Het lezen van het Sjema — Rambam

Het lezen van het Sjema

Het lezen van het Sjema — Rambam op Beth HaMidrash: de Hebreeuwse tekst met Nederlandse vertaling, met Rasji en de grote commentatoren. Gratis, online.

פַּעֲמַיִם בְּכָל יוֹם קוֹרְאִין קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע, בָּעֶרֶב וּבַבֹּקֶר. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים ו ז) ״וּבְשָׁכְבְּךָ וּבְקוּמֶךָ״ בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁדֶּרֶךְ בְּנֵי אָדָם שׁוֹכְבִין וְזֶה הוּא לַיְלָה. וּבְשָׁעָה שֶׁדֶּרֶךְ בְּנֵי אָדָם עוֹמְדִין וְזֶה הוּא יוֹם:We [are obligated to] recite the Shema twice daily - in the evening and in the morning (Positive Commandment 10), the Rambam mentions the beginning of this verse, ודברת בם... (And you shall speak of them...) as the source for the mitzvah of Kri'at Shema.Nevertheless, his statements in this halachah do not necessarily represent a change of mind. Here, the Rambam is not interested in the actual source for the mitzvah itself (which is the case in Sefer HaMitzvot), but in stating our obligation to recite the Shema twice daily, once at night and once in the daytime. This is derived from the end of the verse, as mentioned by the Rambam. at night is mentioned first both in the Mishnah,Berachot 1:1 and here in the Mishneh Torah, following the pattern mentioned in the verse quoted above: "...when you lie down and when you rise."Berachot 3a understands this order as parallel to the creation of the world itself which began: ויהי ערב ויהי בקר (And then there was night and there was day..., Genesis 1:5 . (See also the Rambam's commentary on the Mishnah, Berachot 1:1.)i.e., when people are accustomed to sleep - this being the night - and when people are accustomed to rise - this being daytime. - The Mishnah (Berachot 10b) records a disagreement between the school of Shammai and the school of Hillel regarding the laws derived from the verse: "... and when you lie down and when you rise."Both agree that the Shema is recited twice daily, once at night and once in the morning. However, based on the above verse, Beit Shammai obligates one to recline while reciting Kri'at Shema at night, and to stand while reciting it in the morning. Beit Hillel holds that the verse simply establishes the general times at which the Shema is recited, as stated by the Rambam in this halachah; i.e., at the time that people sleep and at the time that they are accustomed to wake up. - as [Deuteronomy 6:7] states: "...when you lie down and when you rise" - i.e., when people are accustomed to sleep - this being the night - and when people are accustomed to rise, this being daytime.

וּמַה הוּא קוֹרֵא, שְׁלֹשָׁה פָּרָשִׁיּוֹת. אֵלּוּ הֵן (דברים ו ד) ״שְׁמַע״ (דברים יא יג) ״וְהָיָה אִם שָׁמֹעַ״ (במדבר טו לז) ״וַיֹּאמֶר״. וּמַקְדִּימִין לִקְרוֹת פָּרָשַׁת שְׁמַע מִפְּנֵי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהּ יִחוּד הַשֵּׁם וְאַהֲבָתוֹ וְתַלְמוּדוֹ שֶׁהוּא הָעִקָּר הַגָּדוֹל שֶׁהַכּל תָּלוּי בּוֹ. וְאַחֲרֶיהָ וְהָיָה אִם שָׁמֹעַ שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהּ צִוּוּי עַל (זְכִירַת) שְׁאָר כָּל הַמִּצְוֹת. וְאַחַר כָּךְ פָּרָשַׁת (במדבר טו לח) ״צִיצִית״ שֶׁגַּם הִיא יֵשׁ בָּהּ צִוּוּי זְכִירַת כָּל הַמִּצְוֹת:And what is it that one recites?. Sefer HaChinuch (Commandment 419) states clearly that the Torah obligates us to read only the first verse of the Shema - i.e., Shema Yisrael. The reading of the rest of the three sections was instituted by the Sages.Rabbenu Yonah understands that the whole first section constitutes the Torah obligation. (See Beit Yosef, Orach Chayim 63 at the end.) There is also an opinion that the obligation to recite the first two sections originates in the Torah. (See Shulchan Aruch HaRav, Orach Chayim 58.) However, in practice, everyone ultimately agrees that one must recite all three sections mentioned by the Rambam in this halachah (Berachot 13a). These three sections:"Hear O Israel..." (Deuteronomy 6:4-9),"And if you will listen..." (Deuteronomy 11:13-21),and"And God said..." (Numbers (Commandment 420) who quotes the Rambam, not to explain the order of Kri'at Shema, but rather to clarify why the Sages included these three sections in the Shema.we begin with the section of "Hear O Israel..." - Berachot 13a, 14b, offers two different explanations regarding the order of Kri'at Shema. The Rambam, however, does not quote either explicitly, but rather seems to suggest his own reason.The Kessef Mishneh holds that the Rambam's explanation of the order of the first two sections, "Hear O Israel" and "And if you will listen," is in fact consistent with the Mishnah in Berachot 13a. Regarding the last section, the Rambam desired to supply us with both the reason for its inclusion and its placement after the second section (even though the third section precedes it in the Torah itself). 15:37-41).We begin with the section of "Hear O Israel" since it contains [the concept of] the unity of God, 61:6. [the commandment of] loving Him and the study of Torah,, the Rambam quotes Deuteronomy 11:19 (a verse in the second section of the Shema), as the source for the mitzvah of Torah study. it being a fundamental principle upon which everything is based. 1:6.)After it, [we read] "And if you will listen...," since it contains the imperative to fulfill the rest of the commandments, - the fringes on the corners of four-cornered garments) and remember all the commandments of God and do them" (Numbers 15:39).Rashi, in his commentary on the above verse, explains how tzitzit serve as a reminder of all the Torah's commandments. The numerical value of the Hebrew word ציצית is 600 (צ = 90 י = 10 צ = 90 י = 10 ת = 400) There are also eight strings and five knots. Therefore, by looking at the tzitzit, one is reminded of the 613 divine commandments. and finally the portion of tzitzit, since it also contains the imperative of remembering all the commandments.

אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵין מִצְוַת צִיצִית נוֹהֶגֶת בַּלַּיְלָה קוֹרְאִין אוֹתָהּ בַּלַּיְלָה מִפְּנֵי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהּ זִכְרוֹן יְצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם וּמִצְוָה לְהַזְכִּיר יְצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם בַּיּוֹם וּבַלַּיְלָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים טז ג) ״לְמַעַן תִּזְכֹּר אֶת יוֹם צֵאתְךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם כּל יְמֵי חַיֶּיךָ״. וּקְרִיאַת שָׁלֹשׁ פָּרָשִׁיּוֹת אֵלּוּ עַל סֵדֶר זֶה הִיא הַנִּקְרֵאת קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע:The commandment of tzitzit is not obligatory at night. must only be worn when they can be seen, i.e., daytime. Accordingly, there is no obligation to wear tzitzit at night. See Hilchot Tzitzit 3:7-8. Nevertheless, we recite [the section describing] it at night because it contains mention of the exodus from Egypt. explains that the mention of the exodus can itself be understood as the reason for the inclusion of this section in Kri'at Shema. The Rambam, however, mentions tzitzit as the basis for the presence of this section in Kri'at Shema (see Halachah 2), since it is the tzitzit that cause us to remember all the commandments.We are commanded to mention the exodus both during the day and at night 12b.It is interesting to note that in Sefer HaMitzvot, the Rambam does not count the mentioning of the exodus from Egypt as one of the 613 commandments in the Torah, nor does he mention it elsewhere in the Mishneh Torah.The Rambam does, however, count the commandment of the telling of the story of the exodus on the fifteenth of Nisan - i.e., Passover night - as one of the mitzvot. See Sefer HaMitzvot (Positive Commandment 157), Sefer HaChinuch (Mitzvah 21), and Hilchot Chametz U'Matzah, Chapters 7 and 8.According to some opinions, one can differentiate between the two obligations as follows: A person can fulfill his daily obligation with simply a thought about the exodus, whereas on Pesach night the mitzvah can be performed only through the verbal description of the redemption from Egypt. (See Sha'agat Aryeh, 13.)This would explain the omission of this commandment from Sefer HaMitzvot. A commandment that can be fulfilled with a thought alone and not an explicit statement or action is not "worthy" of inclusion in the list of 613 commandments of the Torah. (See the Rambam's explanation of the commandment to remember Amalek: Positive Commandment 189).The Aruch HaShulchan, however, disagrees with this opinion. In Orach Chayim 67, he states that even the daily obligation requires an explicit statement. Nevertheless, he explains that it was not chosen as one of the 613 commandments because the obligation to remember the exodus twice daily is not stated in the form of a command in the Torah to "Remember," but rather, as a reason for another mitzvah (the mitzvah of matzah): "In order that you shall remember..." (Deuteronomy 16:3 . as [Deuteronomy 16:3] states: "In order that you shall remember the day of your leaving the land of Egypt all the days of your (Parshat Vayakhel 216b) explains the mystical significance of mentioning the exodus from Egypt after proclaiming the unity of God. life."Reading these three sections in this order constitutes the recitation of the Shema. 1:5) mentions that the sections of Kri'at Shema also contain a reference to each of the 10 utterances of the revelation at Mount Sinai (Exodus 20:1-14), thus representing a complete statement of Jewish spirituality and values.

