The first three chapters of the Mishna (tractate Brachos) detail the practices about saying the "Shema". It is basically one sentence that says, "Hear O Israel, Hashem our God, Hashem is one", (Deuteronomy 6:4). The idea is that there only exists one God and it is the God of Israel. In Jewish thought its recitation is reckoned as a declaration of acceptance of the yoke of heaven. In other words the person is saying that they believe in God, that the Torah is His revealed will, and they wish to live according to its precepts.
Towards the end of the second chapter the Mishna states that a groom is excused from saying Shema on his wedding night. The Bartenura explains that if a man married a girl, who is assumed to be a virgin, he is likely to be anxious that this may be found to be untrue. Because of his impaired concentration, it will not be a true affirmation of the faith. It then tells a story of the great Talmudic sage Rabbi Gamliel and that he in fact did say Shema on his wedding night. When questioned by his students as to why he did not keep this halacha, he replied that it would bother him to behave like others and to annul the acceptance of the kingdom of heaven on himself even for a moment. The Mishna continues saying that this is an unusual situation and that most people do not have the faith of Rabbi Gamliel.
The established practice is to say Shema twice a day, once in the morning and again in the evening. Like other parts of religious services it is very repetitive. For example Psalm 145 is said three times a day as are parts of the Amida. Other prayers are said once a day, once a week, or once a year. Some are said due to specific infrequent events. The first chapter of "Ethics of our Fathers" brings various sayings in the names of a number of Talmudic sages. It is explained that they said many things of value. However, these aphorisms were frequently on their tongue and captured their personalities. In fact it is common for people to be repetitive. They will restate things they find interesting many times at regular intervals. Also they will read books and periodicals which are always saying the same thing albeit with minor variations.
The daily liturgy is not short. There are some things that a person will say by rote or even skip. Other things will be said with feeling every day because they strike a responsive chord in a particular individual. Sometimes a person will not feel comfortable if they don't say them. There is also an aspect of a national consciousness which shows up in the liturgy, even if not everyone says it. So to speak every morning and evening the Jews are preaching to each other and the world too, that there is one creator, He is constantly giving existence to all things, and this is the God of Israel, who is portrayed in the Five Books of Moses our rabbi.
לע"נ האמא מלכה בת חיים ז"ל נלב"ע טז ניסן תשנ"ח
העלון ניתן לקבל בדואר אלקטרוני וגם באתר http://dyschreiber.blogspot.com
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