Laws of Reciting the Shema, Chapter 3 (Auto Translated)

Laws of Reciting the Shema Chapter 3 — Purity for Reciting the Shema

Introduction to the Chapter

Okay, gentlemen, we’re beginning Laws of Reciting the Shema Chapter 3. Let’s start with the donors. Yes, our donor is our well-known supporter of Torah, Rabbi Yoel Halevi Wexberger, the president of Machon Kerem Torah V’Chochma, who has given the first few lectures so that all Jews should learn from him. Miman yilmedon v’chen ya’asu. Whoever wants to donate to support Torah, to support a lecture that hundreds of thousands of Jews follow, and for generations to come, there could be thousands of millions more, we don’t know how many people will hear it throughout the coming generations, and also so that the two of us can sit and learn with peace of mind, it’s a tremendous merit. It doesn’t have to be for the elevation of a soul, in honor of a simcha, in honor of a birthday, it’s just because one is inspired, send it in. A great yasher koach.

And in advance, we say thanks ahead of time, as we say.

The Topic of This Chapter — Kriat Shema Takes Hold of Its Place

So now we’re going to learn the third chapter in Laws of Reciting the Shema. We’ve already learned that one must recite Kriat Shema, and how one must recite it. Now we’re going to learn that Kriat Shema is not just something, it’s not just something that one does in the head and in the heart, one must have intention, bedieved intention, lechatchila intention, etc. Kriat Shema is something that takes effect on the entire room where one prays, where one says Kriat Shema. It’s not just anything, it tofes et mekomo (takes hold of its place).

After all, one is crowning the Holy One Blessed be He, as we learned earlier, over the entire world, but certainly first in the room where one is. It’s as if, kiveyachol, almost every time a Jew recites Kriat Shema, it’s as if he makes a machaneh Shechina, as if he makes a Beit HaMikdash from that place. Therefore there’s a law, it says “v’haya machanecha kadosh” (and your camp shall be holy), from this the Gemara derives that in a place that is a makom metunaf, a place that is not clean, one may not recite Kriat Shema. Why? Because that’s not a holy place.

So this is the topic of this chapter. We have a bit… the Midrash says it’s a “geshkoret ke’orev,” that one learns laws that speak too much about excrement and all such things, but in essence it’s all built on this very beautiful thing, that reciting Kriat Shema, something happens in the room. A room where a person recites Kriat Shema becomes a holy place. Therefore, a holy place must be clean, must be proper, etc.

Four Categories of Laws

So we’re going to learn four types of things that are not good. The way we learn this is al derech hashlila (by way of negation). Four types of things… all these things also have to do with the fact that most laws of Kriat Shema speak of when a person recites Kriat Shema at home. And I think that the fact that one recites Kriat Shema at home also has to do with the fact that it’s at the time when people lie down and at the time when people rise, when one gets up and when one goes to sleep. So when one recites at sunrise it’s still normal that a person should wake up at those hours, roughly a person wakes up. Today when one recites Kriat Shema when one comes to shul, all the laws are a bit different.

Very good. True, it’s not simple that a shul is not a place of ervah, it’s a holy place, but then we’ll go learn. We’ll go learn that by prayer there are similar laws, but most details stand regarding Kriat Shema. And this is because Kriat Shema must be in the short time between alot hashachar and sunrise, a bit before sunrise, it’s a normal time that then a person should be at home, when one has just woken up. Therefore come all these laws if one does it while lying down, if one does it while walking, if one does it in a dirty place, and this is mostly less relevant.

So we’re going to learn four principles, four things:

1. Netilat yadayim and chatzitzah on hands — First of all there’s a matter of washing hands and chatzitzah on hands, that there shouldn’t be dirty hands when one recites Kriat Shema.

2. Certain places — After that there’s a law, there are certain types of places, not just because it’s dirty, even when they’re not dirty, we’ll learn the details, places like the bathhouse and the bathroom, which are not places where one recites Kriat Shema, it’s not a holy place, not a pure place.

3. Excrement and urine — After that there’s the filth itself, excrement and urine and other filth, which even in no particular place, not just a bathroom, we’ll learn all the details, where opposite them and next to them one doesn’t recite Kriat Shema.

4. Ervah — After that there’s the fourth law, which is the law of ervah, the ervah of another person or even of oneself, that the body of the person, even when it is indeed clean, but in a manner that is uncovered, which is not modest, not proper conduct to recite Kriat Shema there, there are also laws whether one may recite Kriat Shema.

Right. Yes, very good.

Law 1 — Washing Hands Before Kriat Shema

This is the first law. Before Kriat Shema one washes his hands with water before he recites. One must wash one’s hands, because the hands are usually the thing that is indeed dirty, as hands are busy. Therefore one must make sure that the hands are clean before one recites Kriat Shema.

