Q&A: Source of the Obligation of Reciting the Shema
Source of the Obligation of Reciting the Shema
Question
Dear Rabbi Michael, hello!
On the plain meaning of the text, the source in the Torah for the obligation to recite the verses of the Shema is not clear to me (and I have not found any midrashic derivation for the obligation).
I was thinking of saying that the Torah obligation is with regard to words of Torah in general, and the Sages instituted these particular verses. So it would be biblical-rabbinic.
What do you think?
Answer
The Talmuds already disagreed about this. Some understood that the obligation of Shema is by virtue of Torah study, while others thought it is by virtue of accepting the yoke of the kingdom of Heaven. If it is by virtue of Torah study, then indeed these particular verses are not necessary. As for accepting the yoke of the kingdom of Heaven, it seems that they are necessary (although one could perhaps reinforce that yoke by other means, but that already gets into interpreting the rationale of the verse).
See here two lectures by Rabbi Gigi:
https://etzion.org.il/he/%D7%A7%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%90%D7%AA-%D7%A9%D7%9E%D7%A2-%D7%91-%E2%80%93-%D7%99%D7%A1%D7%95%D7%93-%D7%94%D7%97%D7%99%D7%95%D7%91-%D7%95%D7%9E%D7%A7%D7%95%D7%A8%D7%95-%D7%94%D7%9E%D7%A9%D7%9A