YESHIVAT HAR ETZION
ISRAEL KOSCHITZKY VIRTUAL BEIT MIDRASH (VBM)
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TALMUDIC METHODOLOGY

By Rav Moshe Taragin

Shiur #14: Juxtaposing Kriyat Shema With Shmoneh Esrei

	The gemara in Berakhot (4b, 9b) extols the importance of combining the parts of davening dealing with redemption ("ge'ula") with those dealing with our personal requests (Shmoneh Esrei, termed by the gemara "tefilla").  This halakha of "semikhat ge'ula le-tefilla" requires that immediately after reading Shema and its accompanying berakhot, we must begin Shmoneh Esrei.  The final parsha of Shema discusses our Exodus from Egypt, and the ensuing berakha details this redemption in a more specific manner, itemizing certain highlightof the Exodus.   Immediately afterwards, we begin the primary section of tefilla.

	The Rishonim differ as to the purpose of this halakha.  Rashi (Berakhot 4b) cites a Yerushalmi which states that just as a servant first praises his master and only subsequently lodges his requests, so must we first compliment God and only afterwards list our needs.  According to Rashi, the halakha of semikhat ge'ula le-tefilla is essentially a contribution to tefilla.  Without this sequencing, the tefilla itself would be incomplete.  

	A slightly different perspective emerges from the statements of Rabbenu Yona.  He claims that this sequencing is meant to amplify latent motifs of the redemptive experience.  Redemption is a prelude to our accepting Divine authority.  Several times the Torah emphasizes that we were retrieved from Egypt so that we could become servants of Hashem.  As tefilla is considered a form of worship ("avoda she-bilev" – emotional service of Hashem), it is a fitting continuation to the mention of redemption.  In addition, mentioning redemption confirms our faith in Hashem and His ability to change history to redeem our people.  By praying for personal needs immediately afterward, we are reaffirming the faith that Hashem answers both our national needs as well as our personal ones.  According to Rabbenu Yona, the juxtaposition does not serve the needs of tefilla.  Rather, there are central themes of ge'ula, which, once implied by reading about ge'ula in Shema and the berakha of Ga'al Yisrael, should be elaborated through immediate tefilla.  One might claim that according to the Rabbenu Yona, semikhat ge'ula le-tefilla is not a function of tefilla but rather of ge'ula and its inherent themes.  

Rabbenu Yona draws an interesting proof from the language employed by the gemara in endorsing the process of semikhat ge'ula le-tefilla.  Rebbi Yochanan says that someone who juxtaposes ge'ula to tefilla during ma'ariv is considered a "ben Olam Ha-ba" (someone whose entry into the World to Come is assured).  Why should a person merit such special reward for merely combining these two segments of tefilla? Rabbenu Yona responds that this combination assures a comprehensive treatment of two basic redemptive themes - faith in Hashem as well as acceptance of Divine authority.  Therefore, a person who engages in this analysis enters the World to Come because he has excelled in basic elements of Jewish ideology.  According to Rashi, that semikhat ge'ula le-tefilla is merely a preferable manner of tefilla, one might wonder about the unique reward which the gemara promises.  

	The Ritva indeed cites this question but provides an alternate reading of the gemara – one which Rashi could, conceivably, adopt.  The special reward is because of a person's strict adherence to mitzvot in general and to rabbinic decrees in particular.  By adhering to the decree of aligning tefilla and Shema (particularly at night for which Rebbi Yehoshua ben Levi disputed the need for semikhat ge'ula le-tefilla), a person affirms his fidelity to Torah She-ba'al Peh and is granted entry into the World to Come.  

	Possibly, this question about the nature of semikhat ge'ula le-tefilla, first voiced by Rashi and Rabbenu Yona, inheres within the Tana'im's argument regarding semikhat ge'ula le-tefilla at night.  Rebbi Yochanan demands semikhat ge'ula le-tefilla at night as well as in the morning, while Rebbi Yehoshua Ben Levi limits it only to the daytime.  The gemara suggests a rationale for Rebbi Yehoshua be Levi's logic: Since the redemption from Egypt only culminated during the day, semikhat ge'ula le-tefilla only applies during this TIME FRAME.  Quite possibly, he agrees with Rabbenu Yona's logic that semikhat ge'ula le-tefilla deepens or intensifies the experience of ge'ula by elaborating, through tefilla, the basic themes of ge'ula.  As the primary ge'ula occurred during the day, it is only during this time that the elaboration of ge'ula is necessary.  By contrast, Rebbi Yochanan adopts Rashi's logic that semikhat ge'ula le-tefilla improves the quality of tefilla.  Hence even at night, when ge'ula was still nascent, we must mention it to enrich the davening.  Thus, Rebbi Yochanan's debate with Rebbi Yehoshua ben Levi regarding the scope of semikhat ge'ula le-tefilla might reflect the nature of this halakha.  