If the time for reciting arrived and he didn’t find water, what happens if he didn’t find water? He should not delay his recitation and search for water, one should not delay Kriat Shema because of this. Rather, but what then? Without choice, water is the best way of washing. So also regarding cleaning the hands, he must wipe them with dirt, with a pebble, on a stone, on sand, or on a beam, or on a part of the house, and recite, and he should recite thus. Because it’s not worth it because of this… cleanliness is very important, but Kriat Shema at its proper time is important.

No, good. It seems that he’s speaking here further about the time of sunrise, which passes very quickly. It says in the Gemara that Rav Chisda praised whoever goes to search for water when there’s time. Now, first one must recite Kriat Shema.

Laws 2-3 — Places Where One Does Not Recite

The Rambam says further, in which places must one be clean? First, not in the bathhouse, and not in the bathroom, even if there’s no excrement in it, and not in a cemetery, and not next to a corpse itself. All these places are places that are not respectful.

Discussion: Cemetery — Mocking the Poor or Cleanliness?

But a cemetery is not about mocking the poor, did I see correctly? It’s also about cleanliness. It says so. It says so. Yes, okay. It could be that it is indeed. The Gemara says it’s mocking the poor, but it could be that it’s more also a place… it’s not a respectful place.

But when one is distanced four amot from a grave or from a corpse, then one may indeed recite Kriat Shema.

Law of Repeating the Recitation in a Place Where One Should Not Recite

Now an important principle, all these laws are me’akev (invalidating). The Rambam says, and anyone who recited in a place where one should not recite, it’s not a good recitation, it was a recitation without cleanliness, returns and recites, he should recite Kriat Shema again. Ah, yes, in a place that is indeed clean, certainly.

New Bathroom and New Bathhouse

The Rambam says further, a new bathroom, he now says that a bathroom even if it doesn’t have excrement is not a place where one may. But what does it mean that it doesn’t have excrement? Because when does it become when one has built a bathroom and there hasn’t yet been any excrement in it, does it also mean so?

The Rambam says no. A new bathroom that was prepared and was never used, there’s not yet in it a law of designation that this is a place that is not… a new bathroom that is now ready and hasn’t yet been used, opposite it one is permitted to recite Kriat Shema. But not inside it, inside the bathroom one may not. A bathroom is a bathroom. But when one hasn’t yet been in it to be distanced. But he says that actually when one is distanced four amot, yes, in the bathroom one may not be even if it wasn’t used, because it’s a place since one built it for a bathroom. But inside one may not.

A new bathhouse, a new bathhouse, one may indeed, because a bathhouse is not such an undignified place, just not clean, because there’s filth, because one washes. But if one built it new, there’s no disgrace in the thing. It’s more disgusting. Everyone understands that a bathroom is more disgusting than a bathhouse, therefore, but when it’s from long ago, one hasn’t yet used it, there’s no problem.

Investigation Regarding Designation of a Bathroom — “And This” Versus “Also This”

The Rama says an interesting investigation that he brings down in the laws of preparation for a bathroom, laws of designation actually, yes? It’s like this: a person has two rooms, and in one of them he made a bathroom, and he said about the second “and this”. He prepared that one of them should become a bathroom, and he said “and this.” Not “also this,” if he said “also this,” we’ll see that, he only said “and this.”

So the second is doubtful whether he designated it or not, so about the second room there’s a question whether one also designated it for a bathroom. Therefore one does not recite in it lechatchila, because that room also means a doubt that perhaps there will be a bathroom there. But if he recited he fulfilled his obligation, if he indeed recited in what is only a doubt, he is indeed yotzei.

This “and this” means yad, like “yadot lenedarim,” someone sees a nazir and he says “and I,” the same thing yad for a bathroom, it says in the Gemara in Nedarim the investigation.

After all it says “v’haya lecha yad al aznecha” (and you shall have a yad outside). If he said “and also this”, if he indeed said clearly “also this will be a bathroom,” he indeed made a designation, both of them are designated, meaning both houses are designated for a bathroom, and one does not recite in them.

Courtyard of the Bathhouse

What was said about a bathhouse that one may not recite, is everywhere in the bathhouse, only in the place where one stands naked. But the courtyard of the bathhouse, outside the bathhouse, which is a place where people stand there clothed, indeed one is permitted to recite Kriat Shema in it.

Laws 4-5 — All Matters of Sacred Words in Bathhouse and Bathroom

Now we’re going to learn that in these places, this is a bathhouse or a bathroom, there’s not only a prohibition of Kriat Shema, but in general matters of sanctity one should not say in these places. And not only Kriat Shema, but all matters of sacred words, every thing that is words of sanctity, that means utterances of holiness, saying Torah or prayer. Sacred words doesn’t mean holy things, it means holy words, yes? From the language of speech.

