פירוש על ברכות 2:10

היה קורא בתורה – The portion(s) of the Shema (i.e. Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Deuteronomy 11:13-21 and/or Numbers 15:37-41) [from the Torah scroll].

If one was reading in the Torah [the section of the Shema] and the time for its recital arrived, if he directed his heart [to fulfill the mitzvah] he has fulfilled his obligation.
In the breaks [between sections] one may give greeting out of respect and return greeting; in the middle [of a section] one may give greeting out of fear and return it, the words of Rabbi Meir.
Rabbi Judah says: in the middle one may give greeting out of fear and return it out of respect, in the breaks one may give greeting out of respect and return greeting to anyone.
The first section of this mishnah deals with having proper intention when reciting the Shema. The second section deals with interrupting reciting the Shema to greet someone.
Section one: Someone is reading the Torah and he just happens to read the portions of the Shema at the time in the morning or evening when he is supposed to recite the Shema. While this may seem extremely unlikely since the Shema’s three portions are not found consecutively in the Torah the mishnah is teaching a lesson. Merely reading the Shema as if one is simply reading from the Torah is not sufficient to fulfill one’s ritual duty to recite the Shema in the morning and in the evening. One must recite the Shema with the intention in mind of fulfilling one’s obligation to perform this mitzvah. Only if one has such an intention in mind, has he fulfilled his mitzvah.
Section two: This section deals with being forced to interrupt someone to offer a greeting. It seems that in ancient times people took greetings far more seriously than we take them today. Not greeting someone properly was considered a serious insult. Therefore, both Rabbi Meir and Rabbi Judah allow certain interruptions in the recitation of the Shema in order to greet people. Rabbi Meir rules more strictly. In between the paragraphs one can greet and respond to someone to whom one owes respect. In the middle of a paragraph one can interrupt but only to greet or respond to someone whom one fears, such as a king or other powerful official. But one should never interrupt just to greet an ordinary person and in the middle of a paragraph one may interrupt only out of fear and not out of respect.
Rabbi Judah is more lenient on each count. In the middle of a paragraph he may initiate a greeting out of fear (Rabbi Meir agrees with this) and he may respond to one even out of respect (Rabbi Meir says only out of fear). In between paragraphs he may initiate a greeting out of respect (this agrees with Rabbi Meir) and he may respond to anyone (Rabbi Meir disagrees).

והגיע זמן – [the time for the] recitation of the Shema [had arrived].

אם כיון לבו יצא – According the words of [the opinion] which states: [The performance of] the commandments requires spiritual intentionality, one must explain if he indeed intended that to fulfill his religious obligation . [And according to the opinion] which states that [the performance of] the commandments does not require spiritual intentionality, he explains – if he intended to read as it is properly pronounced and according to Jewish law, excluding someone who reads to correct/amend the text – who is not reading the words as they are pronounced, but rather reading them as they are written to understand those things which are missing or additional, for in such a reading, one does not fulfill one’s religious obligation. And we hold like the opinion that teaches that [the performance of] the commandments requires religious intentionality (see Tractate Rosh Hashanah, Chapter 3, Mishnah 7 concerning the sounding of the Shofar on Rosh Hashanah and the reading of Megillat Esther on Purim which also deals with the question of “spiritual intentionality”).

בפרקים –Further on, our Mishnah will explain what is meant by the term הפרקים/intervals.

שואל מפני הכבוד – Ask of the welfare of someone who is honored and [for whom] it is appropriate to extend a greeting [first] – such as one’s father or one’s teacher or someone’s whose wisdom is greater than yours.

ומשיב – And we do not have to say [that he may respond] to them if they greet you first.

ובאמצע – [in the middle] of the chapter/section.

שואל מפני היראה – A person whom one fears lest he may kill you, and surely you don’t have to say, that you may respond to a peaceful greeting [from him] but not out of one’s honor for that individual.

רבי יהודה אומר באמצע – In the middle of the chapter/section, one may ask of the welfare of someone one fears, and respond peacefully to anyone whom one must [demonstrate] honor/respect.

