משנה: מֵאֵימָתַי קוֹרִין אֶת שְׁמַע בְּשַׁחֲרִית מִשֶּׁיַכִּיר בֵּין תְּכֵלֶת לְלָבָן. רִבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר בֵּין תְּכֵלֶת לְכָרָתָן. (וְגוֹמְרָהּ) עַד הֵנֵץ הַחַמָּה. וְרִבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אוֹמֵר עַד שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁעוֹת שֶׁכֵּן דֶּרֶךְ (בְּנֵי) מְלָכִים לַעֲמוֹד בְּשָׁלֹשׁ שָׁעוֹת. הַקּוֹרֵא מִכַּאן וָאֵילַךְ לֹא הִפְסִיד כְּאָדָם שֶׁהוּא קוֹרֵא בַתּוֹרָה. MISHNAH: From when on does one read the Shema‘ in the morning? From when one can distinguish between dark blue141The translation of תכלת is problematic. It is defined in Babli Menaḥot as a color obtained by dying with the blood of some marine snail but since the snail has not been clearly identified, the color cannot be established by experimentation. From the second paragraph in the Halakhah, it would seem that תכלת could also be green, like color of the sea or like grasses. Since both in Sotah.17a">Babli (Soṭa 17a, Menachot.35b">Menaḥot 35b, Chullin.89a">Ḥullin 89a, Sifri 115) and in Yerushalmi (here, Bemidbar rabba 14) sources the final comparison is with the sky, in modern Hebrew תכלת means “sky-blue” in contrast to כָּחוֹל “dark blue, color of kohl”.
The old Greek Septuagint translation gives ὑάκινθος “hyacinth, a blue stone, perhaps aquamarine; also a blue flower.” Ashkenazic tradition has the color of תכלת as almost black since the stripes of our prayer shawls that symbolize the unavailable תכלת stripes of the tzitzit, are traditionally dyed black. Hence the chosen translation of “dark blue”. and white; Rebbi Eliezer says, between dark blue and the color of leeks; (he may read it)142The word in parentheses is found in the Mishnah preceding the chapter but is missing in the Mishnah here in the Halakhah. The word is also missing in most manuscripts of the Babli and in all early authorities, from Halakhot Gedolot to Rosh. For its meaning, I am following here Rabbenu Saadiah Gaon and Rabbenu Tam who admit לגמוֹר אח ההלל, “to read the Hallel”, as benediction of the Ḥazan even if only half the Hallel is recited. until sunrise. Rebbi Yehoshua says, until three hours of the day since it is the rule of (sons of)143Here again, the word in parentheses is found in the Mishnah preceding the chapter but is missing in the Mishnah here in the Halakhah, as well as in the Mishnah in the Babli. The story of the discussion of David with his יצר הר, fol. 2d, proves that the correct text does not contain the words “sons of”. kings to rise at three hours. He who reads after that did not lose, he is like a man reading in the Torah.
הלכה: כֵּנִי מַתְנִיתָא בֵּין תְּכֵלֶת שֶׁבָּהּ לְלָבָן שֶׁבָּהּ. וּמַה טַעֲמוֹן דְּרַבָּנָן וּרְאִיתֶם אוֹתוֹ מִן הַסָּמוּךְ לוֹ. וּמַה טַעֲמֵיהּ דְּרִבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר וּרְאִיתֶם אוֹתוֹ כְּדֵי שֶׁיְהֵא נִיכָּר בֵּין הַצְּבוּעִין. HALAKHAH: So is the Mishnah: Between its144“It” is the צצית, the fringes of the garment. We shall see later that the third section of the Shema‘, dealing with the obligation of tzitzit, was in Israel recited in abridged form during evening prayers. Hence, the tzitzit characterized the morning prayers. Each tzitzit contained three strands of white thread with one of tĕkhēlet. dark blue and its white. What is the reason of the Rabbis? (Numbers.15.39">Num. 15:39) “You shall see it”145I. e., the תכלת thread among the white threads of the tzitzit., from what is close to it. What is the reason of Rebbi Eliezer? “You shall see it”, that it should be recognizable among colors146That תכלת should be recognized not only as a color, but as its specific color..