Even if they were said in the bathhouse and in the bathroom, even if they were said in a secular language, even if one said it, we learned earlier that one can say Kriat Shema in any language, but here he speaks in general, he speaks of words of Torah, even if one said it in a secular language, one may not say in a bathhouse or a bathroom.

Prohibition of Contemplating Words of Torah

The Rama brings “and one should only say secular words”, not only learning may one not in such a place, but even saying, not only saying with the word, but even to contemplate words of Torah in the bathroom and in the bathhouse and in a filthy place. Even to contemplate in one’s heart words of Torah, one may not in a bathroom or a bathhouse or any filthy place.

What does filthy place mean? This is a place where there is excrement and urine. This is actually the category that we’re going to learn in the next category of places where one doesn’t recite Kriat Shema, and all these places one may also not contemplate in one’s heart words of Torah. Well, this is a very difficult law to fulfill. Let’s continue.

The Gemara says that a Torah scholar may not stand at all in a filthy place. One should try the shortest possible, because one must have forgotten a whole thing. One should not go at all to such a place, in general one should not go to such a place. What kind of thing is it to go to such a place?

Secular Words in the Holy Tongue and Appellations

The Rama says further, “secular words are permitted to say them in the holy tongue in the bathroom”. He didn’t say sacred words, because sacred words one may not say even. Sacred doesn’t become through a certain language, sacred becomes because the content of it is sacred. Therefore even if one says sacred things in Portuguese, there’s no difference in which language, it’s holy. As opposed to secular words, even if you say it in the holy tongue with a twisted star, you say it like a rebbe, it’s still secular words.

The Rama says further, “and so the appellations, such as Merciful and Faithful”, if one speaks about the Almighty, as long as it’s not from the explicit names, names that mean the Almighty, but it’s an appellation, like gentiles say “the Almighty who is Merciful or Faithful,” which means the Almighty but it’s an appellation, “one is permitted to say them in the bathroom”, because this still means secular words.

Discussion: Question of “Shalom” in the Bathroom

But what may one not? “Lest they say he is saying the appellation about a person, not about the Creator”. I don’t know, I think, it could be one may speak about the Almighty in the bathroom. There’s a problem, because the Gemara says that one may not greet with shalom in the bathroom, because shalom is one of the names of the Holy One Blessed be He. What is shalom? It’s certainly not even an appellation, it’s just some kind of reference. One must understand better, it’s not clear.

Well, we see how the Kesef Mishneh says this. The commentators note this thing. Ah, he says that one may not say shalom. It says in the Gemara, in the earlier Gemara. The Rav doesn’t bring that Gemara, because shalom shalom shalom, the Rav indeed argues, and he says that one may not.

Law 5: Appellations and Designated Names

The Rambam says further, “and so the appellations, such as Merciful and Gracious”, when one speaks about the Almighty, as long as it’s not from the explicit names, names that mean the Almighty, but it’s an appellation, such as saying the Almighty, who is Merciful or Faithful which means the Almighty, but it’s an appellation, one is permitted to say them in the bathroom, because this still means secular words.

Question: The Matter of Shalom

But what if not? It could be that he means that one says the appellation about a person, not about the Almighty. I don’t know, I think, it could be here one speaks about the Almighty in the bathroom. There’s a problem, because the Gemara says that one may not greet with shalom in the bathroom, because shalom is the name of the Holy One Blessed be He. Here what is shalom? It’s certainly not even an appellation, it’s just some kind of reference. One must understand better, it’s not clear.

Opinions of the Early Authorities: Kesef Mishneh, Rambam, Raavad

Well, we see how the Kesef Mishneh says this. The commentator says, ah, he says that one may not say shalom. This says in the Gemara, a simple Gemara. The Rambam doesn’t bring that Gemara at all, perhaps he doesn’t hold it. Or the Raavad indeed argues and he says that one may not say shalom or any thing that stands for the Almighty.

The Raavad’s Innovation Regarding “Rachum”

And the Raavad also says another interesting thing, but I don’t want to elaborate on all opinions, that the word rachum is very interesting. It seems that the Raavad understood, so I think the Raavad makes, that the reason why one may say appellations is simply because when one says ne’eman, it doesn’t necessarily mean the Almighty. A person can also be ne’eman. The Raavad argues, rachum doesn’t stand for anyone but the Creator, therefore one may not say it in the bathroom. People say, how does one say? The compassionate one? But it’s so. Okay. On this it doesn’t stand only on the Creator, therefore one may not say it in the bathroom. It’s interesting, because it indeed says once in Psalms, “gracious and merciful and righteous.” There are those who say that this means that the righteous person is merciful. It seems that the Raavad didn’t learn that interpretation in that verse.

