Daf 13

1) The Mishna says: if one is about to read the Parsha Shma in the Torah, and it became time to read Shma, if he has intentions, he’s Yoitza. If not, he’s not Yoitza. According to the opinion that you must have intentions to do the action for the Mitzva, we refer to having intention to be Yoitza your Mitzva of Shma. According to the opinion that you can be Yoitza without intent, it must refer to someone reading it in order to correct mistakes in this Sefer Torah. Therefore, he’s only Yoitza if he intends to actually read it. [Rashi explains: he needs to intend to do an action of reading (and not just absentmindedly say the words). However, Tosfos disagrees. After all, he should be Yoitza since, at the end of the day, he said the words. Rather, the explanation is: if someone was reading it to edit it, he usually doesn’t read it the way it should be read, but only the way that it’s written, when there is an added letter, or subtracted letter. For instance, reading Litotefes and Mezuzas (without the Vuv before the Suf). Therefore, if he wants to be Yoitza, he needs to intend to read it the proper way.]

2) [Tosfos quotes the Yerushalmi that infers from here that you can be Yoitza Shma without its Brachos, since he’s Yoitza by reading what’s in the Torah. Although R’ Yochanan’s conclusion in the first Perek is; only the order of the Brachos don’t prevent you from being Yoitza, implying that you’re not Yoitza if you leave out the Brachos; we must say that he only refers to saying it in a Tzibor, and not when saying it privately.]

3) Rebbi says that you need to say Shma only in Lashon Hakodesh, since the Pasuk says V’hayu, which connotes “as it is,” the way it was written. Although the Pasuk says Shma, to hear, it’s not telling us that you can say it in any language that you can understand, but that you must hear the words that you say (and you can’t whisper it lower than what you can hear). The Chachumim say that you can read it in all languages since it says Shma, in any language that you understand, but hold that you don’t need to hear what you say. Although it also says Vhayu, the way it is, that’s only that you can’t read it backwards. Rebbi (who already used the word V’hayu), learns that you can’t read it backwards from the extra Hey in Hadivarim. However, the Chachumim don’t believe that Hey is extra.

4) [Tosfos says: the Halacha is like the Chachumim. First, we only Paskin like Rebbi when he argues with one of his colleagues, and not when he argues with many colleagues. Also, we Paskin later that you’re Yoitza if you read it too low for you to hear, and the Chachumim are the ones who hold that.]

5) This argument doesn’t depend on if, regularly, the Torah was given to be read in all languages, so that you need a Drasha to say that it’s the opposite by Shma. After all, no matter what you hold regarding the rest of the Torah, the Rabanan need a Drasha of Shma so you shouldn’t Darshen from Vahyu the opposite. Rebbi needs the Drasha of Vahyu so not to learn from the word Shma the opposite.

[Rashi in Megila explains “the Torah was given to be read” regarding the Torah reading. Tosfos qualifies it that it’s those Parshiyos that the Torah requires you to read, like Parshas Zachor. However, regular Torah reading is only rabbinic. However, Tosfos own explanation for “the Torah was given to be read”: it refers to the Parsha you read by Bikkurim, Vidoy Maasar and by Chalitza, if you may read it in all languages. After all, every word spoken by Hashem by Sinai branched out into seventy languages.]

6) The Pasuk says “Al Livavecha,” on your heart; R’ Elazar says that this teaches us that you need to think of the word’s meaning [Rashi: until these words. Tosfos: until V’chol M’odecha. You need to think of the meaning of the first two P’sukim in Shma that talks about the singularity of Hashem, and to love and fear Him.] R’ Akiva and R’ Acha say that you need to think of the meaning of the first Parsha. R’ Acha’s Tanna Kama held that you need to think the meaning of the whole Shma. R’ Yochanan Paskins like R’ Akiva and R’ Acha.

7) R’ Zutra says that you need to read and think the meaning of the first Parsha, since it says in that Parsha “Al Livavcha” on your heart, and “V’dibarta Bam” speak in it. However, you only need to say the second Parsha, since it says “Lidaber Bam,” but without thinking. Although it also says “Al Livavchem,” that only teaches us that you place the hand Tefilin on your bicep which is by your heart.

8) R’ Yashiya says that the second Parsha needs thinking of the meaning because of “Al Livavchem,” but you don’t need to say it. Although it also says “L’daber Bam,” that’s going on “you should teach your children.” That, by learning Torah, you’ll come to teach the children.

9) R’ Meir says that you only need to think of the meaning by the first Pasuk of Shma, and Rava Paskins like him. [This is the Halacha, since Rava was the latest authority to Paskin on this.]