תַּנִּי בְשֵׁם רִבִּי מֵאִיר וּרְאִיתֶם אוֹתָהּ אֵין כְּתִיב כַּאן אֶלָּא וּרְאִיתֶם אוֹתוֹ. מַגִּיד שֶׁכָּל־הַמְּקַיֵּם מִצְוַת צִיצִית כְּאִילּוּ מְקַבֵּל פְּנֵי שְׁכִינָה. מַגִּיד שֶׁהַתְּכֵלֶת דּוֹמֶה לְיָם. וְהַיָּם דּוֹמֶה לַעֲשָׂבִים. וְעֲשָׂבִים דּוֹמִין לָרָקִיעַ. וְרָקִיעַ דּוֹמֶה לְכִסֵּא הַכָּבוֹד. וְהַכִּסֵּא דּוֹמֶה לְסַפִּיר דִּכְתִיב וָאֶרְאֶה וְהִנֵּה עַל הָרָקִיעַ אֲשֶׁר עַל רֹאשׁ הַכְּרוּבִים כְּאֶבֶן סַפִּיר כְּמַרְאֵה דְּמוּת כִּסֵּא. We have stated in the name of Rebbi Meïr: It does not say “you shall see it”147In Rabbinic Hebrew, ציצית is clearly feminine, plural ציציוֹת. Rebbi Meïr notes that the verb referring to ציצית in this verse is in the masculine form. Usually, this is taken to mean that in Biblical Hebrew, ציצית is masculine (parallel to masculine קֹהֶלֶת “the preacher”); but many dictionaries of Biblical Hebrew refrain from assigning a gender to the word. Rebbi Meïr votes for taking ציצית as feminine; hence the suffix in “and you shall see” cannot refer to the tzitzit. but “you shall see Him”. This tells you that anyone who keeps the obligation of tzitzit is as if he were admitted to the presence of God’s glory. This tells that tĕkhelet is similar to the sea. But the sea is similar to grasses, grasses are similar to the sky, the sky is similar to the Throne of Glory, and the Throne is similar to sapphire148The extended list is found only here; the other sources (quoted in the discussion of תכלת) only have the comparison of sea and sky.
The Gaon of Wilna has noted that the last two items in the list are in inverted order; one should read: the sky is similar to sapphire, sapphire is similar to the Throne of Glory. We are interested in connecting tĕkhēlet to the Throne of Glory, and the verse from Ezechiel provides the characterization as similar to sapphire., as it is written (Ezekiel.10.1">Ez. 10:1): “I saw, and here by the spread that was on top of the Cherubim like sapphire stone, the looks of the form of the Throne.”
אֲחֵרִים אוֹמְרִים וּרְאִיתֶם אוֹתוֹ כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּהֵא אָדָם רָחוֹק מֵחֲבֵירוֹ אַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת וּמַכִּירוֹ. רַב חִסְדָּא אָמַר כַּהֲדָא דַאֲחֵרִים. מַה אֲנָן קַיָּמִין אִם בְּרָגִיל אֲפִילוּ רָחוֹק כַּמָּן חַכִּים לֵיהּ. וְאִם בִּשְׁאֵינוֹ רָגִיל אֲפִילוּ קָרוֹב לֵיהּ לָא חַכִּים לֵיהּ. אֶלָּא כַּן אֲנָן קַיָּמִין בְּרָגִיל וּשְׁאֵינוֹ רָגִיל. כְּהַהוּא דְאָזִיל לֵיהּ לְאַכְסַנְיָא וְאָתֵי. Others say: “ ‘You shall see it’, that a man should be four ammot149The size of the Talmudic ammah (cubit) has not been definitely established; it is between 18 and 24 inches. It is uncertain whether the Galilean and Babylonian ammot were the same measurements. distant from another man and recognize him.” Rav Ḥisda150One of the greatest of the students of Rab, a leader of the second generation of Amoraïm in Babylonia. says: (the practice follows)151אמר in the Yerushalmi often can mean “establishes practice to be followed”, parallel to the statement of Rav Huna, contemporary of Rav Ḥisda, in the Babli: “The practice follows ‘Others’ ”. the statement of “Others”. What are we talking about? If he knows the other person, even at a great distance he will recognize him. If he does not know him, even close by he will not recognize him. We must talk about an occasional acquaintance, like a man who visits a hostelry at intervals.