Return to the Law: Designated Names

Anyway, but the designated names. But apparently, according to the Rambam one may certainly, because it’s certainly not an appellation. But if it’s the opposite, if one indeed means, it could be it’s included in shalom, if one will learn that the Rambam indeed holds one may not say shalom, then it could be that it is indeed. Very good.

But the designated names, what are the designated names? The names, we learned earlier in Sefer HaMadda by the prohibition of erasure, “lo ta’asun ken l’Hashem Elokeichem,” one may not erase the Almighty’s name, “and they are the names that are not erased”, all names by which one calls the Almighty. That means they are designated because these are words that one says only about the Almighty. By the way, it’s not the explicit name, but it’s a designated name, and so on. Ah, very interesting. We saw in Laws of Megillah that there’s a designated name or an explicit name. The Rambam says that he means both, the name Havaya or the name Adonai. Here one sees that sometimes it can be designated names, all names that are not erased. He means the designated ones that they are designated for the Almighty, it doesn’t stand for others. Yes, but one indeed says, Elokim can indeed be a judge and the like. Perhaps indeed so, one says that for a judge one may indeed, I’m not sure.

Very good. So then what? It is forbidden to mention them in the bathroom or in the old bathhouse. What does he mean by “old”? Ah, not a designated place. Designation is not the problem, but when it is actually designated. We already learned that the bathhouse has no designation.

Law: Protesting a Transgression in the Bathroom/Bathhouse

And if a person enters there for a forbidden matter, in the bathhouse, in the bathroom, if it happens, a person wants to perhaps do a transgression in the bathhouse, we’re talking about the matter of the law, one may not. Then he does, even in the holy tongue that is not holy, because to spread evil reports there is no prohibition. The whole thing of honor is very good when one can reach him outside to learn, but here one must now…

Let me test you, do you remember where we learned a somewhat similar law? One may not protest against a person in the presence of his teacher, but protesting against a Jew from a prohibition one may, because protesting against a Jew from a prohibition one need not reckon so. It overrides chilul Hashem (desecration of God’s name). Very good. It’s the same thing, in a place where there is chilul Hashem one does not give honor to the rabbi, here also in a place where there is honor of God one does not commit desecration. Okay, it’s not relevant. In short, to spread evil reports one may, because it’s not… it’s not a prohibition.

Very good.

Law 6: Feces – Which Feces is Forbidden

Good. Now we’re going to learn, this was all the places where one may not. Now we’re going to learn about the limited things, the place of filth itself, but when there is filth, what? First we’re going to learn what filth means, then we’re going to learn which filth, and then we’re going to learn what one does when there is filth, and so on.

Feces, the feces of any person and of a dog and pig when the feces has a bad smell, that is, ordinary feces of a dog and pig is not a problem, but when one puts in hides then it smells more and makes it worse. In any feces that has a bad smell like these, it is forbidden to recite Shema opposite them. Therefore opposite them from a distance to a person, but from a distance to an animal one may recite opposite them, because it’s not so disgusting. The Chovat Da’at of Rabbi Chaim says that a person, when his private part is the most disgusting.

Law: A Minor Who Cannot Eat a Kezayit of Grain

He says, a minor who cannot eat a kezayit of grain, a minor who doesn’t yet eat a kezayit of grain, and in the time that an adult eats three eggs, it can take him very long until he eats a kezayit, but if he still cannot eat a kezayit of grain as quickly as a person can eat kedei achilat pras, how long it takes for a person to eat a motzi matzah at the seder, one does not distance from his feces or from his urine. So it stands that as long as a child doesn’t yet eat grain his feces is not yet a disgusting thing. It stands so strongly. Yes.

Law 7: Dry Feces

Further. The Rema says further, ah, if the feces was dry like pottery, even if it is dry, it is forbidden to recite opposite it. But if it was drier than pottery, to the point that if you throw it it will crumble, a kind of dryness, that is not fit even for a dog, for that it no longer smells, it is permitted to recite opposite it. It’s obviously so, because if not, because the whole world, it accumulates over many generations. But it becomes nullified eventually. But it already became feces, right? But it’s a lot, because many people lived, it becomes nullified with time. Okay.

Urine that was absorbed in the ground, so, if he is standing next to it, if it makes wet the hands that lie opposite it, if it’s only a drop and wet and doesn’t make the hands wet, it is permitted.