ומשיב שלום לכל אדם – If he greeted you first, and the law follows like Rabbi Yehuda and in all matters where it is prohibited to interrupt, so it Is also forbidden to speak in Hebrew as it would be in other languages.

בין ויאמר לאמת ויציב לא יפסיק – As it is written, “But the LORD is truly God.” (Jeremiah 10:10). Therefore, we do not interrupt between [the words] “I the LORD your God” (Numbers 15:41) and “truth” and this is the Halakha.

Introduction The first section of this mishnah explain what counts as “between the breaks” such that it is more permissible to interrupt (see yesterday’s mishnah). In the second section a sage explains the order of the three paragraphs of the Shema.

והיה אם שמוע נוהג בין ביום ובין בלילה – As it is written (Deuteronomy 11:19), “and teach them to your children” and the study of Torah is practiced both during the daytime and during the nighttime.

These are the breaks between the sections: between the first blessing and the second, between the second and “Shema,” between “Shema” and “And it shall come to pass if you listen” between “And it shall come to pass if you listen” and “And the Lord said” and between “And the Lord said” and “Emet veYatziv” (true and. Rabbi Judah says: between “And the Lord said” and “Emet veYatziv” one should not interrupt. There is a break between each of the blessings and between each paragraph of the Shema. Rabbi Judah however holds that one should not interrupt between “And the Lord said”, the last paragraph of the Shema and “Emet veYatziv”, the first blessing after the Shema. By doing so he connects the word “Emet (truth)” to the last two words of the Shema “the Lord your God”, thereby creating the phrase from Jeremiah 10:10, “The Lord your God is truth.” Today, the prayer leader recites these three words after completion of the Shema.

ויאמר אינו נוהג אלא ביום – which includes the portion of the Ritual Fringes/Tzizit (Numbers 15:37-41) which are not observed at night, as I states (Numbers 15:39), “look at it.”

Rabbi Joshua ben Korhah said: Why was the section of “Shema” placed before that of “And it shall come to pass if you listen”? So that one should first accept upon himself the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven and then take upon himself the yoke of the commandments. Why does the section of “And it shall come to pass if you listen” come before that of “And the Lord said”? Because “And it shall come to pass if you listen” is customary during both day and night, whereas [the section] “And the Lord said” is customary only during the day. The first paragraph of the Shema, the one that begins “Hear O’ Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one” is concerned with the acceptance of the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven. This paragraph is about faith and it is this faith that must precede the acceptance of the commandments which is mentioned in the second paragraph. The opening words of the second paragraph hint at this step-by-step theology first you listen, “And it shall come to pass if you listen” then “to My commandments which I command you this day.” Finally, the second paragraph “And it shall come to pass if you listen” precedes the third paragraph because the third paragraph which is about tzitzit was recited only at night (today it is always recited). This fits the general rule that something which is recited regularly (tadir) takes precedence over something recited less regularly (she’ayno tadir). It also makes practical sense considering that the Shema was recited from memory. It is easier to end a prayer earlier than at other times one ends the prayer, then to skip a section within the prayer. Using myself as an example, if someone told me not to do the last paragraph of the Amidah (which I usually recite by heart) I would not have great difficulty. But if someone told me to skip a paragraph in the middle of the Amidah, I would have to concentrate hard to remember where that paragraph comes in order to skip it. This is why it is easier to save the “And the Lord said” paragraph to the end of the Shema.

רבי יוסי אומר: לא יצא – As it is written (Deuteronomy 6:4): “Hear” – Cause your ear to hear what your mouth utters. And the first teacher [of our Mishnah] holds that “Shema” is recited in any language that you hear, and the Halakha follows this first teacher.

Introduction Our mishnah deals with the question of what does it mean to actually “recite” the Shema.

ולא דקדק באותיותיה – To emit them with one’s lips clearly – so that two words where the first letter of the second word begins with the same letter that concluded the first word – such as “Al L’va’vekha” (Deuteronomy 6:6 – “Take to heart”) עשב בשדך” (Deuteronomy 11:15 – “I will provide grass in the fields”), ועבדתם מהרה"” (Deuteronomy 11:17 – “and you will soon perish”) - that if you do not place a space between [these words] to separate them, you will end up reading these two (identicaletters as one letter.