הַקּוֹרֵא קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע כְּשֶׁהוּא גּוֹמֵר פָּסוּק רִאשׁוֹן אוֹמֵר בְּלַחַשׁ בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד וְחוֹזֵר וְקוֹרֵא כְּדַרְכּוֹ (דברים ו ה) ״וְאָהַבְתָּ אֵת יְיָ׳‎ אֱלֹהֶיךָ״ עַד סוֹפָהּ. וְלָמָּה קוֹרִין כֵּן. מָסֹרֶת הִיא בְּיָדֵינוּ שֶׁבְּשָׁעָה שֶׁקִּבֵּץ יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ אֶת בָּנָיו בְּמִצְרַיִם בִּשְׁעַת מִיתָתוֹ צִוָּם וְזֵרְזָם עַל יִחוּד הַשֵּׁם וְעַל דֶּרֶךְ ה׳‎ שֶׁהָלַךְ בָּהּ אַבְרָהָם וְיִצְחָק אָבִיו וְשָׁאַל אוֹתָם וְאָמַר לָהֶם בָּנַי שֶׁמָּא יֵשׁ בָּכֶם פַּסְלוּת מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ עוֹמֵד עִמִּי בְּיִחוּד הַשֵּׁם כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁאָמַר לָנוּ משֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ (דברים כט יז) ״פֶּן יֵשׁ בָּכֶם אִישׁ אוֹ אִשָּׁה״ וְגוֹ׳‎. עָנוּ כֻּלָּם וְאָמְרוּ (דברים ו ד) ״שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יְיָ׳‎ אֱלֹהֵינוּ יְיָ׳‎ אֶחָד״. כְּלוֹמַר שְׁמַע מִמֶּנּוּ אָבִינוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל יְיָ׳‎ אֱלֹהֵינוּ יְיָ׳‎ אֶחָד. פָּתַח הַזָּקֵן וְאָמַר בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד. לְפִיכָךְ נָהֲגוּ כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל לוֹמַר שֶׁבַח שֶׁשִּׁבֵּחַ בּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל הַזָּקֵן אַחַר פָּסוּק זֶה:When reciting the Shema, after completing the first verse, one says quietly "Blessed be the name of the glory of His Kingdom forever." as it appears in the Torah, but rather was recited by Jacob in Egypt, as explained later in this halachah.It is, however, pronounced loudly on Yom Kippur. Pirkei D'rabbi Eliezer explains that the angels praise God with this verse. On Yom Kippur, we are as pure as angels and thus, emulate their practice (Hagahot Maimoniot).It is preferable to separate clearly between the end of "Blessed be the name" - i.e., the words לעולם ועד - forever, and the beginning of the next section, ואהבת (And you shall love...) (Tur, Orach Chayim 61). He then continues to read the first section in its normal fashion: "And you shall love God, your Lord..."Why do we read it in this fashion?..." It is our tradition that when the patriarch, Jacob, gathered all his sons together in Egypt close to his death, he commanded and urged them regarding the Unity of God and the path of God upon which Abraham and Isaac, his father, had tread. 56a.He asked them: "My sons, perhaps there are dregs among you, one who does not stand with me in the Unity of God?" (ibid.) explains that Jacob desired to reveal the secret of the end of days to his children, but that this knowledge suddenly left him. He was worried that perhaps his sudden lack of understanding was due to the imperfect state of his children and therefore, felt compelled to ask them about their faith in the One God.The Rambam omits all these particulars, since they are not relevant to the matter at hand - namely, the source of the custom of saying "Blessed be the name..." after "Shema Yisrael..." This is comparable to the manner in which Moses, our teacher, said to us: "Lest there be among you a man or woman [whose heart turns this day from God...]"). (Deuteronomy 29:17).They all answered and said: "Listen, Israel, God is our Lord, God is One," i.e., listen to us, Israel, our father, God is our Lord, God is One.The wise elder responded: "Blessed be the Name of the Glory of His Kingdom forever." Therefore, the Jews are accustomed to utter the praise that Israel, the wise elder, uttered after this verse.

הַקּוֹרֵא קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע מְבָרֵךְ לְפָנֶיהָ וּלְאַחֲרֶיהָ. בַּיּוֹם מְבָרֵךְ שְׁתַּיִם לְפָנֶיהָ וְאַחַת לְאַחֲרֶיהָ. וּבַלַּיְלָה מְבָרֵךְ שְׁתַּיִם לְפָנֶיהָ וּשְׁתַּיִם לְאַחֲרֶיהָ:Blessings are recited before and after Kri'at Shema. 11a. In the day, one recites two blessings before it and one after it. At night, one recites two blessings before and two blessings after it., three in the day and four at night. The Jerusalem Talmud (Berachot 1:5) bases this on the verse "Seven (times) in the day will I praise you" (Psalms 119:164).The Tanya, Chapter 49, discusses the reasons for these blessings at length, noting that, on the surface, they are not related to the Shema at all. That text explains that the basic intent of Kri'at Shema is to attain the love for God as described in the verse, "And you shall love God, your Lord, with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your strength."To reach such a level, one must first contemplate the greatness of God. Accordingly, in the first blessing, we outline the praises of God uttered by the angels, who are of supreme intelligence and spiritual wisdom. These lofty creatures proclaim God's greatness and abnegate themselves completely to Him, stating that He transcends even their ability to understand.Then, in the second blessing, we describe God's great love for the Jewish people, as manifested by His giving us His Torah and choosing us as His people.Having contemplated such ideas, we are prepared to reciprocate God's love for us by proclaiming our love for Him. We recognize His infinite Greatness and Unity, see His Providence in the events of our life, and internalize our intellectual understanding into an emotional outpouring for our Creator.

Mishneh Torah, Reading the Shema.1