Q. A baal teshuva who B’H has made great progress in learning, especially in the realm of practical Halacha, but he does not read Hebrew or even know the aleph-beis so well. Which is preferable: that he should shteig (raise) in learning (Halacha, etc.) and invest his efforts in learning Torah, which he B’H has great geshmak (delight) from, or that he should put aside time that he could be learning and instead work and invest his efforts into learning to read Hebrew, a task that he does not particularly enjoy?
A. Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit”a opinion is that, although it is most important to know how to read Hebrew in order to comply with mitzvos such as the reciting of shema, amida and brochos and others, yet all those could in principle be accomplished, at least meanwhile, by using a transliterated text.
However, without the basic knowledge of the Halachos of Shabbos, kashrus, tefila etc. etc. these essential mitzvos cannot be observed and kept.
The Rov suggested to continue and increase the learning that he so enjoys and is so necessary and essential, yet he should dedicate daily, some time, even a short amount, to learn Hebrew. (As he transliterates his tefilos and brochos, he should read the translation too).
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit”a
Important Numbers