Law 8: Distance from Feces and Urine

The Rema says further, we discussed that one may not recite feces or urine, how far must one be? How much should one distance from feces and urine and then recite? Four cubits. The Rema says, we’re talking about when they don’t have a bad smell, but we see, he must be four cubits away from it, even when it’s behind him or to the side. But if it is opposite his face, and it is more of a disgusting thing, this is perhaps confusing, he distances from them until he does not see them, he must go further than four cubits. Until he doesn’t see it as an ugly thing.

Law 9: Partition/Separation from Feces

The Rambam says, “But if there was between him and the place of feces”, when he is on the same level with the disgusting thing, but if there was a place higher than ten tefachim or lower than ten tefachim, if there is such a little hill there, it’s like a partition, it’s something that separates between him and the disgusting thing. He is on another level, he is on a porch or he is a level lower. He sits next to the place and recites, since there is a domain that separates between them, since there is something that separates between them, he may, he doesn’t need to be four cubits away. And this is when a bad smell does not reach him, this is only if no bad smell comes. It’s only a problem that he is in the place. We say it’s a place of filth, place of filth, if there is a separation, the place of filth is finished.

Law 10: Covering Feces, Glass Partition, Nullification of Urine

And the same law if he covered a vessel over the feces and turned it over with his foot, further, he covered it with a vessel, even if it is not attached to the ground, it is like burial and it is permitted to recite opposite it. That means it’s as if it’s buried, and it is permitted to recite opposite it. It’s a separation, it’s no longer in his domain, it’s no longer in the same situation.

He says further, “If there was between him and the feces a glass partition”, so there is indeed a partition, he cannot smell it, but he can see it. “Even though he sees it behind the glass, it is permitted to recite next to it”, because the problem is not the seeing, the problem is the smell. Yes, there is still a problem of seeing, as we saw, “and he should not turn to the front or to the back or to the sides”, but that is only when it’s in the same domain. If it’s under another domain, the glass separates, it’s enough separation.

“He put a revi’it of water into the urine that is before the bed”, there where one used to urinate once, so a revi’it nullifies urine within four cubits.

Law 11: Feces in a Pit, Covering with Saliva or with Mud

“If the feces was in a pit”, if the feces is in a hole, so he can, as long as the pit is open it’s a problem, but he can cover the pit with his foot and recite. “And this is when he does not touch it”, he may not however touch it with his shoe, because that is considered a disgusting thing. It’s dirty, his shoe is dirty. Except if he goes into the feces “a little saliva or a little mud”, just a drop, then he can nullify it even with a drop of saliva, or he puts in a spit, a coarse spit has covered it, until he covers it and recites.

So this is all that we learned that the bad smell is still there, and what one must do. And what is if there is feces that is already dry? It’s not… it hasn’t remained in the tissues. It remained perhaps a little bit that didn’t wipe well. It seems like a piece, yes. What is in the tissues. Feces on his flesh. What should I say? Yes, yes, you say so. Or if the hand is dirty like a bathroom, the hand became dirty in the bathroom.

Law 11 (continued): Feces on His Flesh or His Hand is Dirty

But if it doesn’t have a bad smell, and it’s very small, or it’s very dry, therefore there is no smell, there is no problem of the smell. Even in its place, that is, it’s just on his flesh or on his hand. If it’s in its place, in the place where the feces belongs, what comes out, but when he is standing, when he stands, one doesn’t see it, because it becomes covered. But if he is when he is sitting, then it is forbidden to recite until he wipes very well. And if the feces is moist, and it has a bad smell, in its place is worse. The Rambam doesn’t say it’s very forbidden, since there it is moist and it does have a bad smell.

Opinion of the Geonim: Stringency with Dirty Hands

And there are Geonim who are stringent even on the first law. Several Geonim ruled that it is forbidden to recite if the hand is dirty, and so it is proper to do. That is, they say that not only in its place should one not recite Shema, but if the hand is dirty. Perhaps the hand is different from his flesh, perhaps it’s just a place and his flesh yes, but in his hand is also not a thing to recite Shema. The Rambam says that so it is proper to do. He doesn’t say it’s a law, he says it makes sense. It’s such a “praiseworthy carefulness” situation.

Law 12: Bad Smell That Has a Source and That Has No Source

So until now we learned about, yes, what one does when there is a smell on his flesh. What is if there is just a bad smell, not feces? Yes? Just a bad smell. That is, if there is a bad smell, and the source is there, that is, there is something that makes the smell, there is feces from a filthy thing, it doesn’t have to be specifically feces, it can be some other thing that makes a bad smell, which we learned earlier. What is then? He distances four cubits and recites, if the smell stopped. That is, first of all the smell must stop, and then, besides that, there must be four cubits, and then he recites Shema. If it did not stop, he must wait until the smell does not come to him. That is, besides the four cubits, he must also be so far until he doesn’t smell it. But when it has no source, such as one who passed wind from below, there is no thing that makes the bad smell, the bad smell wafts, he doesn’t need to distance four cubits, he distances from his place a little and recites.

