Krias Shema - What Does It Mean

Probably the most renowned verse in the Torah, one repeated at least twice a day by so many Jews from the age of 2 until literally their last breath, is the first verse of Krias Shema. Shema Yisroel Hashem Elokeinu Hashem Echad. Let’s translate that. Or try to anyway. Because there are actually several good translations. Not explanations or descriptions, translations.

1. Hear oh Israel, The Lord our G-d, The Lord is One.
2. Hear oh Israel, The Lord is our G-d, The Lord is Alone.
3. Hear oh Israel, The Lord is our G-d, The Lord is the One and Only.

And you thought you had it down perfectly. I think that most people would say #1. I did, until I saw Artscroll which picks #3. Hashem is the One and Only. I still like #1 and I’ll explain that later.

We can also ask a very interesting question. Why does the Shema say Hashem twice? Shouldn’t it be enough to say Hashem who is our G-d is One, or One and Only? The answer is given by three Torah commentators who actually also give us the three translations.

The Ohr Hachaim says that after we pronounce that we accept the concept that Hashem is our G-d, we then pronounce our additional belief that Hashem is One. The Even Ezra answers that there is a difference between the concept of Hashem as a Name and Hashem as our G-d. The second Hashem is that Hashem our G-d is Alone. There are no beings other than Hashem. The Seforno comments that Hashem who is our G-d, That Hashem, who seems to be one among many, is actually the One and Only.

The famous contemplation of Echad is that it means that Hashem is One, Hashem is in the 7 Heavens and on earth (Ches or 8) and that Hashem is all over the 4 directions of the earth. As I said earlier, I’ll explain my choice of translation #1 with my contemplation during Shema. Apropos to the Shema being in the parsha of Vo’Eschanan, is the verse in the Haftorah, Se’u morom eineichem, Raise up or Elevate your eyes and observe who created all this. The Shema tells us: Shema are the letters of Se’u morom eineichem, Raise up your eyes to observe Hashem and in doing so, Elevate yourselves to the higher level of Yisroel. Observe that Hashem connoting Rachamim and Elokeinu connoting Din, is in reality all One, Hashem is all Rachamim. Kol D’Ovad Rachmono L’Tav Ovad, everything that Hashem the One of Rachamim, He does for good.

If we compare the first two parts of Krias Shema, V’Ohavto and V’Hoyo im shemoah, we see at the end of each, two seemingly comparable verses with a slight difference in language. In V’Ohavto it says, V’shinantom l’vonecho, and you should learn these words with your children. And you should speak these words when you are in your house and on the road, meaning constantly. In V’Hoyo it says v’limadetem osom l’vonechoh, you should teach these words to your children so that they will speak these words when you are in your house or on the road. Interesting juxtapositioning of language.

My friend Dr. Yonah Wilamowsky explained this as such. If a person will learn Torah with his children, and he will constantly speak Torah and set an example to his children, then they will follow him. If that person wants to teach his children, in other words inculcate them with a love for learning Torah, so that they too will learn Torah constantly, v’limadetem osom l’vonechoh l’dabeir bom, so that they too will speak Torah, then do it yourself constantly, in your house and on the road. The best way to teach, limadetem, so that they will learn, v’shinantem, is to set an example, b’shivtechah, when you do it too.

The Eglei Tal has a seminal explanation of why the Talmud begins with the law of when we are obligated to say Krias Shema at night. The Mishnah states that the time to say Krias Shema is from when the cohanim would be allowed to eat terumah after they cleansed themselves from any tumah, ritually unclean. The question is why do they have to wait until at night if they had already actually gone to the mikvah in the morning and became ritually clean? He answers because since they had been unclean for a part of the day, an unclean impression still remains even though they are ritually clean. When a new time period begins, at night, that impression leaves them.

He says that this is what the Mishnah is telling us. Just as an unclean person still has the unclean impression, so too when a person says Krias Shema he is covered with an impression of holiness which lasts all day. Then at the next time period he says Krias Shema again. Let us live our lives in kedusha holiness and be constantly enveloped by an impression of holiness.

Engrossing Yourself In Torah

In the first pasuk of Parshas Be'chuko'sai the Torah says "Im be'chuko'sai tei'leichu”, if you will follow my decrees. The language is so unusual that I translated as do most commentaries as “follow” rather than the literal translation of “walk”. Rashi however goes further in his interpretation, following the language of Toras Cohanim. Rashi comments that "Im be'chuko'sai tei'leichu”, that one must be “ameilim ba’Torah”, learn Torah laboriously. What does this mean? It seems that Rashi is only adding to the unusual language used by the Torah.