One who recites the Shema without causing it to be heard by his own ear, he has fulfilled his obligation. Rabbi Yose says: he has not fulfilled his obligation. According to the first opinion, one who whispers the Shema so faintly that he himself cannot hear what he said has nevertheless fulfilled his obligation. Rabbi Yose says that he has not. The Talmud interprets Rabbi Yose as deriving his halakhah from the word “Shema (listen)” the word implies that one must hear the words of the Shema being recited.

רבי יוסי אומר – And the Halakha is like Rabbi Yosi. However, ab initio, one must take care to be exacting in pronouncing the letters of the words (of the Shema) and similarly, one should be careful not (concerning the usage of the SHWA), to make a moving SHWA a resting one or a resting one a moving one, nor to make a strong DAGESH of something which is soft or a soft DAGESH of something that is strong. And one must articulate clearly the ZAYIN of the word “תזכרו” (Numbers 15:40 –“Thus you will be reminded”) so that it does appear as if one is saying, “תשכרו” (to be rewarded), with the letter SIN, to say, that you should receive great reward [for the performance of the commandments] – for it is inappropriate (see Tractate Avot, Chapter 1, Mishnah 3) “to serve the master [i.e. God] in order to receive a reward.”

If he recited it without pronouncing the letters succinctly, Rabbi Yose says he has fulfilled his obligation. Rabbi Judah says: he has not fulfilled his obligation. This refers to someone who recites the Shema quickly, blurring one word into another. For instance he runs the word “bekhol” into the next word “levavekha”. Rabbi Yose holds that he has fulfilled his obligation whereas Rabbi Judah holds that he has not.

הקורא למפרע – Recite the third verse before he second and the second before the first, and other similarities.

If he recites it out of order, he has not fulfilled his obligation. If he recites the verses within a paragraph out of order, he has not fulfilled his obligation. However, the halakhah is that if he recited the paragraphs out of order he has fulfilled his obligation.

לא יצא – As it is written (Deuteronomy 6:6), “these instructions [which I charge you this day],” as they are, that is to say, as they are organized in the Torah. But however, if one first read the "ויאמר" passage (Numbers 15:37-41) prior to the והיה אם שמוע"” passage (Deuteronomy 11:13-21), or the “והיה אם שמוע” passage prior to “שמע” (Deuteronomy 6:4-9), it would appear that it is not important read out of order, and one fulfills [one’s obligation] since they are not set up that way, one after the other in the Torah.

If he recites it and makes a mistake he goes back to the place where he made the mistake. If while reciting the Shema he realized that he made a mistake, what he must do is go back to the beginning of the verse in which he made the mistake.

יחזור למקום שטעה – If between each section [of the Shema] he erred and did not know on which section he had interrupted (the appropriate order), and to which paragraph’s beginning he should return to, he should go back to the first interval – which is “והיה אם שמוע” (Deuteronomy 11:13-21). And Maimonides states that this is the first sentence: “ואהבת את ה' אלהיך” (Deuteronomy 6:5), and if he is in the middle of a section, he should stop [assuming that] he knows which section (of the Shema) that he is in, but if he doesn’t know which place and from which section he is in, he should stop and return to the beginning of that section. If he was reciting: “וכתבתם [על מזוזות]” and did not know if it was referring did not know if it was referring to “and you shall inscribe them” from the first section of the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:9) or the second section of the Shema (Deuteronomy 11:20), he should go back to the first mention of “you shall inscribe them” (Deuteronomy 6:9). But if he became doubtful after he had begun (the concluding verse of the second section of the Shema), “to the end that you and your children may endure” (Deuteronomy 11:21), he should not go back, since he is following the natural flow of the language [of the Shema].

נדבך – a layer of stones of a building such as “a course of unused timber for each three courses of hewn stone” (Ezra 6:4), and even though he is fearful that he might fall, and would not be able to focus (“have spiritual intentionality” during his recitation of the Shema) , the Sages did not require him to come down, for the Recitation of the Shema only requires spiritual intentionality for the first verse only (“Hear O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is One”).

