Daily Essentials - Siman 155 Shulchan Aruch

Kaf Hachayim Sofer: One who leaves shul and then heads to the Bet Midrash will merit to see the face of the Shechinah as it says “ ילכו מחיל אל חיל“ ( Berachot 64:1)

The minhag is to learn Hok LeYisrael right after Shacharit according to the way it was arranged by the Arizal. The Arizal used to read Hok while still wearing his Tallit and Tefillin.
One who learns two halachot daily merits the world to come.
The Maggid told Maran to learn Mussar daily
One should learn the Mussar Sefer ראשית חכמה to infuse oneself with holiness and purity
R’ Haim Vital instructs us to preferably learn near windows where one can see the sky so that he can constantly look at the heavens and marvel and Hashem’s world.
Before One Learns:
One should give 3 coins to charity
One should say:

יהי רצון מלפניך י-ה-ו-ה אלהי שלא יארע דבר תקלה על ידי ולא אכשל בדבר הלכה. (וישמחו בי חברי) שלא אומר על טמא טהור ולא על טהור טמא. ולא על מותר אסור ולא על אסור מתר. (ולא יכשלו חברי בדבר הלכה ואשמח בהם.) כי ה' יתן חכמה מפיו דעת ותבונה. גל עיני והביטה נפלאות מתורתך

Afterwards , one should have in mind thoughts of repentance for all his sins , and accept upon himself the willingness to die in the sanctification of Hashem’s name through the four capital punishments of Bet Din.

One should not interrupt his learning for something especially if not urgent. This is a serious offense.
It is greater to learn with a group and even greater than that would be in a group of ten men.
One should be very careful to accomplish learning from Tanach , Mishnah , Talmud , and Kabbalah daily with their prescribed Kavanot according to Kabbalah. ( Through learning the daily Hok LeYisrael , one accomplishes all of this.)
R’ Haim Vital says: My teacher , The Arizal, when he would learn Halacha , he would learn with such strength and exert all his effort to the point that he would sweat over his learning. When I asked why he would exert so much energy , he told me that there are Kelipot ( Shells) that must be broken through in order to reach a true understanding. without exerting oneself , one cannot fully understand what he is learning. Just as one who wishes to eat a walnut , he must first break through its outer shell , so too it is with the learning of Torah in order to reach the truth and comprehend.
One who learns with great effort and he utilizes night as if its the day time , he will surely reach wondrous levels without having to afflict himself and accept upon himself fasting.
If one is able to learn 18 mishnayot daily , this is a great undertaking as it rectifies the sin of wasting seed , it is a segullah to kill the Yeser Hara , and it promotes the continuance of one’s the Neshama as משנה has the same letters as נשמה.
At the time of learning , one should view himself as if he is not in this world , rather he is in Gan Eden standing before the Divine Presence and this will instill him with the Awe of his creator.

SHULCHAN ARUCH | ORACH HAYIM

SIMAN 155

ESSENTIALS FOR LIMUD HATORAH

MARAN: After one leaves shul , he should head to the Bet Midrash and should designate a set time to learning. He should maintain this set time regardless of what may come up such as , if he is to profit greatly , he should not withdraw from his set time to learn. ( REMA: Even if one doesn’t know how to learn , still , he should walk to the Bet Midrash , as he will receive the reward for each footstep taken to get there. He should sit there and review what he knows atleast or should focus his thoughts towards Hashem and try and instill into his heart the fear of heaven.) MARAN: Before one heads out to the Bet Midrash he may eat the bread of the morning “פת שחרית” if he is accustomed to doing so , and it is good if he accustoms himself to it.

The Sefer “Shevet Mussar” , brings down a different Tefillah that should be recited
prior to learning:

יהי רצון מלפניך ה’ אלקי ואלקי אבותי אברהם יצחק ויעקב שקראת שמו ישראל שתפתח לבי בתורתך ותאיר עיני ולבי שלא אשכח דבר תורה לעולם ועד כל ימי חיי אמן כן יהי רצון

The 613 Misvot correspond to our 613 ligaments & sinews. Every time we perform one of the 613 misvot , one of our body parts receives healing and is maintained. Therefore , one should learn daily from the sefer אלה המצוות or the sefer פועל צדק , which both go through the 613 misvot. (עיון יעקב)

Maa’mar Mordechai (Eliyahu):

“ One should not leave the shul until the entire Tefillah has been finished unless there is a real necessity.”
One should remain in the Bet Knesset for an hour after the Tefillah has been finished so it doesn’t seem like it was a burden to be there.
One should stay in the Bet Knesset being one of the last ten people to remain there. But one should try not to be the first one of the ten remaining , to leave the Bet Knesset because then he is considered the one breaking up the “10”
One should be careful to not have his back facing the hechal when leaving the Bet Knesset.