Pot of Feces and Bucket of Urine

What is a pot of feces or a bucket of urine? What is the Shema recitation opposite it? Even the simple meaning is that someone is in the bathroom and he smelled it, he doesn’t have a bathroom. The law can be a non-Jew, for example he lands in a hospital, there are all the pans with things, a big problem.

Yes? Yes.

Laws of Nakedness in Shema Recitation

Pot of Feces and Upper Bathroom

He doesn’t need to make four cubits, he doesn’t need to make a place piece of four cubits.

What is a pot of feces or upper bathroom? Yes, the parts of it. Ah, exactly. What is the law? One recites Shema opposite them. Even if there is nothing in them, and they have no smell, one does not recite Shema in the bathroom. There is a law, you can be a genius, for example in a hospital, there are all the pans with things. It’s a big problem.

Yes? Yes.

Traveling Feces

Traveling feces, that is feces that travels, it’s on a boat to travel, such as that it floats on the water, it swims on the water. What is the law? One recites opposite it, even though it’s not in one place, it’s not a place. You learned the whole law, it’s not a place. Ah, it’s not a fixed place. Not a place, but because it still smells and it’s still there, one may not, you must wait for it to pass.

Another thing that is traveling feces, the mouth of a pig is like traveling feces. The mouth of a pig is a piece of traveling feces, because the pig rolls in the feces. What is the law? One recites opposite it until it passes four cubits. Ah, here one must also make four cubits.

He Was Reciting and Reached a Place of Filth

What happened if a person was walking? He was reciting, and reached a place of filth, he came to a place with filth. What should he do? You would think, he will put his hand on his mouth and recite. Will it help? He should not put his hand on his mouth and recite, but should stop until he passes from it. He should stop reciting. We learned earlier, that one may interrupt in the middle of Shema, it’s not a problem, he wasn’t fulfilling his obligation. He should wait.

The same thing, someone who was reciting, he was reciting and wind came out from him from below, wait, he stops until the smell ends, and returns to his recitation.

Chaim and words of Torah is the same law. Wind came out from his friend, not he himself released a smell, but a friend, even so he stops for Shema. That is, for Shema he waits a bit, the smell goes away. But someone who stops for words of Torah, he is presumably, and he continues further.

Doubtful Feces — In a House versus In a Garbage Heap

What is when I have a doubt? He should not recite Shema. Why? I am in doubt, I do not know if there is feces at his feet or there is not. He says, one should not recite. It’s interesting, we learned that all the laws in this series, it’s not the series. Doubtful feces, doubtful Shema, one must recite. But doubtful feces, one must not recite Shema. That is, not fear, I don’t know why. We learned, doubtful designation one should be stringent, but this is hot covering, this is a doubtful place. It’s a doubtful place that is dirty. What is the simple meaning? But that is a doubt that the room is a… yes, yes.

It stands in the Gemara, doubt in a house, but it’s more than that, because in a house is not truly a place where feces belongs, it’s not presumed that there should be feces in a house just so. The Gemara stands, it stands in a house, understand? But by a garbage heap it’s different. He was reciting in a garbage heap, and if he doubted whether there is feces in it or not, he should not recite until he checks, for the presumption of the garbage heap is that it is a filthy place. It’s not just a doubt, there is also a presumption against it. The presumption is that in a house there is no feces, or not enough feces to be a problem. And a garbage heap on the contrary, a garbage heap one must indeed not until there is a check, as soon as there is a presumption that there is feces there, one must indeed check. It’s not just a doubt, it’s more laws of presumption. But feces at his feet, even in a garbage heap it is permitted to recite, because at his feet is not such a terrible thing, and therefore when it’s only a doubt one may, even in a garbage heap where there is a presumption that there is.

Beyond Feces — Laws of Nakedness

Let’s go further. Until now we learned laws of… it moves a bit that way or this way, I don’t remember which way. Until now we learned laws of urine, feces and the like. Now we’re going to learn a new thing, not a thing that is dirty. True, here is a thing that people hold is quite beautiful. But we’re going to learn that there are things that even though people hold they are beautiful, I don’t know who holds it’s beautiful, it’s also not a respectful way for Shema. True?

The Rambam says so: Just as it is forbidden to recite opposite feces and urine until one distances, so it is forbidden to recite opposite nakedness until one turns away his face. Very important. Just as Shema doesn’t go together with feces and urine, it doesn’t go together with a thing called ervah (nakedness). Ervah is also the matter of… because it’s… it’s another thing, it could be it’s more a matter of distraction, it takes away. Could be. It’s also disgusting. Okay.

