Vaeschanan: Rashba on What “Shema Yisrael” Demands of Us

Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 3-page article I wrote and published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 7/24/26 titled: Vaeschanan: Rashba on What “Shema Yisrael” Demands of Us. There's a lot to think about in the Shema, but how many of us pause to consider what the word "Shema" is instructing us to do? Thankfully, the Rashba provides a comprehensive answer.

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:08

Hello, I'm Rabbi Matt Schneeweiss, and this is the audio version of the three-page article I wrote and published on my Substack at rabbishneweiss.substack.com on July 24th, 2026. And the article is titled Va'es Chanan, Rashbah on what Shema Israel demands of us. Undoubtedly, the most important phrase in the Shema is Hashem Echad, the most explicit declaration of absolute monotheism in the entire Tanakh. The second most important phrase is Hashem Elochino, which expresses Hashem's providential relationship with us, his chosen nation. For these two reasons, the opening command of Shema Israel is easy to overlook. We are prone to rendering it, hear, O Israel, without stopping to contemplate what exactly we are being asked to do. Thankfully, the Rashbah, Rabbi Shlomo ben Abraham ibn Adaret, 1235 to 13810, one of the greatest and most prolific Rishonim, was asked in a responsum, 555, for an explanation of the words in the Shema, and he gave a rich and thorough answer. In this article, we will focus exclusively on his commentary on the first word. I will refrain from commenting too much because, like Jiro Ono, I prefer to let the high quality raw ingredients of the Rashba's words speak for themselves. He begins by outlining the parameters of what he will and will not explain. Quote, you have further asked me to explain to you the section of the Shema. I previously stated that we shouldn't have any involvement in esoteric ideas, sodos. And in truth, every rational being should know that it, i.e. the Shema, is a section designated for us, encompassing God's oneness and conviction in his existence, which truly alludes to esoteric ideas and great fundamental principles, which are the foundations of the entire edifice upon which the house of Israel is established. We do, however, have permission to contemplate the plain meaning of the matters, Pshatavarim, which the entire Torah alludes to and states, and I say, and I will tell you this in this manner as well, the ideas that have arisen in my mind from the plain meaning of the subject, Pshatha Inyan, namely that we need to direct our attention toward it at the time of the recitation. End quote. The Rashba is what we would today call a Makubal, one who has received knowledge of sodos, esoteric ideas, and Sisray Torah, Torah secrets. He received these ideas from his Rebbe, the Ramban, 1194 to 1270. Unlike the Ramban, who permitted himself to transmit these ideas through cryptic illusions, the Rajpa took a hard-line stance on secrecy. In this respect, he followed the policy of his other Rebbe, Rubina Yona, 1180 through 1264, who refrained from even hinting at the content of any sodos in his writings. If the Rajpa isn't going to give us even a hint of these sodos, why does he mention them at all? Presumably, so we do not erroneously believe that the ideas he proceeds to explain reflect the full depth of the text. Because he is going to list a number of weighty concepts, it would be very easy to relate to them as a sort of checklist and to lapse into the feeling, even if not the full-fledged intellectual mistake, that these and these alone are the ideational contents of the Shema. After this preface, the Rajpa begins listing ideas in bullet point fashion, quote. And the plain meaning of the subject is as follows: that we are obligated to recite the passage, not with intent of merely reading, as one who reads a section of the Torah simply to fulfill the obligation of reading, but rather to direct our minds to know that He is one and that He is our God. End quote. Khavana intention is me'akev, halakhically indispensable for the first pasuk of the Shema. See Shulchan Arah Orachim 65 and 63.4. We will not delve here into the intense debates about the type of kabbanah required. I only mention this to point out that this is not what the Rajpah is referring to. In addition to having Kavana for the meaning of the words we are saying, we are supposed to read the word Shema as directing our minds to seek knowledge of God's oneness and Hajjgaha. That might sound obvious, so let me spell it out. I myself have Kavana for specific concepts. Check out my Kavanna Primur, Avos on Hashem's name, uh if you are sorry, Kavannah Primer Avos on Hashem's name, if you are interested in which ones. Let me start the sentence again. That might sound obvious, so let me spell it out. I myself have khavana for specific concepts, but I do not relate to the phrase Shema Yisrael as an injunction to pursue further knowledge of those concepts. But on the Rajpah's reading, Kabbalah Sol Mahushamaim, the acceptance of the yoke of the kingship of heaven, is not only an affirmation of what we believe, but a renewal of our commitment to seek further understanding of those beliefs. The Rajpa continues with the next idea, quote, and that we are obligated to give over our soul, our desire, and all our might for his name. May be he be exalted. End quote. He doesn't elaborate on this concise point, but in context, he seems to mean that we should direct all our energy to his name, i.e., knowledge of Hashem, as the Ramam describes in Hilgos Deus 3, 2 through 3, quote, a human being needs to direct all of his actions, every one of them, toward the sole objective of knowing Hashem. Blessed is he. And regarding this matter, the sage is commanded, saying, And let all your actions be for the sake of heaven. Avos 212. And this