Lag BaOmer: Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai and Krias Shema

AI summary (may contain mistakes)

Why does the first parsha of Krias Shema say b'chol me'odecha, while the plural second parsha leaves it out? Following the Gemara just learned, an individual can live like Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, but the tzibur at large cannot. The keshes recalls Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai's generation, which needed no rainbow as a sign. The first parsha still applies to anyone who decides to give everything up for learning, as tzaddikim like Rav Chaim Kanievsky did.

Key points

• The singular first parsha, with b'chol me'odecha, speaks to individuals, the plural second to the tzibur.
• Hashem can ask the tzibur to give up life, but not to give up parnassah.
• Rashi on the missing vav in doros: tzaddikim gemurim, like Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai's generation, needed no keshes.

In this shiur

1. 0:00Two parshiyos of Krias Shema
2. 2:00Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai and the tzibur
3. 3:16Giving up life but not parnassah
4. 5:27Why the bow and arrow
5. 8:27Does the first parsha apply to us
6. 9:24Tzaddikim who lived this way
7. 11:01Remembering Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai's generation

Topics

• Krias Shema
• Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai
• Parnassah