אִית תְּנָיֵי תַּנִּי בֵּין זְאֵב לְכֶלֶב בֵּין חֲמוֹר לַעֲרוֹד. וְאִית תְּנָיֵי תַּנִּי כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּהֵא אָדָם רָחוֹק מֵחֲבֵירוֹ אַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת וּמַכִּירוֹ. הֲוָא בָּעֵי מֵימַר מָן דָּמַר בֵּין זְאֵב לְכֶלֶב בֵּין חֲמוֹר לַעֲרוֹד כְּמָן דָּמַר בֵּין תְּכֵלֶת לְכָרָתָן. וּמָן דָּמַר כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּהֵא אָדָם רָחוֹק מֵחֲבֵירוֹ אַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת וּמַכִּירוֹ. בֵּין תְּכֵלֶת לְלָבָן. אֲבָל אָֽמְרוּ מִצְווֹתָהּ עִם הֵנֵץ הַחַמָּה כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּסְמוֹךְ גְּאוּלָּה לִתְפִילָּה וְנִמְצָא מִתְפַּלֵּל בַּיּוֹם. אָמַר רִבִּי זְעִירָא וַאֲנָּא אָֽמְרִית טַעֲמָא יִרָאוּךָ עִם שֶׁמֶשׁ. אָמַר מַר עוּקְבָּא הַוָּתִיקִין הָיוּ מַשְׁכִּימִים וְקוֹרִין אוֹתָהּ כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּסְמְכוּ לָהּ תְּפִילָּתָן עִם הֵנֵץ הַחַמָּה. Some Tannaïm formulate: “Between wolf and dog, between domesticated and wild donkey.”152Meaning the earliest time for reading the Shema‘. In the Berakhot.9b">Babli (9b), the first criterion is given by Rebbi Meïr, the second one by Rebbi Aqiba, and both are given independently of the Mishnah. In the Yerushalmi, no names are attached since both opinions are identified as alternatives “between dark blue and leek colored”, which is not the practice anyway.
“Others” (אחרים) usually denotes Rebbi Meïr. In the Babli, the problem remains that the statement attributed to “Others” cannot belong to Rebbi Meïr. However, in the Yerushalmi it may well be that “between wolf and dog” is Rebbi Meïr’s restatement of Rebbi Eliezer’s criterion in the Mishnah, and “to recognize at 4 ammot” the same authority’s restatement of the criterion of the First Tanna in the Mishnah. But some Tannaïm formulate: “That a man should be four ammot distant from another man and recognize him”. That is what we have153Pne Mosheh (R. Moshe Margalit) reads הוּא בָּעֵי מֵימַר “he (Rav Ḥisda, mentioned earlier) wants to say.” Then the entire statement is tentative, and רב חסדא אמר will simply mean “Rav Ḥisda said”, not as an authoritative statement. However, the commentary Pne Moshe (R. Moshe ben Ḥabib) reads הווּן בּעי מימר “they (or we) want to say.” to say that he who says between wolf and dog, between domesticated and wild donkey is parallel to him who says between dark blue and the color of leeks; he who says that a man should be four ammot distant from another man and recognize him is parallel to him who says between dark blue and white. But they said that its preferred obligation is at sunrise so that one may join the mention of redemption to prayer and pray at daytime154This is from the Tosephta (1:2) and is the end of the statement that in the morning one may say the Shema‘ as soon as one recognizes a person at a distance of 4 ammot. Hence, “they said” refers to those who adopt the criterion mentioned last. If one recites the Shema‘ slowly at sunrise and then says the benediction of Emet weyaẓiv, he will just say the Amidah prayer when the sun is clearly above the horizon and it is visibly day.. Rebbi Zeïra said: I found the reason (Psalms.72.5">Ps. 72:5): “They will fear You with the sun.”155The same explanation is given in his name in the Babli, hence he is really the author and not only the tradent. Since the first section of Shema‘ is “acceptance of the yoke of the kingdom of Heaven”, this is in essence fear of God, and, hence, the verse refers to the reading of Shema‘ and not the prayer. It is clear that the prayer to be performed preferably at sunrise is the recitation of Shema‘. Mar Uqba156Resh Galuta, the Davidic ruler of the Jews in Babylonia, in the first generation of Amoraïm. It is interesting to note that this statement of the Babylonian Mar Uqba is reported in the Berakhot.9b">Babli (9b) in the name of the later Rebbi Yoḥanan. Maybe each Talmud wanted to ascribe the deeds of ותיקין to an external source, not to be held to their standards, as explained in the next section.
