“And you shall speak of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk in the way, and when you lie down, and when you get up” Deut. 6:7. This is understood as a commandment to recite the Shema in the morning and in the evening (Babylonian Talmud, Berachot 11a). Most people are familiar with the first chapter of the Shema, which starts at Deuteronomy 6:4, “Hear O Israel, HaShem is our God, HaShem is One.” However, the Shema is actually made up of three passages (Mishna, Berachot 2:2), the second being Deuteronomy 11:13-21, “And it will be if you surely listen to my commandmens that I command you today…” and the third is Numbers 15:37-41, which contains the commandment of tzitziot, and the reminder of the exodus (verse 41).
Each of these chapters serves a specific purpose. In the first one we accept God’s absolute kingship. In the second, we accept His commandments, and in the third we remember the exodus from Egypt (Sepher HaMitzvoth HaKetzer, Mitzvoth ‘Asah 11).
According to the sages, if a person does not focus intently on the words of the Shema then he has not fulfilled his obligation to recite the Shema (Mishna, Berachot 2:1). This is so that we won’t get into the habit of reciting the Shema without remembering why we recite it. The words themselves are not important without the things they stand for. “And when you pray, don`t treat your praying as a matter of routine. But let it be a [plea for] mercy and supplication before the Omnipresent, blessed be he, as it is said, ‘For he is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and full of mercy, and repents of the evil.’” (Mishna, Pirkei Avot 2:13)
The Mishna also sets out the times when we are to recite the Shema, in the morning it should be between first light and the third hour of light. In the evening, between the time when three stars can be seen in the sky until midnight.
R. Yeshua reminds us of the kind of attitude we should have when we pray. We shouldn’t pray to feel superior, or to show off, we should only be thinking about the connection between us and HaShem. “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” Matthew 6:5-6 (RSV)
Good comments. We always recite scripture together before each meal, but sometimes it becomes rather rote. It's good to remember we need to think on the meaning of what we're saying.
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