Therefore, there are two types of ervah. There is ervah in an exposed place, and there is ervah the body of a woman, anyway, we’ll see it. Could be both are two types of things. Perhaps ervah is also a disgusting place, yes, it’s not just a matter of improper thoughts or like that. Could be also, but improper thoughts is also a disgusting thing. Certainly for Shema, even by a married woman in such a place that is permitted, but the place doesn’t belong here.

Glass Partition Doesn’t Help for Nakedness

Even a non-Jew or a minor to recite opposite their nakedness. That is even a non-Jew, a non-Jew nothing? No, a non-Jew is also a tefach of nakedness. A minor, ah, a minor we learned earlier, his urine his feces is not a problem, but his nakedness is a problem. Even if there is a glass partition separating, a partition doesn’t help. For nakedness it doesn’t help, for feces a partition helps. For nakedness even a partition doesn’t help, because the essence is the seeing. It’s not a thing that there is a smell, it’s not a problem of the smell, it’s a problem of the seeing. Therefore a partition doesn’t help, nakedness of a six-year-old the partition doesn’t help. Since he sees the nakedness, except he should turn himself to another side from it. What must he do? Ah, another thing, he cannot distance, he must only turn his face to another side, so he doesn’t need to distance at all, he only needs to turn. The point is, a partition doesn’t help, it’s not a topic of partition. Apparently all these laws of partitions that we learned the last weeks don’t help for nakedness, because there it’s only seeing.

Her Entire Body of a Woman is Nakedness — A Tefach in a Woman is Nakedness

Another thing, and what does nakedness mean? Soon we’ll see, nakedness of a man means only the covered place, but her entire body of a woman is nakedness. Apparently even her exposed places. So apparently we see that there is a part that is a disgusting thing, a repulsive thing, like feces, and but then a glass partition should have helped. So there is also the part that is one of the distractions, and even in the part of repulsive also, partition… the problem with her is more the seeing than being in a place where there is a smell. What is the problem of being in a place where there is a smell? Even if it’s not exactly a smell, it could be there is such an aspect.

Um, yes. It’s ah… very good. Okay. Now, um… “Just as it is forbidden to recite [Shema] facing the nakedness of others, the entire body of a woman” means apparently even, yes, even normally uncovered places, that’s what it says here. “A tefach [handbreadth] of a woman is nakedness”, not necessarily covered places. Any place, ah… “He should not gaze. Therefore”, says the Rambam, “therefore he should not gaze at the body of a woman while he is reciting”. Okay, one is reading Krias Shema, one should not look at a woman, one should turn away. “Even his wife. If a tefach of her body was exposed, he should not recite facing it.” It could be that this is the point, that we’re talking here when women are normally covered, so anything that is open, perhaps that’s the problem. Yes, but the point is that nakedness, here we’re talking yes apparently about the topic of improper thoughts or something like that. He says that with his wife, that is his wife, perhaps normally uncovered places don’t disturb, but… also, and we’re talking about gazing. If it says to gaze, it means to look. No one is telling you to look at your wife in the middle of Krias Shema. The Rema doesn’t say that if one recited next to a woman one must repeat Krias Shema. “He should not gaze”. It’s also not a prohibition of being there, it’s a prohibition of looking. Don’t look, turn away. I don’t understand the whole thing at all, he just needs to turn away. It’s not so complicated.

Why can it even be with his wife even? It could be it’s correct, a tefach exposed. Perhaps her face not, perhaps her body there’s a dispute about her face etc. Perhaps her face is not a problem, but her body is exposed. A woman may be exposed at home, right? It’s not a prohibition.

His Own Nakedness — His Own Ervah

The Rema says there, it’s forbidden to recite, ah, that is facing the nakedness of others. “Facing his own nakedness”, his own ervah, facing when he sees his own nakedness or he can see, “as a hindrance only when he actually sees his nakedness when he is naked”.

That’s what we learned earlier, that even if he’s in a mikveh. What if “there is a belt of cloth or leather on his loins”, he put on something like underwear basically, “it is permitted to recite”. This is not exposure of nakedness. “It is permitted to recite”, the main thing is not touching his flesh. I don’t know exactly, the main thing is it should be covered also from below, his heel, his knee, not his knee, his… something like that which he sits on. This is something new, that he doesn’t see it, but he touches it, he feels it.