Rav Mordechai Gifter Zt’zl, the Rosh Yeshiva of Telz, related this incident in a shmues in the Yeshiva about 50 years ago. A very wealthy industrialist in Mexico City asked him to come to Mexico and promised him a huge donation for the Yeshiva. Needless to say, the Rosh Yeshiva heeded his invitation and showed up at the man’s office at the prescribed time. He was told that the wealthy man was very busy now but should wait. After an hour or so, the secretary came out and told Rav Gifter to meet the man in his home at 7:00 PM that evening. Rav Gifter showed up and was told to wait again. Looking around, the Rosh Yeshiva could not help but notice the amazing opulence of this residence. Servant upon servant was hurrying back and forth, each with his own work. However after another hour of waiting he was told that the owner would not be home until much later.

Rav Gifter, having been told to be at the home at 8:00 AM the next morning arrived but much to his dismay was told that the man had already left for his office and that the Rosh Yeshiva should come at noon to the office. Again arriving at noon Rav Gifter waited an hour but this time fruitfully and was ushered into the wealthy man’s office. The man excused himself and welcomed Rav Gifter warmly, writing out a very generous check. After thanking the donor profusely, the Rosh Yeshiva said, May I ask you a question? The man said of course. Asked Rav Gifter, if you’re hardly ever in your home, why is it so palatial, with so many servants? The man answered – Rosh Yeshiva, I want to tell you something. If you want to be successful in your endeavors, in your business, then you have to engross yourself in your business. “Oib m’vil matzliach zein in gesheft, broch men liggen in gesheft”.

The Rosh Yeshiva told the bochurim in the Yeshiva, if you want to have success in your learning, you have to completely engross yourself in learning. That’s “ameilim ba’Torah”.

The first Medrash Rabba on the parsha, tells us one way with which Chazal reacted to the unusual phrase: "Teileichu - If you will walk". The Medrash interprets Teileichu by referring us to another pasuk in which "walking" is involved. That pasuk is Tehilim 119, 59. The pasuk there says: "Chishavti derochai, ve'ahshiva raglai el eidosehcha". Chishaviti - I thought long and hard - derochai -- my ways, in the sense of which way to go - and I turned my feet to Your Torah".

The Medrash says: "Ohmahr Dovid. Ribono shel olam! Bechol yohm voyohm, ho'yisi mechashev ve'omeir: le'mokohm peloni ul'bais dira pelonis ahni ho'laych. Ve'hoyu raglai moh'lichos osi le'batei kenesiyos u'lebotei medroshos." Dovid Hamelech said: "Master of the Universe! Every day, I would think things over, and decide to go to such and such a place. But my feet led me to Shuls and to Botei Medrash." Again an interesting way of saying “walking”, moh’lichos osi, my feet led me. Why doesn’t Dovid say, holchos, my feet walked?

The Gemora in Makos 10b says, “bederech she’odom rotzeh leileich molichin osoh”. In the path that a person wants to walk, they will lead him. The Maharshal asks, who are these “they” who will lead him. He answers, that a person who does mitzvos and maasim tovim creates a malach for each mitzvah. These malochim will lead him on a good path since obviously by constantly doing mitzvos this individual wants to go on a good path. I’ve added to this that this may be what the mishna says in Pirkei Ovos, mitzvah goreres mitzvah, one mitzvah brings another. When you do a mitzvah, the malach created pulls you along to do another.

Dovid from the time of his youth constantly did mitzvos and maasim tovim. And therefore his feet were practiced and inured in walking along good paths. Actually Dovid was constantly walking to botei kenesiyos and botei medrash. This is what ameilim ba’Torah accomplishes. Your mind and body becomes habituated in the ways of the Torah and yiddishkeit.

The Sfas Emes interprets the Medrash as coming in the following context. Dovid Hamelech is telling us what was going on in his life. Every day, he would decide to go to business; but his feet took him instead to Shuls or to Botei Medrash. Most people would understand this Medrash as saying: "I decided I was going to Wall Street. But my feet took me to Lakewood instead". The Sfas Emes interprets the Medrash that the Medrash sees Dovid saying the following. HaShem's chiyus (life-giving power) is present in everything and in every place. The chiyus is there in different ways and in different forms; but the inner reality is the same all over. Dovid Hamelech says: Wherever I go, I encounter HaShem's Presence. For in fact, the world's inner reality is identical everywhere.