Introduction This mishnah deals with reciting the Shema in a place where having proper intention might be very difficult.

מה שאינן רשאין לעשות כן בתפילה – for Prayer (the Recitation of the Amidah) is [a plea for] mercy and requires spiritual intentionality. Therefore, one descends (from above) and prays (recites the Amidah).

Workers may recite [the Shema] on the top of a tree or the top of a scaffolding, that which they are not allowed to do in the case of the Tefillah. The mishnah describes a case of workers who go to work early in the morning and find themselves working in a tree or at the top of some scaffolding when the time to read the Shema comes. The mishnah allows these people to recite the Shema without forcing them to come down and stand on the ground. However, when it comes to the recitation of the Tefillah, which means prayer and refers to the Amidah prayer, they must come down. There are several reasons for this difference between the Shema and the Amidah. First of all, the Amidah is much longer and therefore will require more concentration. Second, the wording of the Shema was completely set by the Torah and there was no room for improvisations. While to fulfill one’s obligation one had to have the intent to perform a mitzvah, it would not have required a tremendous amount of focus. In contrast, the wording of the Amidah was more fluid and probably less familiar. Therefore, when it comes to the Amidah they have to get down from the tree and only then can they pray.

חתן – [A groom] who married a virgin

Introduction This mishnah deals with a bridegroom reciting the Shema. The problem is that he may not be able to have the proper intention because he is focusing on other matters.

פטור מקריאת שמע לילה ראשון – is exempt from the Recitation of the Shema the first night (of his marriage) because of the grave concern that he might not find her to be a virgin. And I heard that he fears lest he might his genitals might be mutilated through his [initial] intercourse [with his wife] and it is his preoccupation with this Mitzvah. And All-Merciful One (God) said (Deuteronomy 6:7), “and when you are away” – in your “going” (the commandment for sexual intercourse with one’s [virgin] wife is tied to the command “be fertile and increase” – Genesis 1:27) – which obligates you but also commands one’s exemption [from the recitation of the Shema].

A bridegroom is exempt from reciting the Shema on the first night until the end of the Shabbat, if he has not performed the act. According to the first mishnah in Ketubot, virgins are married on Wednesdays. Our mishnah teaches that the bridegroom is exempt from his obligation to recite the Shema from the first night of his wedding and for the next four nights, if he had not yet had sexual relations with her. Until he has relations with her he will obviously be very nervous, especially since this may very well be his first sexual encounter. This nervousness will prevent him from having the proper intention and hence the mishnah exempts him. However, if he hasn’t had sex with her until after Shabbat, he must go back to reciting the Shema.

It happened with Rabban Gamaliel who recited the Shema on the first night after he had married. His students said to him: Our master, have you not taught us that a bridegroom is exempt from reciting the Shema. He replied to them: I will not listen to you to remove from myself the Kingship of Heaven even for a moment. The story of Rabban Gamaliel seems to show that the previous clause means that the bridegroom is exempt from the Shema, not that he can’t recite it should he want to do so. Rabban Gamaliel’s love of God, his desire to say the Shema and thereby accept upon himself the Kingship of Heaven is so strong, that he cannot desist from reciting the Shema even on his wedding night. [We don’t know how his bride reacted to this.]

אם לא עשה מעשה – If he did not engage in sexual intercourse until Saturday night (after the conclusion of Shabbat) which is four nights that he was preoccupied [with his ability to perform his sexual obligations to his wife]. And from that point onwards, he becomes intimate with her and furthermore, is no longer preoccupied, and even though he has not yet performed his obligation [of intimacy with his wife], he is obligated to recite the Shema.

רחץ לילה הראשון שמתה אשתו – And even though a mourner (during Shivah) is prohibited from bathing.

Introduction In yesterday’s mishnah Rabban Gamaliel seemed to act counter to the halakhah when he recited the Shema on the first night of his marriage. The mishnah now proceeds to bring up several other examples where he seems to act counter to the accepted halakhah and then explains his behavior.