The explanation of ותיק has been given by A. Kohut in his ערוּך השלם, from the Arabic וַתִ֗ק “to have confidence, faith”. As explained by the Babylonian Talmud, they had faith in God that all the time spent in His service would not detract from their ability to earn a livelihood, and so they were rewarded with earning enough money for their needs in the time left over after religious services and deeds. said: The very religious were getting up early and reading the Shema‘ so that they could follow it directly at sunrise with the Amidah prayer.
תַּנִּי אָמַר רִבִּי יוּדָה מַעֲשֶׂה שֶׁהָיִיתִי מְהַלֵּךְ אַחֲרֵי רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲזַרְיָה וְאַחֲרֵי רִבִּי עֲקִיבָה וְהָיוּ עֲסוּקִין בְּמִצְוֹת וְהִגִּיעַ עוֹנַת קִרְיַת שְׁמַע וְהָיִיתִי סָבוּר שֶׁמָּא נִתְיַאֲשׁוּ מִקִּרְיַת שְׁמַע וְקָרִיתִי וְשָׁנִיתִי וְאַחַר כַּךְ הִתְחִילוּ הֵם. וּכְבָר הָֽיְתָה הַחַמָּה עַל רֹאשׁ הֶהָרִים. We have stated157Tosephta Berakhot 1:3; there R. Aqiba (who was the greater scholar) is mentioned before R. Eleazar ben Azariah (the vice president of the Synhedrion), and it is spelled out that they were occupied to attend to some public needs. We have a principle that he who is fulfilling a religious duty is free from engaging in any conflicting religious duty. The two sages therefore would have had the possibility of not reciting Shema‘ at all. The fact that they recited the Shema‘ shows that they considered the obligation of this recitation in full force until the end of the third hour and that, therefore, their prior occupation did not reduce the later obligation. This is explained more thoroughly in the next section.
It seems that the text of the Yerushalmi is superior to the Tosephta since the vice president has precedence over a simple member and the mention of their being engaged in religious obligations is more to the point.: Rebbi Yehudah said: It happened that once I was walking behind Rebbi Eleazar ben Azariah and Rebbi Aqiba when they were occupied with duties and time came to recite the Shema‘ and I got the opinion that maybe they had given up on reciting the Shema‘, so I recited it and went over my studies158Reciting from memory the material he had learned earlier from his teachers.; but after that they started and the sun was already over the mountain tops.
עַד הֵנֵץ הַחַמָּה. רִבִּי זְבַדְיָה בְּרֵיהּ דְּרִבִּי יַעֲקֹב בַּר זַבְדִּי בְשֵׁם רִבִּי יוֹנָה כְּדֵי שֶׁתְּהֵא הַחַמָּה מְטַפְטֶפֶת עַל רָאשֵׁי הֶהָרִים. רִבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אוֹמֵר עַד שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁעוֹת. רִבִּי אִידִי וְרַב הַמְנוּנָא וְרַב אַדָּא בַּר אַחֲוָא בְשֵׁם רַב הֲלָכָה כְּרִבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בְּשׁוֹכֵחַ. רִבִּי חוּנָה אָמַר תְּרֵין אַמּוֹרָאִין חַד אָמַר בְּשׁוֹכֵחַ. מֵגִיב לֵיהּ חַבְרֵיהּ וְכִי יֵשׁ הֲלָכָה בְשׁוֹכֵחַ. כַּךְ הִיא הֲלָכָה. וְלָמָּה אָֽמְרוּ בְשׁוֹכֵחַ כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּהֵא אָדָם מְזָרֵז אַצְמוֹ לִקְרוֹתָהּ בְּעוֹנָתָהּ. “Until sunrise.” Rebbi Zabida the son of Rebbi Jacob bar Zabdi in the name of Rebbi Jonah159Of the leaders of the fourth generation of Amoraïm in Galilee. The first tradent was his student.: until the sun starts to appear160Literally: “drips”, meaning that the first rays of the sun start to appear at the lower parts of the mountain silhouette. at the mountain tops. “Rebbi Joshua says, until three hours of the day.” Rebbi Idi, Rav Hamnuna, and Rav Ada bar Aḥava161The last name is correct in Seridé Yerushalmi. The name mentioned in the printed editions, אדא בר אחא, is not mentioned again in any Talmudic source. Rav Ada bar Aḥawa (Yerushalmi) is called Rav Ada bar Ahavah in the Babli; all teachers quoted here are students of Rav. In the Berakhot.10b">Babli (10b), Rav Yehudah says in the name of Samuel: the practice follows Rebbi Joshua, without qualifications. It seems that in Israel one was reluctant to give up the recitation of the Shema‘ at sunrise but in Babylonia the practice of very early prayers was never established. in the name of Rav: The practice follows Rebbi Joshua for one who forgets. Rebbi Ḥuna told of two Amoraïm of whom one said ‘for one who forgot.’ His colleague responded: Do you ever fix practice for one who forgets162Since rules are made to be followed, not to be forgotten.? In fact, it is the practice. Why did they say, for one who forgot? That everybody should make an effort and read it at its best time.