The Sfas Emes is interpreting the Medrash in a radically innovative way. The Sfas Emes is reading the Medrash as saying: "I decided to go to Wall Street, and I went to Wall Street. And there I encountered the exact same Presence of HaShem that I would have experienced in Lakewood!" This is what our challenge as Torah Jews is supposed to accomplish. That we live our total lives engrossed in Torah, by both learning Torah to do Torah and by living our lives along the ways of Torah. This is the meaning of Rashi quoting Chazal, we should be ameilim, engrossed in Torah learning, in order to listen to Hashem’s mitzvos and to do them.

Recent Thoughts

In the past I’ve thought about and discussed a few concepts. Two are concerning the weekly Parsha, one is in Tefilah, and one is on a maamar Chazal.

Parshas Kedoshim begins with the Torah saying “Kedoshim tiheyu – Holy shall you be”, and then goes on to say – “Ish imoh ve’oviv tiro’u – you should fear your mother and your father”. Very nice, of course fear of your parents is important. It is so important that this mitzvah is in the Ten Commandments. But why does the Torah stress this as being the first mitzvah that makes one Holy?

I think we can answer this with a famous story of Rav Yakov Kaminetsky ztz’l. Rav Yakov was once on an airplane. His grandchildren were with him and constantly came to see if he needs anything, exhibiting great respect and honor. Rav Yakov’s seatmate asked him about this. Why do Orthodox Jewish children have such great honor and respect for their elders while other children don’t? Rav Yakov answered. Your children think that they come from monkeys so of course they won’t respect their forebears. But our children know that we come from Avrohom, Yitzchok, and Yakov and that the early generations having been by Matan Torah were the holiest. Therefore the closer our generations are to them, the more respect they deserve.

This is what the Torah means. Do you want to know how to achieve holiness? Respect your elders, your parents. Appreciate what they’ve done for you. That will bring you holiness as you emulate their ways and go be’darkei avoseinu hakedoshim.


Parshas Emor begins with Hashem saying to Moshe: “Emor el ha’cohanim ve’amartoh eileyhem”. Speak to the Cohanim and say to them. Rashi comments: "Speak" and "Say" -- enjoin the elders regarding the youngsters. That means, make sure that the elders talk to the younger Jews regarding these mitzvos.

The above dictum, which constitutes a primary Torah source for the concept of Jewish education, also offers insight into the nature of education. The word used by Rashi -- lehazhir, "to enjoin" -- also means "to shine." Hence the phrase "to enjoin the elders regarding the youngsters" also translates "to illuminate the elders regarding the youngsters." Education is not only an elder teaching a youngster; it is also an illumination for the educator. We see that concept in the words of Rebbe Chanina, I learned much from my teachers and much from my colleagues but most of all I learned from my students.

A good educator is one who teaches his students in such a way that the students will ask questions in order to understand better. And this process in turn makes possible that the educator will learn from these questions and his answers. Lehazhir – to enjoin the educators regarding teaching the students – in order that the educators illuminate the Torah to their students and in turn become illuminated by them.

Another concept might be that Rashi says to say to the elders – the teachers – act in an illuminating way in your life so that the youngsters – your students – will strive to emulate you and also become illuminated with the light of Torah.

We say the tefiloh of Yaaleh Ve’Yovo in Shemoneh Esrei on Rosh Chodesh and Yomim Tovim. Let’s analyze the words. Yaaleh, and they will go up. Yovo, and they will come. Yagiya, and they will arrive. Yeroeh, and they will be seen. Yerotze, and they will find grace in Hashem’s eyes. Yishoma, and the prayers will be heard. Wait, shouldn’t Yishoma come before Yerotze? First Hashem will “Hear” our prayers and after will He show “Grace” towards us.

I think we can answer this by first separating the words in to two conceptual areas. First comes going to the Bais Hamikdosh or to shul. Yaleh ve’yovoh ve’yagiya ve’yeroeh, and they will go up and come and arrive and be seen. All concepts of coming to Hashem. Then Yerotze and Yishoma. Hashem says to us, just as you said to Me, Naaseh ve’nishma, We shall Do and we shall Hear. The Jews first said, we are ready to do what you ask of us and now tell us, we shall hear. Hashem too says, first I will show you Grace, what do you need? Then I’ll listen to what your prayers are.


