(יג) רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר, הֱוֵי זָהִיר בִּקְרִיאַת שְׁמַע וּבַתְּפִלָּה. וּכְשֶׁאַתָּה מִתְפַּלֵּל, אַל תַּעַשׂ תְּפִלָּתְךָ קֶבַע, אֶלָּא רַחֲמִים וְתַחֲנוּנִים לִפְנֵי הַמָּקוֹם בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יואל ב) כִּי חַנּוּן וְרַחוּם הוּא אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם וְרַב חֶסֶד וְנִחָם עַל הָרָעָה. וְאַל תְּהִי רָשָׁע בִּפְנֵי עַצְמְךָ:
(13) Rabbi Shimon said: Be careful with the reading of Shema and the prayer, And when you pray, do not make your prayer something automatic, but a plea for compassion before God, for it is said: “for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in kindness, and renouncing punishment” (Joel 2:13); And be not wicked in your own esteem.
בִּקְרִיאַת שְׁמַע וּבַתְּפִלָּה. וּפֵרֵשׁ הַטַּעַם כִּי זְמַן הַתְּפִלָּה הוּא רָחָב עַד אַרְבַּע שָׁעוֹת, וּזְמַן קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע קָצָר כְּוָתִיקִין עִם הָנֵץ הַחַמָּה. וְזֶהוּ לְשׁוֹן הֱוֵי זָהִיר, כִּי צָרִיךְ זְהִירוּת גְּדוֹלָה: (עיקר תוי"ט).
"In the reciting of Shema and with prayer": And he explained that the reason is that the time of [morning] prayers is long - up until four hours; and the time of reciting the Shema is short - according to the stringent, with the rising of the sun [only]. And that is the [reason] for the expression, "be careful;" as this requires great care.
Question for the Kahal: Do you find it easier or harder to have Kavannah during Shema than during the rest of the davening? Why?
Question for the Kahal: What are your tips and tricks to keeping things fresh during davening?
(יד) רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אוֹמֵר, הֱוֵי שָׁקוּד לִלְמֹד תּוֹרָה, וְדַע מַה שֶּׁתָּשִׁיב לְאֶפִּיקוֹרוֹס. וְדַע לִפְנֵי מִי אַתָּה עָמֵל. וְנֶאֱמָן הוּא בַעַל מְלַאכְתְּךָ שֶׁיְּשַׁלֶּם לָךְ שְׂכַר פְּעֻלָּתֶךְ:
(14) Rabbi Elazar said: Be diligent in the study of the Torah; And know how to answer an epicuros, And know before whom you toil, and that your employer is faithful, for He will pay you the reward of your labor.
מה שתשיב לאפיקורוס. ואמרו לא שנו אלא אפיקורוס עובד כוכבים אבל אפיקורוס ישראל כ"ש דפקר טפי ר"ל שיוסיף לבזות ומפני זה אין צריך לדבר עמו כלל שאין לו תקנה ואין לו רפואה כלל ועקר שנא' כל באיה לא ישובון ולא ישיגו ארחות חיים ואמרו אף על פי שתלמד דעות האומות לדעת איך תשיב עליהם. השמר שלא יעלה בלבך דבר מן הדעות ההם ודע שמי שתעבוד לפניו יודע צפון לבך והוא אמרו ודע לפני מי אתה עמל רצה לומר שיכוין לבו באמונת השם יתברך:
know what to respond to one who denigrates the Torah (epikoros): And they said, (Sanhedrin 38b), "They only taught about the gentile epikoros, but with the Jewish epikoros, if you answer him, all the more so will he rebel" - meaning to say, he will denigrate [even] more. And because of this, there is no need to speak with him at all, as he has no redemption and he has completely no cure at all - as it is stated (Proverbs 2:19, "All who go to her cannot return, and they will not find the paths of life." And he said, "Even though you study the opinions of the nations to know what to answer them, guard yourself that anything from these opinions come into your heart; and know that the One before whom you serve knows what is hidden in your heart." And this is his saying, "Know before Whom you labor" - wanting to say that he direct his heart to faith in God, may He be blessed.