אסטניס אני – Cold and frost – from the word “tzinah”/cold – and it would cause pain/suffering if he would not wash and it is only forbidden during the days of his mourning to bathe for pleasure (i.e. swimming, lengthy hot shower).

[Rabban Gamaliel] bathed on the first night after the death of his wife. His disciples said to him: Master, have you not taught us, that a mourner is forbidden to bathe. He replied to them: I am not like other men, I am very delicate. Mourners are not allowed to bathe during the shivah, the first seven days of mourning. Rabban Gamaliel bathes in any case and again his students question his non-halakhic behavior. He answers that he is delicate and will suffer more than a normal person would if he didn’t bathe. [Rabban Gamaliel’s relations to his wife don’t seem to be improving he recited the Shema on their wedding night and didn’t fully observe mourning for her]. The vision of halakhah that comes out of these two mishnayot is interesting. The halakhah is geared toward the majority of people. Most people cannot recite the Shema with intention on the first night of their marriage and therefore they are exempt. Most people can live without bathing for a week and therefore, as a sign of mourning, bathing is forbidden. But an individual who does not fit these norms can deviate from them, as does Rabban Gamaliel.

Introduction This is the final case in which Rabban Gamaliel seems to behave not according to halakhic norms.

When Tabi his [Rabban Gamaliel’s] slave died he accepted condolences for him. His disciples said to him: Master, have you not taught us that one does not accept condolences for slaves? He replied to them: My slave Tabi was not like other slaves: he was a fit man. Normally, one does not accord to slaves the same mourning practices that one does for a free person. The community does not come to offer condolences to the master nor does the master open his house to people coming to console him. However, Tabi was a special slave, one who kept all of the mitzvoth to which he was subject (see Sukkah 2:1, where Tabi sleeps under a bed inside a sukkah). Hence, Rabban Gamaliel again broke the normal halakhah and accepted formal condolences upon the loss of this special slave.

לא כל הרוצה ליטול את השם יטול – If he is not considered a Sage and someone distinguished in other things, it would only be considered as excessive pride if he would attempt to show that he can demonstrate spiritual intentionality. And the Halakha does not follow Rabban Gamaliel. And we see that some of our Rabbis who say that nowadays, any person can recite the Shema on the first night (following their wedding) since in these generations, there is not that much spiritual intention on the other days and if he didn’t recite [the Shema] on the first night (following his wedding), it would appear like a greater haughtiness if he is able [to recite the Shema] with spiritual intentionality, in every hour other than now, because of his concern of fulfilling the Mitzvah of “being fruitful and multiplying.”

Introduction In mishnah five we learned that Rabban Gamaliel recited the Shema on the first night of his marriage, even though he was exempt. Today we read of a debate between later sages whether Rabban Gamaliel action sets a precedent for others who might wish to recite the Shema on their wedding night.

If a bridegroom wants to recite the Shema on the first night [of his marriage], he may do so. Rabban Shimon ben Gamaliel says: not everyone who desires to take up the name of God may do so. According to the first opinion in the mishnah, just as Rabban Gamaliel recited the Shema on the first night of his wedding, so too anybody can. Rabban Shimon ben Gamaliel, Rabban Gamaliel’s own son, says that his father was an exception. Not everyone can accept upon himself the responsibility of saying the Shema in a situation in which the sages exempted the person. Rabban Shimon ben Gamaliel seems to have an almost entirely different conception of halakhah. Whereas his father considered the halakhah to be geared to the “normal” or “typical” situation and allowed deviations under abnormal circumstances, his son limits these deviations. According to Rabban Shimon ben Gamaliel, halakhah is not just a descriptive norm, but a mandated norm, and even though one does not feel that he fits into this norm, the halakhah establishes that he must. In our case, if one feels that he is capable of concentrating sufficiently to recite the Shema on his wedding night, he is still not allowed to do so. The halakhah mandates his exemption and doesn’t just allow him to not recite it. It seems to me that later halakhah is more often understood in the terms of Rabban Shimon ben Gamaliel. Halakhah mandates laws across the board, usually not making exceptions for the individual psyche. But this is far too broad a topic for this forum.