תַּמָּן תַּנִּינָן מַפְסִיקִין לְקִרְיַת שְׁמַע וְאֵין מַפְסִיקִין לִתְפִילָּה. אָמַר רִבִּי אָחָא קִרְיַת שְׁמַע דְּבַר תּוֹרָה. תְּפִילָּה אֵינָהּ דְּבַר תּוֹרָה. אָמַר רִבִּי בָּא קִרְיַת שְׁמַע זְמַנָּהּ קָבוּעַ. תְּפִילָּה אֵין זְמַנָּהּ קָבוּעַ. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי קִרְיַת שְׁמַע אֵינָהּ צְרִיכָה כַוָּנָה. תְּפִילָּה צְרִיכָה כַוָּנָה. אָמַר רִבִּי מָנִי קַשִּׁיתָהּ קוֹמֵי רִבִּי יוֹסֵי וַאֲפִילוּ תֵימַר קִרְיַת שְׁמַע אֵינָהּ צְרִיכָה כַוָּנָה ג׳ פְּסוּקִין הָרִאשׁוֹנִין צְרִיכִין כַּוָּנָה. מִן גַּו דְּאִינּוּן צִבְחַר מִיכַּוֵּן. There (Šabbat 1:2) we have stated: “One interrupts for the recitation of Shema‘ but one does not interrupt for prayer.”163It is implied by the following discussion that one talks about groups of people engaged in the study of Torah. This situation is made explicit in Babli Šabbat 9b. Of those who give the reasons for the difference in the treatment of Shema‘ and Amidah, Rebbis Aḥa and Yose belong to the fourth generation of Amoraïm in Israel, hence Rebbi Abba will also belong to that group. [There were too many Amoraïm by the name of Rebbi Abba to clearly distinguish between them.]
The entire section here and the following one also appear in Yerushalmi Šabbat 1:2. Rebbi Aḥa said: The recitation of Shema‘ is a Biblical obligation; prayer is not a Biblical obligation164Everybody in this discussion seems to agree that the basis of the recitation of Shema‘ is Biblical, at least for the first verse [following the Babli (Teshuvot ha Rashba, #320)] or the first three verses [following the Yerushalmi, as seen here]. There is disagreement on the status of prayer. The Yerushalmi at the beginning of Chapter 4 follows the Sifri in the interpretation of the “service of the heart” mentioned in Deuteronomy.10.12">Deut. 10:12, Deuteronomy.11.13">11:13 as prayer, which, therefore, is Biblical. Rebbi Aḥa does not accept this derivation; similarly, the Berakhot.21a">Babli (Berakhot 21a) declares prayer to be a Rabbinical obligation.. Rebbi Abba said: The time for the recitation of the Shema‘ is fixed, the time for prayer is not fixed.165Rebbi Abba is among those who accept prayer as a Biblical obligation. The clearest statement of that position is given by Maimonides (Hilkhot Tefillah 1:1) who writes: “It is a positive commandment that one should pray every day as it is said: ‘you shall serve the Eternal, your God.’ Tradition teaches us that this service is prayer, as it is said: ‘to serve Him with all your heart’; the sages explain that the service of the heart is prayer. But the number of prayers is not from the Torah, neither is the formulation of the prayer from the Torah. Prayer has no fixed time from the Torah.” [Everybody agrees that the obligation of offering prayer three times a day is historical (Daniel.6.11">Daniel 6:11) and the form of prayer is an institution of the Men of the Great Assembly.] This interpretation of the disagreement between Rebbis Aḥa and Abba is given by the great Sephardic commentators, Rabbis Eleazar Azkari and Moshe ben Ḥabib.
