The Mishna in Masechet Berachot (28) relates that a great sage named Rabbi Nehunya Ben Hakana would recite a prayer each day upon entering the Bet Midrash, and another prayer upon leaving the Bet Midrash. When he entered the Bet Midrash to begin learning, he would pray that he should not err in any matter of Halacha over the course of his study, such as considering permissible that which is forbidden (or vice versa), or ruling that something is ritually pure when it is in fact impure (or vice versa). This prayer also asked God to ensure that he would not suffer any humiliation by his peers as a result of mistakes made during learning. In addition, Rabbi Nehunya prayed that he would refrain from ridiculing his colleagues for their mistakes.
The Arizal (Rabbi Yishak Luria, 1534-1572) would add to this prayer two verses which speak of the need for God’s assistance in obtaining wisdom: "For God shall grant wisdom; knowledge and understanding are from His mouth" (Mishle 2:6), and "Open my eyes, so I may look upon wonders from Your Torah" (Tehilim 119:18).
Upon leaving the Bet Midrash after completing his study session, Rabbi Nehunya offered a prayer thanking the Almighty for placing him among those who spend their time learning Torah, and not among the "Yoshebeh Keranot" – literally, "those who sit by the street corners." This refers to people who occupy their time with vain pursuits, rather than the pursuit of Torah knowledge. In this prayer Rabbi Nehunya noted that "we run, and they run: we run to life in the next world, and they run to eternal destruction." Rabbenu Yona (Spain, 1210-1268) explains that those who involve themselves in Torah recognize the fact that they "run," that each passing day brings them closer to their death. They therefore seize the opportunity they have during their lifetime to study Torah and perform Misvot, and thereby earn their share in the eternal world. The others, however, "run" blindly, drawing closer to their deaths without preparing for the next world.
The Rambam (Rabbi Moshe Maimonides, 1135-1204) writes that one is required to recite these prayers upon entering and exiting the study hall, and this Halacha is in fact codified in the Shulhan Aruch. Unfortunately, many people are unaware of this Halacha and do not recite these prayers. One should make a point of reciting them before and after his learning sessions, in accordance with the Halacha. These prayers appear in many Siddurim and inside the front cover of some editions of the Talmud.
In conclusion, we should note that Rabbi Nehunya was among the greatest scholars of Kabbalah who ever lived. In fact, he was the first master of Kabbalah, as he lived even before Rabbi Shimon Bar Yohai, author of the Zohar. It is most significant that even a righteous scholar of his towering stature found it necessary to pray that God help him avoid mistakes in his learning. Certainly, then, we should ensure to recite these prayers to ask God for assistance in our Torah learning, and to thank Him for granting us the privilege of engaging in Torah study.
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