Sitting Naked in His Garment — Sleeping Naked Under a Blanket

What if he is “sitting naked in his garment”, if a person sleeps naked under the tallis, under the blanket, “he should tighten his garment below his heart”, he makes a partition, that is he makes it so the tallis should touch his body between the nakedness and his heart, thus he makes a partition. But “if he sits hunched over”, that doesn’t help. Usually when a person lies in the blanket, he lies hunched over. Then it doesn’t help, “his heart sees the nakedness”, because his whole body is all exposed under the blanket. From this came the opinion of entirely without a belt, it’s essentially like without a belt, thus he must make it so his heart should not see the nakedness.

Two People Sleeping in One Garment — Two People in One Blanket

What if two Jews sleep together in one tallis? “Two who sleep in one garment”, it’s not just the problem of his own, it’s also the problem of the second one. Thus they need to place two tallises in between. “Each and every one, even if there is a covering below his heart first”, even if he goes to sleep, let’s say, yes with underwear, “one stands above him separating between them so that this flesh should not touch”, which is impure below, ah, there must be a tallis between him and his. What is his own is only the actual place of nakedness, here it is in the entire nakedness. Could be, no, can they also be like his covering below his heart? No, covering below his heart means that he makes there a separation, that he makes a belt from his blanket, and below is still open as if under the blanket. A second one, there is still another person there, and one must make another separation between him and the other. But this is specifically when a friend is a second one, a second person.

Sleeping with His Wife or His Young Sons and Daughters

We took once that one sleeps with other people. “And if he was sleeping with his wife or his young sons and daughters”, with his wife or small children, there’s no problem, “his body is like her body”, he doesn’t feel that it’s nakedness. That’s the point. One feels with them, a person who sleeps with his wife or with his small children, he doesn’t feel that they are nakedness, it’s normal, that’s how he sleeps every day. “Nevertheless he must turn his face”, he must turn away because his wife, as we learned earlier, is nakedness, one may not see, and certainly expose himself, “and he separates below his heart and recites”.

It’s very interesting, you see here that one has really put together a matter that has a matter of improper thoughts and desire, and a matter of the exact opposite, of disgust. It’s a disgust for a person that he is unfortunately so strong that he has excrement, it’s also a disgust for a person that he is unfortunately so simple for humanity. And here we’re talking mainly not about desire, but the other parts of a woman’s body, but the law for example of sleeping naked is naked, naked is not appropriate, even if there’s no improper thought, but it’s not appropriate for the holiness of the mitzvah to say naked. And here you see the opposite, that he sleeps with his wife, there’s no problem, not the simple meaning that he has an improper thought, but on the contrary, he doesn’t feel it, it’s just that he is still open, he must make a separation. By the way, we had minors regarding this, we learned this, this is members of the household who are minors, he has a “male of twelve years”, one year before bar mitzvah, one year before the thing, before adulthood. A male until he is twelve years and one day old, and a “female who is eleven years and one day old”.

And the age is specifically when they already demand from their father, when they are already mature, their body, as it says in the verse that one says in the Haggadah, ah, one must say it before Pesach, “Are not your two eyes seeing your needs”. Specifically can be read as a strong solution, when they are already big children, he must yes make a division, they are already like strangers, they are already not the same body as his body.

But if they have not yet reached the state of “your two eyes seeing your needs”, then yes first he and his relatives, and he may not make a separation. Then to then, ah, that’s interesting, then to then.

Definition of “Your Breasts Were Formed and Your Hair Grew”

And the definition is specifically “and their form is like the form of women” who are mature, their body, as it says in the verse that one says in the Haggadah: “And I passed over you and saw you wallowing in your blood, and I said to you, in your blood live, and I said to you, in your blood live”. “And I passed over you and saw you, and behold your time was the time of love” — when they are already big children, one must yes make a purification, because they are already like strangers, it’s already not the same body as his entire body.

“But if they have not yet reached the state of ‘your breasts were formed and your hair grew’, then yes first of all from relatives, and if there is no need for separation”.

Distinction Between Bar Mitzvah Age and Signs of Maturity

Then, ah, it’s very interesting, then, until in mother’s terms, then is bar mitzvah age, when it’s already thirteen years and one day, that’s already forbidden even if their body is not yet. One must learn a bit in the laws of marriage, and the second one after that.

That is, in order for it to be both, there must be two: it should be twelve or eleven, and also the body should be grown. If the body is not grown, then, and next there is also a bit like this, that at a younger age one doesn’t look at all at the signs of maturity.

But this has nothing to do with us, we talked about that he is legally called an adult. Here we’re talking more regarding disgrace, whether it’s already appropriate or not appropriate. Or not appropriate because he is already big and he already has the body, or not appropriate because he is already an adult — an adult is already an adult.

Conclusion of the Laws of Purity of the Camp

Until here the laws of “and your camp shall be holy”, as it says in the verse, the laws of purity of the camp for reading Krias Shema. Very good.