	An inverse, but structurally parallel, issue is raised by Tosafot.  They quote Rav Amram Gaon (who authored a siddur which contains many halakhot relating to davening), who mandated the inclusion of Kaddish before Shmoneh Esrei during ma'ariv.  This was meant to demonstrate that we endorse Rebbi Yehoshua ben Levi's position, which doesn't require semikhat ge'ula le-tefilla  at night; hence we intentionally insert Kaddish as a break between ge'ula and tefilla.  We adopt this stance because tefillat ma'ariv is considered "reshut" (halachikally optional) and therefore doesn't require semikhat ge'ula le-tefilla.  (Interestingly enough, the gemara presented Rebbi Yehoshua's position without mentioning the reshut factor.)  If semikhat ge'ula le-tefilla services a better tefilla, it indeed is possible to suspend this requirement for a purely voluntary tefilla.  If, however, semikhat ge'ula le-tefilla amplifies the ge'ula experience, it would not be suspended merely because the tefilla which is being said is only voluntary in nature.  Even though a person might theoretically not be obligated to daven, ma'ariv, once he decides to daven, he now possesses the opportunity to broaden his ge'ula experience by juxtaposing it with a tefilla.  

	An additional ramification of our question might be the ability to prioritize other tefilla needs over semikhat ge'ula le-tefilla.  What if in some circumstances, tefilla would be better served by not affixing ge'ula to tefilla?  Conceivably, if the entire purpose of semikhat ge'ula le-tefilla is to serve tefilla, we might identify more pressing tefilla needs which are served by SEVERING ge'ula from tefilla and proceed accordingly.  Alternatively, if semikhat ge'ula le-tefilla provides some value independent of tefilla (a more authentic ge'ula experience), we might be hesitant to suspend the experience merely to serve the needs of tefilla.  

	The gemara in Berakhot 30a addresses the situation of Shmuel's father and Levi, who were forced to travel early in the morning before the appropriate time for kriyat Shema.  Waiting to daven later, though, would be difficult, since they would not be able to have proper focus for the entire Shmoneh Esrei while travelling.  Hence they davened early without saying kriyat shema and only later said kriyat Shema with its berakhot.  The gemara explains their position that "tefilla me'umad" (while stationary and with proper concentration) is more important than semikhat ge'ula le-tefilla.  Should this indicate a general willingness to prioritize tefilla needs in place of semikhat ge'ula le-tefilla?  Or do we claim that semikhat ge'ula le-tefilla takes precedence over alternate tefilla needs?  In this case, to fulfill semikhat ge'ula le-tefilla, Shmuel's father and Levi would have had to daven on the road, without being able to focus, and their tefilla would have been totally vacant.  Hence the only possibility for tefilla at all was before the time for kriyat Shema and distinct from Shema.  In cases, however, in which basic tefilla is possible, semikhat ge'ula le-tefilla cannot be suspended merely to improve tefilla.  

	Two cases in which semikhat ge'ula le-tefilla might be suspended to improve tefilla are cited in Rishonim.  The first mishna in Berakhot establishes the point at which stars are visible as the time for reciting kriyat Shema of ma'ariv.  Yet, as Rashi immediately points out, many communities daven ma'ariv before that time (especially during the summer and especially on Friday night).  The Rishonim differ as to the preferred manner of handling this situation.  According to Rabenu Hai Gaon, cited by the Rosh, a person should say Shmoneh Esrei in the synagogue and say kriyat Shema and its berakhot later, after nightfall.  The logic which Rav Hai Gaon suggests is that saying Shemoneh Esrei with a minyan takes precedence over semikhat ge'ula le-tefilla; hence Shmoneh Esrei should be recited with the minyan even though it will be severed from Shema.  Evidently, semikhat ge'ula le-tefilla is meant to serve tefilla.  If tefilla will be better served by separating the two, they should not be combined.  It should be noted that even though this logic seems legitimate, Rabbenu Hai Gaon himself implies a different basis for his ruling.  

	A second (and related example) pertains to making announcements about insertions to Shmoneh Esrei immediately before Shmoneh Esrei begins.  Can a gabbai remind people to say Ya'aleh Ve-Yavo on Rosh Chodesh by announcing it out loud?  The Rashba claims that this is allowed, and the Shulchan Arukh (OC 236:2) adopts this position because announcing Rosh Chodesh is considered a necessity of tefilla.  This halakha as well suggests that semikhat ge'ula le-tefilla is meant to improve tefilla.  If tefilla can be improved in other ways, specifically by not joining the two, then semikhat ge'ula le-tefilla is cancelled.  

	NOTE: Though the Shulchan Arukh rules that announcements of this nature may be inserted, several poskim argue, and different shuls have different minhagim.  In addition, it is unclear whether the Shulchan Arukh's ruling applies to shacharit also or only ma'ariv.  The generally accepted minhag is to not disrupt the semikhat ge'ula le-tefilla of shacharit under any circumstances.