BSD
Brochos 12b (2)
Elul 5, 5786. 08/18/2026
Short notes on one topic.
1- The גמרא states that one should not pause in the middle of a פרשה. Meaning that once you start saying a פרשה, you must finish it.
גְּמִירִי: כָּל פָּרָשָׁה דְּפַסְקַהּ מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ, פָּסְקִינַן; דְּלָא פַסְקַהּ מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ, לֹא פָסְקִינַן.
Any portion that משה רבינו, divided, we too divide and read separately. However, a portion that Moses, our teacher, did not divide, we do not divide and read separately.
The issues discussed:
A -What is a פרשה?
Generally, it means the פרשיות or paragraphs in the תורה, (not the 53 סדרות) of which there are 669 in the חומש.
Image of an עמוד showing 3 פרשיות created by פתוחות וסתומות.
That would mean that an entire פרשה must be said. So saying a single פסוק is surely not proper!
B- Does it apply to נביאים? What about כתובים?
C- Why is this הלכה not mentioned in the רמב”ם and also not in the שלחן ערוך!
See below from the מגן אברהם.
D – In practice, there are many instances during davening where we recite not only parts of a parsha but even fragments of a פסוק. Examples include:
A few examples:
- ה‘ מלך. ה‘ מלך. ה‘ ימלוך לעולם ועד . The only full פסוק here is ה‘ ימלוך לעולם ועד.
- ה’ אלקיכם אמת
- נֹצֵר[2] חֶסֶד לָאֲלָפִים נֹשֵׂא עָוֺן וָפֶשַׁע וְחַטָּאָה וְנַקֵּה [לֹא יְנַקֶּה פֹּקֵד עֲוֺן אָבוֹת עַל בָּנִים וְעַל בְּנֵי בָנִים עַל שִׁלֵּשִׁים וְעַל רִבֵּעִים.]
- Every time we say only ‘half’ of הלל.
- שש זכירות.
- Kiddush – יום השישי.
- הגדה של פסח- we begin in the middle of a Pasuk! וְאָמַרְתָּ לְבִנְךָ עֲבָדִים הָיִינוּ לְפַרְעֹה בְּמִצְרָיִם- וַיֹּצִיאֵנוּ יְהֹוָה מִמִּצְרַיִם בְּיָד חֲזָקָה.
E – Ditto for קריאת התורה when every ראש חודש and many time on Shabbos, we pause in middle of a פרשה.
E- The מגן אברהם suggests that when said as a תחינה ובקשה, this rule does not apply.
F – There is much more on this perplexing topic.
G – Regarding this subject, we noted a fascinating footnote written by the Rebbe.
We discussed the well-known booklet קונטרס compiled by the Rebbe in 1954 on the occasion of the Tanya’s second printing in the United States (edition #48).
In the foreword to this קונטרס– which has been included at the back of every edition of Sefer HaTanya printed since 1954 – the Rebbe highlights a noteworthy pattern:
- When the Alter Rebbe cites only a partial verse (פסוק), he adds a ‘וגו׳.
- Conversely, when quoting a partial passage from a מאמר חז״ל, he adds a ‘וכו׳.
The Rebbe explains that this distinction stems from our Gemara, which raises a concern regarding reciting or quoting only a portion of a פסוק. Therefore, when one omits the remainder of a פסוק, adding וגומר) וגו׳) indicates that the verse ought to be completed.
H – We discussed the Rebbe’s vision to publish a תניא styled like a גמרא, featuring cross-references, a concise פירוש, and a compilation of explanations on תניא from the Chabad Rebbes.
Although this initiative was not originally brought to fruition, the recently published תניא השלם represents an effort to fulfill the Rebbe’s vision.