Parshat Bamidbar
May 10, 2002

SHEMA YISRAEL II

The next sentence in Shema is “Baruch Shem Kvod Malchuso Leolam Vaed- Blessed is the Name of His glorious kingdom for all eternity”. The first question is why are we blessing G-d’s kingdom? Isn’t it already understood that G-d’s kingdom is blessed?! And secondly why do we say this verse silently?

The word Baruch is found throughout our daily, Shabbat and holiday prayers. Simply translated it means Blessed (as in Blessed art thou….). The problem with this translation is that it implies the illogical and unthinkable - that a human being can bestow a blessing on the Creator. Hashem is the Master of the universe and the source of all blessings before, now and after!! It is G-d that provides a multitude of blessings to the entire world simultaneously! Therefore a better translation of Baruch is -  From You emanates blessing…  Therefore this verse can be understood as a request saying -  (even though right now we don’t understand Your ways, one day) Your omnipotent blessing(s) will be completely revealed and understood for all eternity- “Baruch Shem Kvod Malchuso Leolam Vaed”.

The simple understanding as to why we don’t say Baruch Shem out loud is because unlike the rest of the prayer Shema it is nowhere to be found in the written Torah. It is however mentioned in the Talmud in tractate Pesachim 56A that our Father, Jacob said this sentence to his children before passing away (see Tefilla Tips Parshat Emor 2002). Therefore the Talmud concludes it should be said in an undertone.

The Tzlach - HaRav Yechezkel Landau was puzzled as to why we don’t recite this great verse Baruch Shem out loud. There are hundreds and hundreds of verses that have been inserted into our prayers that were orchestrated by pious scholars of the Middle Ages called Paytanim. Aren’t the words of our patriarch Yaakov Avinu at least as worthy of mention as the Paytanim??  The Tzlach answers that certainly Yaakov’s words are as worthy BUT they would need to be inserted into the middle of two sentences from the Torah. The sentence Veahavta follows directly after the sentence of Shema in Deuteronomy 5:4.  Therefore it was decided by the rabbis of the Talmud to only recite Baruch Shem in a whisper.

There is a vital lesson to be gained from the question and answer of the Tzlach on this passage in Tractate Pesachim. It teaches us just how significant every single paragraph, sentence, word and letter is in the Torah. Even if we have a direct oral tradition from Yaakov Avinu to say Baruch Shem after the sentence Shema, if it is not transmitted that way in the Torah we may not pronounce it aloud. The Talmud reports to us that Rabbi Akiva was able to understand and explain every single crown (Tagim) on the letters of the Torah! Therefore we read, study, and transmit the Torah exactly the same way that our parents/teachers received it from their teachers…. continuing the next link in the unbreakable chain from Mt. Sinai. 

In addition to a deeper understanding to the beginning of the Shema this lesson serves as a fine preparation for the holiday of Shavuot. As we pray and study the Torah on Shavuot let’s remember just how significant every letter of the Torah truly is.

Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sameach.

Rabbi Ephraim Epstein

*Helpful Hint* Jot down some of the interpretations you learn into the margins of your personal siddur. This will enable you to access and utilize these and other Tefilla tips more easily.