is what Solomon said, Shlomo said in his wisdom, in all your ways know him, and he will straighten your paths. Mishlay 3.6. End quote from the Raman. The Rajpa's next point combines two of his previous ones, quote, and that we resolve and affirm this with absolute commitment, not with the mere motion of the lips. May God save us from the group of whom it is said in Yeshayahu 29, 13, with his mouth and with his lips he honors me, but his heart is far from me, and their fear of me is a rote human command. End quote. It's one thing to verbally affirm a belief as mere lip service, and it's another to make a hollow declaration of our intent to pursue knowledge that would make that belief genuine. Judaism raises the bar far above rote mittos. I'm reminded of the Ralham's characterization in the Moria 351 of people who observe mithos by rote. Quote, all our religious activities, reading the Torah, davening, and performing the other mitvos, aim only to train us to focus on his commandments and free us from worldly distractions, engrossed in him and lost to all else. If you pray by just moving your lips, facing the wall but thinking of your business dealings, or your tongue reads the Torah, but your heart is on building your house, oblivious to what you are reading. Or when you do any mitzvah with your limbs alone, as if digging a hole in the ground or chopping wood in the forest, without reflecting on the meaning of the action or its purpose or its author, do not think you have achieved the goal of the mitzvah. Rather, you will then be like those of whom it is said in your Miyahou 12.2, you are near in their mouth, but far in their thoughts. End quote from the Rama. Back to the Rashbah. This next point caught me off guard, quote, and that we accept this upon ourselves, not as those who are pained and anxious about it, like a person who resolves in his heart out of fear of one who rules over him, from whose authority he cannot escape, and whose command he cannot refrain from fulfilling. Rather, like one who loves and desires, desiring to attain the will of his master whom he loves. Upon him he sets his love and his soul, and he will find pleasure for his soul, and he is honored through all that comes to him in pursuing his commandments. I mean, I'm sure I do some, I do more mitzvos out of a feeling of obligation than out of a feeling of love. But the point here is that I don't think about this when I'm saying the Shema, which is what the Rajpah informs me, the Shema is urging me to do. This next point is perhaps the most important part of his entire discourse. Quote. Furthermore, we must contemplate that belief in him and his oneness, not sorry, we must contemplate that belief in him and his oneness is not a rote human command, such that the instruction which one was taught and trained in would lead him to believe thus, without its having been founded upon the analysis of his mind and wisdom, and he would be equally obligated towards the opposite, as happens with most beliefs. Rather, we are obligated to listen and to analyze, and after the listening and the analysis, it will emerge that true analysis necessitated and determined this. End quote. Up until this point, the Rashba has only talked about the type of rote belief that is unacceptable. Belief as a rote human command could be anything, even the opposite. Here he defines in positive terms what we are what we are commanded to do, not only to listen, i.e., to apprehend what the Torah teaches us, but to analyze that belief with our minds and the full powers of our wisdom to the point that our understanding necessitates it. He then explains that this is implied in the word Shema, quote. And this is the meaning of it saying, Shema Israel. For the word Shema encompasses three meanings. The first primary denotation is the hearing of the ear. Quote, when an ear would hear me, Shamaa, it would praise me, end quote from Eof 29.11. It is also extended, in the opinion of the Rav, the Ramam, to understanding. Quote, may you grant your servant an understanding mind, Lave Shomea, end quote, from 1 Malachim 3.9. And it is also extended to acceptance and conviction in it, i.e., in what one accepts. Hearken, quote, hearken Shema, hearken, Shema, my son, unto the discipline of your father, Mishlay 1.8. Praiseworthy is the one who hearkens unto me, Shome Ali, Mishlay 834. If you shall surely hearken unto my commandments, Shema Tishmu'u, Devarim 1113, end quote from uh the psukim. Here in it saying Shema Israel, it includes all three meanings, which we are commanded to hear and to learn, for were not for were we not to hear and learn, we would not gain understanding of it. And after the hearing and the learning and a thorough investigation, we examine whether there is any contradicting proof, God forbid. And after we advance from the hearing to true analysis, the analysis will bring us and compel us by a genuine necessity to accept and to be convinced that he exists, and likewise that he exercises providence over the particulars of our deeds. End quote. In short, hearing is just the first level. We reach the second, understanding, by investigating what the Torah requires us to believe, examining and examining any and all counter arguments against it, and pursuing this investigation until we become convinced of the truth of those beliefs. Only at that point do we reach the third level of hearing, acceptance and true conviction. Many of us say the Shema multiple times each day. We may be more or less aware of the content of the Shema, the core beliefs and values we mentioned, and the obligations enumerated in the three paragraphs. I can't speak for anyone else, but I know that I haven't related to the words Shema Yisrael as a charge with its own content, which governs everything else I read. Thanks to the Rashbah, I now know what the word Shema demands of me. The next step is to live up to it.