Va’eschanan 6:4 · unit 10

TT #55 · Parashas Va’eschanan · Passuk 6:4

The Complete Passuk

שְׁמַ֖ע יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ יְהֹוָ֥ה ׀ אֶחָֽד׃

Hear, O Israel: Hashem is our God, Hashem is One.

Chabad.org — 6:4

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to the exemption of slaves from Keri’as Shema (Berachos 20b / parallel): one who has only one Master.

Sefaria — Berachos 20b

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
תַּנְיָא: עֲבָדִים פְּטוּרִין מִקְּרִיאַת שְׁמַע, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל ה׳ אֱלֹהֵינוּ ה׳ אֶחָד — מִי שֶׁאֵין לוֹ אֶלָּא אָדוֹן אֶחָד, יָצָא עֶבֶד שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ אָדוֹן אַחֵר.

English: It was taught: Slaves are exempt from Keri’as Shema, as it is said “Hear, O Israel, Hashem is our God, Hashem is One” — one who has only one Master; this excludes a slave who has another master.

On the daf / in context: The declaration of exclusive divine sovereignty is incompatible with the legal status of one who already has a human master.

Type of Learning

Diyuk of “Hashem Echad” as requiring exclusive subjection to one Master.

What Is Learned

A slave is exempt from Shema because the verse addresses one who has no master other than Hashem.