly different form than men. Some poskim hold that women are not obligated in Birchos Hashachar but they can choose to recite these brochos if they want to. According to some poskim, a woman should change the brochos of Shelo Asani Goi and Eved to the feminine equivalents. Prevalent Asheknazic custom, however, is for women to say these brochos in the same nusach as men.  

סעיף ד; ביאורים ומוספים דרשו, 2

Does a ger recite the same brochos as one who was born a Jew?

Rema rules that a ger should not recite Shelo Asani Goi, since he was indeed born as a non-Jew. Instead, he should say She’asani Ger. Others disagree and say that this would not be appropriate, either, since he become a ger of his own free will and was not created as such. Some Achronim argue that a ger may recite the typical nusach, since according to Kabbalah this brocha expresses appreciation that one’s soul did not connect to the soul of a non-Jew when it left the body at night. All opinions agree that he should give thanks that he was not born a slave, since in that situation he would not have been able to decide on his own to become a Jew.

סעיף ד וס"ק יח-יט

Can one who was awake all night say Elokai Neshama?

Shulchon Aruch rules that Birchos Hashachar are birchos hanehenin. Therefore, one who does not have the ability to use all of his senses (e.g. a blind or handicapped person) does not recite the relevant brochos with Hashem’s name.  Rema maintains that the brochos are birchos hashevach over the creation of these abilities, and even one who cannot experience them should still recite the brochos. Even according to this view, some poskim say that one who did not sleep may not recite the brochos of Elokai Neshama and Hama’avir Sheinah. Others disagree, and therefore one who remained awake all night should arrange to be yotzei through hearing the brochos recited by someone who slept.

סעיף ח וס"ק כד ו־כה

• During the reign of Dovid Hamelech, there was a time in which one hundred people died daily. As a method of atonement to annul the decree, he instituted that people should be certain to recite one hundred brochos daily.

• The poskim calculate how a person can reach a daily total of one hundred brochos. The following is their calculation: Birchas Hamapil when going to sleep, eighteen Birchos Hashachar, three brochos over tallis and tefillin, Boruch She’amar and Yishtabach, eight Birchos Kriyas Shema of Shacharis and Maariv, fifty-seven brochos of Shemoneh Esreh and sixteen brochos recited at breakfast and dinner (if one eats bread).

• On Shabbos, Yom Tov and Yom Kippur, when some of the above-mentioned brochos are not recited, the poskim say that one should complete his quota by snacking throughout the day. If this is not an option (and on Yom Kippur), the poskim offer various other ways to complete the quota.

• Should One Say Birchos Hatorah Before Selichos?

• Why Is Shema Said At The Beginning Of Davening?

• Does Saying Shema Along With Its Brochos Take Precedence Over Tefilah B’tzibur?