Megillah, Daf Yod Zayin, Part 4
Introduction
Today’s section shows that the Shema must be read in order. But first, the Talmud discusses whether the Shema can be recited in any language but Hebrew.
קריאת שמע – דתניא: קריאת שמע ככתבה דברי רבי, וחכמים אומרים: בכל לשון.
מאי טעמא דרבי? אמר קרא +דברים ו‘+ והיו – בהויתן יהו.
ורבנן מאי טעמייהו? אמר קרא +דברים ו‘+ שמע – בכל לשון שאתה שומע.
"The recitation of the Shema", as it has been taught: The Shema must be recited as it is written, the words of Rabbi. The Sages say: It may be recited in any language.
What is Rabbi’s reason? Scripture says "[And these words] shall be" (Deuteronomy 6:6) which implies, they shall be kept as they are.
And what is the reason of the Sages? Because Scripture says, "Hear" (Deuteronomy 6:4) which implies, in any language which you understand.
From the word "shall be" Rabbi derives that the Shema must be recited as it is written in Hebrew. In contrast, the Sages use the word "Hear" or "Listen" as the basis for their rule that the Shema may be recited in any language that a person understands.
ורבי נמי, הא כתיב שמע! – ההוא מיבעי ליה: השמע לאזניך מה שאתה מוציא מפיך.
ורבנן סברי כמאן דאמר: הקורא את שמע ולא השמיע לאזנו – יצא.
But Rabbi also is it not written, "hear"? He requires that word to teach: Let your ear hear what comes out of your mouth.
The Sages hold like the one who says: One who recites the Shema without making it heard by his ears, he has performed his obligation.
How does Rabbi use the word "Hear" that the Sages use to prove that the Shema can be recited in any language? He uses it to prove that one must hear oneself recite the Shema. It cannot be silent.
The Sages, however, do not agree. Once can recite the Shema silently.
ורבנן נמי, הכתיב והיו! – ההוא מיבעי ליה שלא יקרא למפרע.
ורבי, שלא יקרא למפרע מנא ליה? – מדברים הדברים.
ורבנן – דברים הדברים לא משמע להו.
But the Sages too, is it not written, "And they shall be"? They require this to teach that it should not be recited backwards.
From where does Rabbi derive the rule that it should not be recited backwards?
From "words" "the words."
The Sages do not accept a distinction between "words" and "the words."
The other Sages must now account for Rabbi’s midrash on "and they shall be." They use this word to teach that the Shema must be read in order.
Rabbi agrees that the Shema must be read in order, but he needs a midrash to derive this law. He finds it in the extra letter "heh" in front of "words." The Torah could have just said, "And the words shall be " The extra "the (or these)" comes to teach that they must be recited in their proper order.
The Sages do not make a midrash out of the extra "heh". They derive the halakhah concerning the order from "And they shall be."
לימא קסבר רבי כל התורה כולה בכל לשון נאמרה, דאי סלקא דעתך בלשון הקודש נאמרה – למה לי למכתב והיו? – אצטריך, סלקא דעתך שמע כרבנן – כתב רחמנא והיו.
May we say that Rabbi holds that the whole Torah can be recited in any language? For should you assume that it must be recited] only in the holy tongue, why would I need the words "and they shall be"?
These were necessary. For it might have occurred to you to understand "hear" as did the Sages. Therefore God wrote "and they shall be."
Rabbi uses a special midrash to teach that the Shema must be recited in Hebrew. The need for this midrash seems to imply that the rest of the Torah can be recited in any language.
The Talmud rejects this. Rabbi needed a special midrash about the Shema lest one use the word "hear" to prove that it could be recited in any language. To combat the sages’ midrash he needed to emphasize that even the Shema needs to be recited in Hebrew.
לימא קסברי רבנן כל התורה בלשון הקודש נאמרה, דאי סלקא דעתך בכל לשון נאמרה – למה לי למכתב שמע? – איצטריך, סלקא דעתך אמינא והיו כרבי – כתב רחמנא שמע.
May we then say that the Sages held that the whole of the Torah could be recited only in the holy tongue, for should you assume that it could be recited in any language, why would it write "Hear"?
This word is necessary. For it might occur to you to understand "and they shall be" in the same sense as Rabbi. Therefore God wrote, "hear."
This section is the mirror of the previous one. We might have thought that the Sages held that only the Shema can be recited in any language. The rest of the Torah would have to be in Hebrew. This is then rejected. They needed a special midrash to teach that the Shema could be in any language, for without it we would have thought that even the Shema needs to be recited in Hebrew, due to Rabbi’s midrash on "and they shall be."
In the end, Rabbi and the other Sages dispute not only about the Shema, but about everything in the Torah. Rabbi holds that everything must be recited in Hebrew, and the "Sages" hold that all passages may be recited in any language.