Va’eschanan 6:4 · unit 4

TT #29 · 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 requirement that one must make the words of Shema audible to one’s own ears (Berachos 15a).

Sefaria — Berachos 15a

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
הַקּוֹרֵא אֶת שְׁמַע צָרִיךְ שֶׁיַּשְׁמִיעַ לְאָזְנָיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל ה׳ אֱלֹהֵינוּ ה׳ אֶחָד.

English: One who reads the Shema must make it audible to his own ears, as it is said “Hear, O Israel…”

On the daf / in context: “Shema” is taken to mean both “understand” and “hear”; therefore the words must be spoken aloud enough for the reciter himself to hear them. Bedieved one still fulfills the obligation even without audible volume.

Type of Learning

Diyuk of the verb “Shema” as requiring audible self-hearing.

What Is Learned

Keri’as Shema must be recited aloud enough that the reader’s own ears hear the words; silent thought alone is insufficient lechatchilah.