There is a different interpretation possible, namely that Rebbi Abba wants to state that the time of Shema‘ is narrowly fixed, as we have seen, and once that time is passed, the omission cannot be repaired. For prayer, however, the rules are much more elastic. First, there is much more time given for the recitation; then it is possible to pray in advance of the time (as in the evening prayers held before sundown), and a missed prayer can be compensated for by praying the next time twice. Hence, in a real sense, even prayer in the Rabbinical sense has no fixed time compared to Shema‘. Rebbi Yose said: The recitation of Shema‘ does not need concentration, prayer needs concentration.165Rebbi Abba is among those who accept prayer as a Biblical obligation. The clearest statement of that position is given by Maimonides (Hilkhot Tefillah 1:1) who writes: “It is a positive commandment that one should pray every day as it is said: ‘you shall serve the Eternal, your God.’ Tradition teaches us that this service is prayer, as it is said: ‘to serve Him with all your heart’; the sages explain that the service of the heart is prayer. But the number of prayers is not from the Torah, neither is the formulation of the prayer from the Torah. Prayer has no fixed time from the Torah.” [Everybody agrees that the obligation of offering prayer three times a day is historical (Daniel.6.11">Daniel 6:11) and the form of prayer is an institution of the Men of the Great Assembly.] This interpretation of the disagreement between Rebbis Aḥa and Abba is given by the great Sephardic commentators, Rabbis Eleazar Azkari and Moshe ben Ḥabib.
There is a different interpretation possible, namely that Rebbi Abba wants to state that the time of Shema‘ is narrowly fixed, as we have seen, and once that time is passed, the omission cannot be repaired. For prayer, however, the rules are much more elastic. First, there is much more time given for the recitation; then it is possible to pray in advance of the time (as in the evening prayers held before sundown), and a missed prayer can be compensated for by praying the next time twice. Hence, in a real sense, even prayer in the Rabbinical sense has no fixed time compared to Shema‘. Rebbi Mana said: I objected before Rebbi Yose: Even if you say that the recitation of the Shema‘ does not need concentration, the first three verses need concentration. Since they are so few, one will concentrate upon their meaning.
רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַי כְּגוֹן אָנוּ שֶׁעוֹסְקִין בְּתַלְמוּד תּוֹרָה אֲפִילוּ לְקִרְיַת שְׁמַע אֵין אָנוּ מַפְסִיקִין. רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָֽמְרָהּ עַל גַּרְמֵיהּ כְּגוֹן אָנוּ שֶׁאֵין אָנוּ עוֹסְקִין בְּתַלְמוּד תּוֹרָה וַאֲפִילוּ לִתְפִילָּה אָנוּ מַפְסִיקִין. דֵּין כְּדַעֲתֵיהּ וְדֵין כְּדַעֲתֵיהּ. רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן כְּדַעֲתֵיהּ דְּרִבִּי יוֹחָנָן אוֹמֵר וּלְוַאִי שֶׁמִּתְפַּלֵּל אָדָם כָּל־הַיּוֹם. לָמָּה שֶׁאֵין תְּפִילָּה מַפְסֶדֶת. רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַי כְדַעֲתֵיהּ דְּרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחָי אָמַר אִילּוּ הֲוֵינָא קָאִים עַל טוּרָא דְסִינַי בְּשַעְתָּא דְאִיתְיָהִיבַת תּוֹרָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל הֲוִינָא מִתְבָּעֵי קוֹמוֹי רַחֲמָנָא דְּיִתְבְּרֵי לְבַר נָשָׁא תְּרֵין פּוּמִין חַד דַּהֲוָה לָעֵי בְאוֹרָֽיְתָא וְחַד דְּעָבִיד לֵיהּ כָּל־צוֹרְכֵיהּ. חָזַר וָמַר וּמַה אִין חַד הוּא לֵית עָֽלְמָא יָכִיל קָאִים בֵּיהּ מִן דֵּלַטוֹרִיָּה דִילֵיהּ. אִילּוּ הַוּוּ תְּרֵין עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי קוֹמוֹי רִבִּי יִרְמְיָה אַתְיָא דְרִבִּי יוֹחָנָן כְּרִבִּי חֲנִינָא בֶן עֲקַבְיָה דְּתַנִּי כּוֹתְבֵי סְפָרִים תְּפִילִּין וּמְזוּזוֹת מַפְסִיקִין לְקִרְיַת שְׁמַע וְאֵין מַפְסִיקִין לִתְפִילָּה. רִבִּי חֲנִינָא בֶן עֲקַבְיָה אוֹמֵר כְּשֵׁם שֶׁמַּפְסִיקִין