Question for the Kahal: Do you agree with the Rambam that you should not respond to a Jewish apikores because he is totally lost and nothing can bring him back? Is it really a Jewish idea that we should give up on people?
Question for the Kahal: This is a super tough line to walk between being knowledgable about the other side and being able to discuss it with them while also not allowing it to get to your internal thoughts. How should we ride this line both personal and in education?
(טו) רַבִּי טַרְפוֹן אוֹמֵר, הַיּוֹם קָצָר וְהַמְּלָאכָה מְרֻבָּה, וְהַפּוֹעֲלִים עֲצֵלִים, וְהַשָּׂכָר הַרְבֵּה, וּבַעַל הַבַּיִת דּוֹחֵק:
(15) Rabbi Tarfon said: the day is short, and the work is plentiful, and the laborers are indolent, and the reward is great, and the master of the house is insistent.
Question for the Kahal: At its foundation, why do you think people are lazy when it comes to pursuing wisdom? How can we ignore this "great reward" the Torah offers us?
Question for the Kahal: How do you combat laziness?
(טז) הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, לֹא עָלֶיךָ הַמְּלָאכָה לִגְמֹר, וְלֹא אַתָּה בֶן חוֹרִין לִבָּטֵל מִמֶּנָּה. אִם לָמַדְתָּ תוֹרָה הַרְבֵּה, נוֹתְנִים לְךָ שָׂכָר הַרְבֵּה. וְנֶאֱמָן הוּא בַעַל מְלַאכְתְּךָ שֶׁיְּשַׁלֵּם לְךָ שְׂכַר פְּעֻלָּתֶךָ. וְדַע מַתַּן שְׂכָרָן שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא:
(16) He [Rabbi Tarfon] used to say: It is not your duty to finish the work, but neither are you at liberty to neglect it; If you have studied much Torah, you shall be given much reward. Faithful is your employer to pay you the reward of your labor; And know that the grant of reward unto the righteous is in the age to come.
Question for the Kahal: why in this set of Mishnas do we keep on coming back to the metaphor of an employer and labor?
הַרְבֵּה. לְפִי שֶׁאָמַר לְעֵיל וְהַשָּׂכָר הַרְבֵּה נִמְשַׁךְ לָאָדָם מִזֶּה לוֹמַר הִנֵּה אֲקַבֵּל שָׂכָר הַרְבֵּה כְּשֶׁאֶלְמֹד שָׁעָה אַחַת וְאַחַר כָּךְ אֲנִי יוֹשֵׁב בָּטֵל מִתּוֹרָה כִּי כְּבָר יֵשׁ לִי שָׂכָר הַרְבֵּה לְקַבֵּל.
"Much": Since he said earlier, "and the reward is great," a person could be led from this to say, "Behold, I will receive much reward when I learn for an hour, and then I will sit idle from Torah [study], as I will already have much reward to receive."
שלא תחשוב מפני שהמלאכה מרובה כל כך, בוודאי ישחררני הקב"ה מלקיים כולן, ואם אחטא, הקב"ה ימחול לי [חגיגה דט"ז א']. אבל הקב"ה חפץ שתעשה בהמלאכה הרבה הזאת כל שביכלתך:
ha ha no english
אִם לָמַדְתָּ תּוֹרָה הַרְבֵּה, נוֹתְנִים לְךָ שָׂכָר הַרְבֵּה. השכר גדל ומתרבה ככל שהמאמץ גדל, גם אם לא יגיע האדם לעולם ללמוד את התורה כולה, על כל ענפי הידע הקשורים בה.
i don't know why it won't let me type it above but this is the Avigdor Shinan
Question for the Kahal: what is the value of learning Torah just for the sake of learning even if you don't "finish" anything? Should reward be based on effort or accomplishments?