There is a maamar Chazal that Polish rebbes used to discuss in a radically novel homiletic way. Chazal say Achorei Ari velo achorei Isha. Better to walk in back of a lion than in back of a woman. Polish rebbes would say that one should not wait until Elul, whose zodiac symbol is a woman, in order to do teshuva, repentance. But rather do teshuva during the month of Av, whose symbol is a lion. The Chidushei Harim Ztz'l states that arye sho'eig mi lo yirah, if a lion roars will not everybody be frightened. The beginning letters of the word "arye" connote Elul, Rosh Hashonoh, and Yom Kippur.  I think we can add that if we do teshuva during the month of Av, the month of Lion, that we will be answered during the times when the Lion of justice roars and we will be successful in our repentance and receive atonement.
 

Birchas Cohanim - Kedushas Aharon

This post is from a Dvar Torah chiddush from my friend David Braun.

The Gemorah in Mesechta Sotoh 39a says, Shoalu talmidov shel Rebbe Elazar ben Shamua, the students of Rebbe Elazar ben Shamua asked him, with what did you merit your longevity? He answered them, because of three things that I emphasized in my life: 1) In all my years I never used a Bais HaKeneses as a shortcut to walk through to another area; 2) I never stepped over the heads of our holy people the students in the yeshiva when I was making my way forward; and 3) I never held up my hands, that is blessed the congregation with the Blessing Of the Cohanim, without first making my own blessing. Asks the Gemorah, what was his blessing? Rav Zeira said in the name of Rav Chisda, Asher Kideshonu Bekedushosoh Shel Aharon VeTzivonu Levoreich Es Amoh Yisroel BoAhavoh.

The question is obvious. What is the tremendous chiddush, novelty, that Rebbe Elazar did that merited longevity for making the blessing that all Cohanim ordinarily make as part of the Duchan service? The answer is that he didn’t have to make the blessing but did anyway. Let’s understand why he didn’t have to make the blessing and why when he did make the blessing it was something special, special enough to warrant meriting longevity.

The Sfas Emes on Torah on Pesach 5640 says – Mah She’ein mevorchim birchas hamitzvos al sippur yetzias mitzrayim – the reason that we do not make an ordinary blessing for mitzvos, asher kideshonu bemitzvosov, who made us holy with his mitzvos, because relating the stories of Yetzias Mitzrayim is an obvious action that we should do as appreciation to Hashem for redeeming us. Even if Hashem would not have given us the commandment to relate Yetzias Mitzrayim to our children, we would have done it anyway. Such a mitzvo, that our basic intelligence says to do it, does not warrant a blessing over mitzvos.

Pardes Yosef on Shemini quotes the Sfas Emes son, the Gerrer Rebbe Imrei Emes ztz’l on the mitzvo that the Cohanim have of “Ko sevorchu es Bnei Yisroel”, so shall you bless the Children of Israel, but that in no place does it specifically make this a commandment. Because the Cohanim would naturally of themselves bless the Jewish nation in appreciation for all the gifts given to them, Terumah, Challah, Kodshim, etc. The Cohanim don’t need a specific commandment. The Torah rather just tells them, when you do bless the people, use this specific language, ko sevorchu.

Rabbeinu Bechaya on Torah on parshas Shelach in his explanation of Tzitzis says that all mitzvos are of two types, Mekubolos or mitzvos that the Torah specifically states as commandments, and Muscholos or mitzvos that are obvious to any reasonable person. The Chachomim instituted the birchas ha mitzvos on the Mitzvos Mekubolos but not on Mitzvos Muscholos. The reason for this is because the Mekubolos specifically commanded by Hashem bring with them an aura of Kedushoh, Holiness, when completed. Through doing these mitzvos the Jews are called Kedoshim and therefore we make a blessing asher kideshanu bemitzvosov, that He sanctified us through his mitzvos. But by doing mitzvos that our human natural intellect would have us do, we don’t normally become sanctified.

Now we can understand why Rebbe Elazar ben Shamua merited longevity. With the words of the Sfas Emes and Imrei Emes we see that mitzvos sichliyos do not require a brocho. Rabbeinu Bechaya further states that this is because these mitzvis in themselves do not sanctify us. Rebbe Elazar ben Shamua however could not bring himself to bless the congregation, although humanly reasonable because of his appreciation to the Jews, without blessing his actions. He felt that by blessing his action it would further sanctify the blessing and bring the holiness of Hashem to the people. So he made a blessing connecting himself to his illustrious and holy forbear Aharon by saying asher kideshanu, He who sanctified us with the holiness of Aharon and commanded us to bless His people with the following language. This special attitude of respect by Rebbi Elazar ben Shamua merited his longevity.