לְקִרְיַת שְׁמַע כַּךְ מַפְסִיקִין לִתְפִילָּה וְלִתְפִילִּין וְלִשְׁאָר מִצְווֹתֶיהָ שֶׁל תּוֹרָה. וְלֹא מוֹדֵי רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַי שֶׁמַּפְסִיקִין לַעֲשׂוֹת סוּכָּה וְלַעֲשׂוֹת לוּלָב. וְלֵית לֵיהּ לְרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַי הַלֹּמֵד עַל מְנַת לַעֲשׂוֹת וְלֹא הַלֹּמֵד שֶׁלֹּא לַעֲשׂוֹת. שֶׁהַלֹּמֵד שֶׁלֹּא לַעֲשׂוֹת נוֹחַ לוֹ שֶׁלֹּא נִבְרָא. וְאָמַר רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן הַלֹּמֵד שֶׁלֹּא לַעֲשׂוֹת נוֹחַ לוֹ אִילּוּ נֶהֶפְכָה שִׁלְיָתוֹ עַל פָּנָיו וְלֹא יָצָא לָעוֹלָם. טַעֲמֵיהּ דְּרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַי זֶהוּ שִׁינּוּן וְזֶה שִׁינּוּן וְאֵין מְבַטֵּל שִׁינּוּן מִפְּנֵי שִׁינּוּן. וְהָא תַנִּינָן הַקּוֹרֵא מִכַּן וָאֵילַךְ לֹא הִפְסִיד כְּאָדָם שֶׁהוּא קוֹרֵא בַתּוֹרָה. הָא בְעוֹנָתָהּ חֲבִיבָה מִדִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה. הִיא הִיא. אָמַר רִבִּי יוּדָן רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַי עַל יְדֵי שֶׁהָיָה תָדִיר בְּדִבְרֵי תוֹרָה לְפִיכָךְ אֵינָהּ חֲבִיבָה יוֹתֵר מִדִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה. אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא מָרִי לֹא תַנִּינָן אֶלָּא כְאָדָם שֶׁהוּא קוֹרֵא בַתּוֹרָה. הָא בְעוֹנָתָהּ כְּמִשְׁנָה הִיא. רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחָי כְדַעֲתֵיהּ דְּרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַי אָמַר הָעוֹסֵק בְּמִקְרָא מִדָּה שֶׁאֵינָהּ מִדָּה. וְרַבָּנָן עָֽבְדֵי מִקְרָא כְמִשְׁנָה. Rebbi Yoḥanan in the name of Rebbi Simeon ben Yoḥai: “For example we, who are engaged in the study of Torah, we do not interrupt even for the recitation of Shema‘.” Rebbi Yoḥanan used to say about himself: “For example we, who are not engaged in the study of Torah167Since we spend some time every day not studying., we do interrupt even for prayer.” This one follows his own opinion and that one follows his own opinion. Rebbi Yoḥanan follows his own opinion since Rebbi Yoḥanan says: “if only a man would pray the entire day. Why? Because prayer is never in vain!”168See Note 17. Rebbi Simeon ben Yoḥai follows his own opinion since Rebbi Simeon ben Yoḥai said: “If I had stood at Mount Sinai at the moment that the Torah was given to Israel, I would have implored the All-Merciful that he should create two mouths for man; one for him to exert himself in Torah and the other one for his other needs.” But he changed his mind and said: “With one mouth already the world almost cannot exist because of its denunciations169Latin delatorius, a, um, adj. to delatio, in late Latin delatura “accusation, information, denunciation,” the act of a delator, “government informer.” Because of an informer about his anti-Roman feelings, Rebbi Simeon ben Yoḥai and his son had to spend 12 years hidden in a cave (Babli Šabbat 33b, Yerushalmi Ševiit 9:1, fol. 38d). When he left the cave, he was so upset that people would engage in farming and commerce and not study Torah all day long that a heavenly voice ordered him back to his cave for another 12 months in order to get used to the world again. Both Talmudim consider his position appropriate only for exceedingly holy people.; if there were two how much more would there be? Rebbi Yose said before Rebbi Jeremiah: The position of Rebbi Yoḥanan is identical with that of Rebbi Ḥanina ben Aqabiah, as we have stated: “The scribes of Torah scrolls, Tefillin, and Mezuzot, do interrupt for the recitation of Shema‘ but do not interrupt for prayer. Rebbi Ḥanina ben Aqabiah said: just as they interrupt for Shema‘, so they interrupt for prayer, tefillin, and all other commandments of the Torah”.170While we have the principle that “he who is engaged in the fulfillment of a commandment does not have to worry about other commandments,” this does not apply to people whose entire occupation is the fulfillment of a commandment.
