In "Ve'ha'areb Na" – the second of the three blessings that comprise Birkot Ha'Torah, which we recite each morning – we ask Hashem that Torah study should be enjoyable for us and for our offspring: "And please make the words of Your Torah pleasant in our mouths, and in the mouths of Your nation, the House of Israel."
Our custom is to recite the word "U'be'fifiyot" ("and in the mouths"). There were some who maintained that the proper text is "U'be'fi" or "U'be'fiyot," but we follow the Rambam's text, in which the word is "U'be'fifiyot."
In the next clause of this blessing, we pray that we and our descendants should be committed to Torah study: "…and we, our offspring, and our offspring's offspring, and the offspring of Your nation, Israel – all of us – shall be knowers of Your Name and studiers of Your Torah for its sake."
There were those who disagreed with this text, claiming that once we pray that our descendants ("Se'e'sa'enu") should study Torah, we have no reason to add "Ve'se'esa'eh Se'esa'eunu" – that our offspring's offspring should learn Torah. We, however, follow the text of the Rif (Rav Yishak of Fez, Morocco, 1013-1103), which includes the expression "Ve'se'esa'eh Se'esa'eunu." The reason why we emphasize our grandchildren is based on the Gemara's teaching in Masechet Baba Mesia (85a) that if a person studies Torah, and he sees that both his son and his grandson study Torah, then he can be certain that Torah will always remain among his descendants, forever. The Gemara derives this principle from the verse in the Book of Yeshayahu (59:21): "And My words which I have placed in your mouth shall not depart from your mouth, from your offspring's mouth, or from the mouth of your offspring's offspring, forever." We thus pray that we, our children and grandchildren should be devoted to Torah learning, because this will guarantee that all our descendants for all time will study Torah.
It is noteworthy that we pray in this Beracha for not only our own descendants, but also those of the entire Jewish Nation: "Ve'se'esa'eh Amcha Bet Yisrael." The Gemara teaches that if two people have the same need, and one prays that his fellow should receive what he needs, then the one who prayed is answered first, and is granted that which he prayed for his fellow to be granted. (This is inferred from the story of Abraham Abinu, who prayed that Abimelech and his household should have children, and he and Sara were then blessed with a child.) Hence, as we beseech G-d to bless us with descendants who study Torah, we add a request for all our fellow Jews, that they should all have offspring who are devoted to Torah learning, and in this merit we hope to have our prayers answered. More generally, all Jews are responsible for one another, and so we are concerned not only with our own children, but also with all Jewish children. Naturally, then, we pray that we should all be blessed with descendants who engage in Torah study.
In some Siddurim, the text of this phrase is "Ve'se'esa'eh Amcha Kol Bet Yisrael" – adding the word "Kol" – but our custom is to omit this word and recite simply "Ve'se'esa'eh Amcha Bet Yisrael."
We pray in this blessing that we and our descendants should be "Yod'eh Shemecha" ("knowers of Your name") and also "Lomedeh Toratecha Li'shmah" ("studiers of Your Torah for its sake"). These two phrases refer to the two components of the Misva of Torah study: amassing Torah knowledge, and the act of learning Torah. The Torah commands in the Book of Debarim (11:19), "U'lmadetem Otam" – that we must learn Torah, and it also commands, "Ve'shinantam" (Debarim 6:7) – which means that we must acquire fluency and proficiency in Torah. (The word "Ve'shinantam" is derived from the word "Shanun," which means "sharp" and "erudite.") Both aspects are crucial to fulfilling the Misva. If a person learns the same Mishna repeatedly, he fulfills the second element of the Misva, of engaging in Torah study, but he does not fulfill the first component, which requires us to make an effort to acquire comprehensive Torah knowledge. We therefore beseech G-d to help us and our descendants be both "Yod'eh Shemecha" – people who acquire vast Torah knowledge, as well as "Lomedeh Toratecha" – people who devote time to intensive Torah learning.
The expression used here for people with Torah knowledge is "Yod'eh Shemecha," which literally means "knowers of Your Name." The text of the Torah is actually a compilation of different Names of G-d, and the great Kabbalists were able to find the subtle references to the various Names in the text of the Torah. Therefore, Torah knowledge is referred to as knowledge of Hashem's Names. This is also the reason why we proclaim when taking the Torah from the ark, "Gadelu L'Hashem Iti U'neromema Shemo Yahdav" – "Exalt G-d with me, and let us raise His Name together" (Tehillim 34:4), giving praise to G-d's Name. We similarly declare as we return the Torah to the ark, "Yehalelu Et Shem Hashem" – "They shall praise the Name of G-d" – Tehillim 148:13). Before and after we read the Torah, we give praise to Hashem's Name, because the text of the Torah consists of configurations of G-d's different Names. This also explains the passage in the Friday night prayer service when we speak of Hashem sanctifying Shabbat "for His Name" ("Ata Kidashta Et Yom Ha'shebi'i Li'shmecha"). Throughout the week, we are preoccupied with earning a living and tending to our material needs, and we are unable to devote considerable amounts of time to Torah study. Hashem therefore designated Shabbat as a time when we are free from our professional and commercial pursuits and thus free to learn Torah. And so we proclaim that Hashem made Shabbat sacred "Li'shmecha," for the sake of His Name, meaning, the Torah, as we have the opportunity on this day to study Torah.