Summary

One has to say Shema every morning and every night. Shema consists of three portions. The first two of the Ten Commandments, the Jewish people heard directly from G'd together with Moses at the revelation at Mount Sinai. All 613 commandments are hinted at and contained in the Ten Commandments. Only six commandments, says the Chinuch, must be observed at all times and places. The first of the six constant commandments is to believe in G'd. The second constant commandment is not to believe in any other power. The third one is to believe in the "oneness" of G'd.

Every morning and night

Towards the end of this week's parasha we find the first portion of Shema. The Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 58 and 235) rules that one has to say Shema every morning and every night. This is based on what it says in Shema (Devarim 6:7): "When you lie down and when you arise."

Three portions

Shema consists of three portions: the first one is from this week's parasha (ibid 6:4-9); the second one is from next week's parasha (ibid 11:13-21); and the last one is from the end of Parashas Shelach Lecha (Bamidbar 15:37-41).

Two from G'd

The Talmud (Makkos 23b) teaches that G'd instructed Moses 613 commandments. The first two of the Ten Commandments, the Jewish people heard directly from G'd together with Moses at the revelation at Mount Sinai. The other 611 commandments G'd told Moses to teach the Jewish people. This, says the Talmud, is hinted in Parasha Vezos Haberachah (Devarim 33:4): "Moses instructed us Torah". The numerical value of the word Torah is 611. This refers to what we received through Moses, whereas the other two we heard directly from G'd.

Ten Commandments

Rav Saadia Gaon writes that all 613 commandments are hinted at and contained in the Ten Commandments. Rabbeinu Bechayei goes through all the commandments and shows how they are contained in the Ten Commandments (see Kad Hakemach Shavuous). And the Jerusalem Talmud (Berachos 1:5) points out that the Ten Commandments are all hinted at in the three portions of Shema. In this way, all 613 commandments are somehow contained in Shema.

Six constant commandments

The Sefer HaChinuch goes through all 613 commandments in the order they appear in the Torah, as outlined by the Rambam. In his introduction, the author writes that as long as we do not have the Temple we can only fulfill 369 commandments. 99 of these commandments can only be fulfilled under special circumstances, whereas the remaining 270 cam be fulfilled by everyone. The author concludes that the vast majority of all the commandments can only be fulfilled at special times or at special places. Only six commandments, says the Chinuch, must be observed at all times and places. It is interesting to note that of these six commandments, five are mentioned explicitly in one of the three paragraphs of Shema, and the sixth is also alluded to in Shema.

First constant commandment

The first of the six constant commandments is to believe in G'd. The Rambam (Book of Commandments, positive commandment #1) writes that this obligates us to believe that G'd, Who brought all of creation into existence, causes everything that happens in the world. This is the first of the Ten Commandments, says the Rambam, as it says (Shemos 20:2): "I am HASHEM your G'd." According to the Jerusalem Talmud, this commandment is referred to in the first half of the opening verse of Shema: "Hear Israel, HASHEM is our G'd."

Second constant commandment

The second constant commandment, says the Chinuch, is not to believe in any other power. The Rambam (ibid, prohibition #1) explains that this is the second of the Ten Commandments (ibid 20:3): "You shall not have idols." This, says the Jerusalem Talmud, is contained in the second half of the first verse "HASHEM is One", i.e. there exists no other deity or power in the world.

Third constant commandment

The third one is to believe in the "oneness" of G'd. This obligation, says the Rambam (ibid positive commandment #2) is the simple meaning of the first verse of Shema: "Here Israel HASHEM is our G'd, HASHEM is One." The Chinuch (#417) explains that the meaning of "Shema" is not just to hear, but rather to accept. The commentaries explain that G'd's "oneness" is different than any other type of "oneness" in the world. It does not mean that G'd is one, as opposed to two. It means that G'd is unique and there is no one else like Him at all.

These three commandments define our belief in G'd. In the next Torah Attitude we will, G'd willing, discuss the next two constant commandments and where we find them in Shema.

These words were based on a talk given by Rabbi Avraham Kahn, the Rosh Yeshiva and Founder of Yeshivas Keser Torah in Toronto.

These words were based on a talk given by Rabbi Avraham Kahn, the Rosh Yeshiva and Founder of Yeshivas Keser Torah in Toronto.

Shalom. Michael Deverett