The source is Tosephta Berakhot 2:6, cf. also Sukkah.26a">Babli Sukkah 26a. The Tosephta also brings the opinion of Rebbi, that they do not interrupt for Shema‘, and a testimony that Rabban Gamliel and the Synhedrion at Yavneh did not interrupt sessions dealing with communal matters. Would not Rebbi Simeon ben Yoḥai agree that one interrupts to make a sukkah or a lulav? Does not Rebbi Simeon ben Yoḥai make the distinction between one who studies in order to do171He who does is one who fulfills the commandments of the Torah. He who does not is one who does not fulfill the commandments of the Torah. Someone who studies Torah with the intent of not fulfilling its commandments certainly has no part in the future world since he does not have the excuse of everybody else that he did not know enough to fulfill all commandments. This is clearly spelled out in the following lines. The question here is, how can Rebbi Simeon ben Yoḥai take a position that for all practical purposes identifies the actions of the most holy man with that of the deliberate sinner? and one who studies in order not to do? Because he who studies in order not to do would have been better off had he not been born. And did not Rebbi Yoḥanan say, he who studies in order not to do would have been better off if the afterbirth he was in was twisted around and he never would have entered the world? The reason of Rebbi Simeon ben Yoḥai is that this one is repeated study and that one is repeated study and he does not push aside one study for the other study.172But he certainly will interrupt for all other obligations. In fact, the story of his stay in the cave notes that he and his son took off their clothes and sat covered with sand up to their necks in order not to wear out the clothes, and used them only for the times of prayer. This means that Rebbi Simeon did not recite Shema‘ since its recitation was replaced by his studies, but he did pray, even though the Mishnah seems to indicate that one omits prayer more easily than Shema‘. But did we not formulate:173In our Mishnah here in Berakhot. “He is like a man reading in the Torah.” Hence, at the right time it is preferred to Torah. One is like the other.174This is a preliminary answer. Rebbi Yudan (Amora, colleague of R. Yose) tries to relativize the answer that it applies only to someone like Rebbi Simeon ben Yoḥai who spends his entire life studying and memorizing Torah. R. Abba Mari, one generation after R. Yudan, points out that this interpretation of the Mishnah is impossible but that one must take the statement of R. Simeon as an indication of his attitude in general. Rebbi Yudan said that Rebbi Simeon ben Yoḥai, since he was permanently studying Torah, did not prefer Shema‘ to the study of Torah. Rebbi Abba Mari said, did we not formulate: “He who reads (Shema‘) after that did not lose, he is only like a man reading in the Torah”? Hence, at the right time it is like Mishnah. Rebbi Simeon ben Yoḥai follows his own opinion since Rebbi Simeon ben Yoḥai said: He who studies the written Torah does himself good that is not so good. But the rabbis equate the study of the Bible with that of the oral law.175Studying Scripture is equal to studying the Oral Law in merit. Hence, reciting the Shema‘ in its proper time transcends both for everybody including scholars of the rank of Rebbi Simeon ben Yoḥai. Mishnah here stands for the entire Oral Law, which was called Mishnah in the time of Rebbi Simeon bar Yoḥai. (See the parallel in Babli Baba meẓia‘ 33a.)