[Avodah] New Brachos

[Chana]

RRW writes:

> 1 How come Sephardim no longer do Targum? [OK I understand why - but
> here's the kicker:]
> 2 And since they don't - how can they make a brachah on the Torah
> Reading - since the reading without Targum fails to conform to Hazal's
> requirements - it should be a doubtful brachah?
> 
> [OTOH For ashkenazim it's no problem. It's no worse than a Minhag]
> 
> IOW given that S'phardim have dropped the Targum, it's AT LEAST a
> safeiq if the q'riah still triggers a brachah as per Hazal's model! So why
not
> lain w/o a brachah - after all s'feiq brachos l'haqeil!

Why?  

To understand the strict constructionist (as you call it) position, you need
to look at their sources, of whom the primary source is the Rambam.  As I
have indicated, I have my own kashas on the Rambam, but they are not this
type.  The Rambam says (Hilchos Brachos perek 1 siman 3) "kshem shemvarchin
al haniah kach mevarchin al kol mitzvah v'mitzvah v'achar kach ya'aseh
otah".

The Rambam makes it very clear that a mitzvah needs a blessing.  The
fundamental reason why the Rambam and others have issues with women saying
brachos on mitzvas aseh shehazman grama, is because they hold these are not
mitzvos - women may do them if they want, but they do not count as mitzvos
(the Ran and the Ra'avid and others may have a different approach, but that
appears to be clearly the position of the Rambam).  Hallel on Rosh Chodesh
is a minhag, *not* a mitzvah and minhagim do not take a bracha (Hilchos
Brochos perek 11 halacha 16) even if it is a minhag of the Nevi'im such as
taking aravos on Hoshana Raba.

So in order for you to be right that no bracha is needed, or at least there
is only a safek bracha, then you would have to be saying that in fact kriat
haTorah without targum is not a mitzvah, it is merely a minhag.  But I don't
believe anybody says that.  Ezra etc were metaken kirat haTorah, it is a
mitzvah, and hence takes a bracha, whether or not other additions were added
by Chazal. On what basis those additions were dropped is indeed a question,
but it is not a question on the bracha.

> KT
> RRW

Regards

Chana