Question: Some people have the custom that when they receive an Aliyah to the Torah, at the conclusion of the Aliyah, before reciting the concluding blessing, they recite the words “Emet Toratenu Ha’Kedosha.” Does this pose any issue of interruption between the Torah reading and the blessing?
Answer: We have explained several times that one may not interrupt with speech between recitation of a blessing and the performance of the Mitzvah or between the recitation of a blessing and the tasting of the food. For instance, if one recited the “Hamotzi” blessing and before putting any bread in one’s mouth, one speaks words unrelated to the meal, the blessing becomes a blessing in vain and one must recite the blessing once again if one wishes to eat. The same applies to blessings on Mitzvot, for instance, if one recited the blessing of “Al Netilat Lulav” and before taking all Four Species, one speaks about an unrelated manner, one has not fulfilled his obligation of reciting this blessing and the blessing is in vain.
We must now discuss our situation regarding the blessing recited at the conclusion of reading a Torah portion, which is a blessing on a Mitzvah, for one is reciting a blessing on the portion one has read from within the Torah. May one speak out words that are unrelated to the Torah portion one has read before reciting the “Asher Natan Lanu” blessing or is this an interruption between the reading of the Torah portion and the blessing?
Indeed, Hagaon Rabbeinu Chaim Palagi writes in his Zochrenu Le’Chaim and Sefer Ha’Chaim that one may not recite “Emet Toratenu Ha’Kedosha” at the conclusion of one’s Aliyah, for this serves as an interruption between the reading of the Torah and the blessing.
Nevertheless, there is room for leniency in this regard, for this interruption is not taking place between the initial blessing and the reading of the Torah portion; rather, this is being done after the Torah has already been read but before the concluding blessings in which case there is room to say that causing an interruption is not forbidden. This is especially true since one is reciting words somewhat related to the reading of the Torah portion, for one is saying “Emet Toratenu Ha’Kedosha” (“Our holy Torah is true”). There are several additional reasons for leniency in this situation. Maran Rabbeinu Ovadia Yosef zt”l discusses this matter at length (in his Responsa Yabia Omer, Volume 1, Chapter 9) and rules that although it is preferable not to recite “Emet Toratenu Ha’Kedosha,” if one nevertheless wishes to say it, one has on what to rely.
Summary: It is preferable for one who has received an Aliyah not to recite the words “Emet Toratenu Ha’Kedosha” at the conclusion of the reading before having recited the concluding blessing, for this creates a concern of an interruption. Nevertheless, if one acts leniently and says it, one has on what to rely.