Hacham Avraham Azoulay: Before one learns , one should recite the 8 Pesukim of the Letter ח in chapter 119 of Tehillim , and afterwards he should recite:

יהי רצון מלפניך ה' אלוקי ואלקי אבותי בח' פעמים שאמרתי הפסוקים לפניך שתפתח לבי בתורתך ותצוה למטטרון שר הפנים אשר שמו זגזואל לפי שכל גנזי חכמה מסורים בידו ולרזיאל רבו של אדם הראשון וליופיאל רבו של שם ולצדקיאל רבו של אברהם אבינו ולרפאל רבו של יעקב ולגבריאל רבו של יוסף ולמלתיאל רבו של אליהו שילמדוני תורתך ויהא לבי בפתחו של אולם להגות בתורתך ויהיו דברי תורתך מונחים בפי כשלחן ערוך וכמעיין הנובע ותהיה תורתך שמורה בלבי שלא אשכח ואהיה כבור סוד שאינו מאבד טפה ואשחיר ואעריב כדכתיב : " לא ימוש ספר התורה הזה מפיך והגית בו יומם טלילה למען תשמור כל הכתוב בו כי תצליח דרכך ואז תשפיל"

It’s a proper custom to kiss the Sefer Torah upon it’s opening and closing. this should be done as well with sifrei kabbalah and this a segullah to remember one’s Torah learning.
One hour of learning kabbalah does the equal amount to learning the simple understanding for an entire year. (Kisse Melech)
One who designates a time for learning every morning and night, it’s considered as if he learned half of the entire morning and half of the entire night.
If possible, one should learn for 3 hours straight.
The first 3 Hours of the morning , Hashem sits and engages in Torah learning. The Second 3 hours , he sits and judges the world , the 3rd set of 3 hours , Hashem sits and sustains the world. Therefore , one should not pray for his sustenance in the Tefillot of Mincha ( Ketana) and Arvit , because at that point , Hashem already decided the verdict of that day for your parnassah. One should beseech Hashem for his Parnassah in Shacharit and should do this with great concentration.
One must reinforce himself to his faith and believe that he will never lose out on money by maintaining his set time of learning. This is nothing other than the act of the Satan trying to make you waste your precious time and confuse you. even though we all know that our parnassah is already pre-alloted from Rosh Hashana , he still tricks us. One should remind himself of this before he exchanges his precious set time of limud in exchange for potential financial gain. If he is meant to have it , it will come to him in a kosher way , and not through Bittul Torah.
One who does not have enough time to learn a full limud , should learn Halacha and Mussar so that he can apply it immediately.
One who eats פת שחרית , he is protected from 83 illnesses like the numerical value of the word מחלה
Three things are damaging to the body: 1. eating while standing 2. drinking while standing 3. Performing the Misvah of being with ones spouse while standing.
It is a misvah to tend to one’s physical health. It will enable him to serve Hashem with strength.

YAFEH LALEV:

Levush: “One who goes to the Bet Midrash after he leaves the Bet Knesset prior to leaving to work , His prayers will be answered.”
R’ Meir says , “One who has a Bet Midrash in the city and doesn’t attend , has no portion in the world to come.” The Yafeh LaLev explains: He has no portion in the Heavenly Yeshivah upstairs. He will not be accepted in if he doesn’t do it down here first. On this note , The Orhot Yosher states , “ According to the amount of times one has neglected to go to the Bet Midrash when he had full ability to do so , the gates of the Yeshivah in heaven will be closed for that person in the next world at certain times. Be consistent.
Just as one is obligated to be fruitful and multiply by having children , likewise , there is a misvah for one’s Torah learning to be fruitful and multiply and not diminish. One should strive to learn more and with greater depth and bring oneself to producing fruits of Torah Novel thoughts (Hiddushim).
Your Torah Hiddushim will be a crown for you in the next world. Conversely , there is no greater embarrassment of the soul (in Olam Haba) when the time comes to present a Hiddush and one has none. ( We are only responsible to try and put effort into our Torah growth. The results such as producing a Hiddush is only with the assistance of heaven , therefore we should take this statement in accordance with our own personal level in the service of Hashem. It makes sense to say that even if one could not produce his own hiddush in this world, but rather he supported Torah of others who did produce hiddushim , that it would be considered his Hiddushim as well.)
When a person opens up a sefer to learn he should recite:

הנני רוצה ללמוד כדי שיביאני ה’ בתלמוד זה לידי מעשה ולידי מדות ישרות ולידי ידיעת התורה והריני עושה ליחדא קודשא בריך הוא ויהי נועם ה’ אלקינו עלינו ומעשה ידינו כוננה עלינו ומעשה ידינו כוננהו

and this is very helpful because when one states that his intentions are for the sake of heaven , a holy angel assists him in his undertaking. Even if irrelevant thoughts come to his mind while he is learning , the Sitra Achra cannot harm him if he says this tefillah, therefore , be careful to say this prayer.

(מנחת יוסף)