10) If you stretch out the word “Echad,” your life will also be lengthened. You should stretch it all out by the Daled, but make sure that you don’t read the Ches too fast (that the vowel ‘Kumeitz’ shouldn’t be blurred). You don’t need to stretch it out more than to accept Hashem as king of above, below and all four directions.

11) You need to stand still when you say the part that you must think the meaning. [Tosfos says: therefore, since we Paskin that you only need to think of the meaning with the first Pasuk of Shma, you only need to stand still for the first Pasuk. Although Beis Hillel allows you to say Shma while doing work, it’s a Mitzva Min Hamuvchur to stand still for the first Pasuk. Similarly, the Medrish Tanchuma says that it’s forbidden to accept the “yoke of Heaven” walking. Therefore, stand still for Shma and you can start walking again by V’ahavta.]

12) Rebbi Darshened for the whole time that you may read Shma in the morning, and he only said the first Pasuk of Shma when the announcer was repeating his words. Bar Kapara says that he didn’t say Shma afterwards, and R’ Shimon b. Rebbi said he did say it. Although he always said some statement about the Exodus to “remember the Exodus,” and he didn’t rely on reading it later when he said Shma after the Shiur, that’s because he wanted to remember the Exodus during the time that you may read Shma.

13) R’ Nachman says: if someone is nodding off to sleep in middle of the first Pasuk of Shma, you need to bother him to wake up completely. However, from that point and on, you don’t need to.

14) It’s forbidden for someone to sleep on his back, but he may lean over a little. However, he shouldn’t do this when he’s reading Shma since he shouldn’t be accepting the “yoke of Heaven” haughtily. However, if it’s difficult to get up since he’s obese, he may read it leaning.

15) R’ Meir says that you can greet someone you need to fear in middle of a Perek of Shma, and of course you may return his greeting. Between Perakim, you may greet someone who you need to honor, and of course, you return his greeting. R’ Yehuda agrees regarding initializing a greeting, but says: in middle of a Perek, he returns the greeting of someone who he needs to honor; and between Perakim, he can return a greeting to anyone.

[Tosfos says: the Halacha is like R’ Yehuda when arguing with R’ Meir. Therefore, someone may answer Kedusha and Kaddish in middle of Shma since there is no greater response for honor than for Hashem’s praise. However, it’s forbidden to answer it in middle of Shemona Esrei. It’s even forbidden to answer between Geula and Tefila. If the Shatz gets to Modim and you’re in middle of Shemona Esraei, you bow down with the congregation, unless you’re at the beginning or end of a Bracha where it’s forbidden to bow down, since it’s forbidden to add more times to bow down at these places since you can only bow down as enacted. The custom of R’ Tam to wait by Shira Chadasha to respond to Kaddish and Kedusha. He held that, even if you wait there for the time it takes to read the whole item you’re holding by, you don’t need to return to the beginning.]

16) [Tosfos says: if you’re holding at a place that you can’t answer, you can’t even answer in Lashon Hakodesh. The Yerushalmi permits, if you’re in a place where you may stop, to even stop in the middle of a Pasuk. It Darshens: “you shall speak in them,” that you may speak then. Similarly, the Gemara in Yuma uses that Pasuk to Darshen: you shall only speak in them, i.e., in Shma, and not in Tefila. You can’t return a greeting in Tefila. It’s only permitted during Shma.]

Daf 14

17) Regarding responding in middle of Hallel and Megila (which, in one way, is more lenient than Shma, since Shma is a Torah obligation and these are rabbinical, and, in another way, it’s more stringent than Shma since they publicize a miracle): R’ Chiya says that you may stop and return a greeting and it’s not a problem. Rabbah says that you can’t stop in middle of a Perek during those days that individuals finish the Hallel, (but only between the Perakim), but you may stop when they don’t finish the Hallel. [Tosfos explains: it’s not exact to say that an individual is exempt, since even a Tzibur isn’t obligated, since you don’t have all the Jews together like they had by the Shechting of the Korban Pesach. Also, we see that Rav wanted to stop a Tzibur from saying it. Rather, it’s only a custom for anyone to say it.]

[The Machzer Vitri says: therefore, you shouldn’t make a Bracha on Hallel during those days. As we say regarding Hoshanos (on Hoshana Rabbah) that you don’t make a Bracha over them since it’s only a custom enacted by the prophets. However, Tosfos says that this is not a proof. We only say that regarding the Hoshanos which only consists of moving it. However, we see that we do make a Bracha on Mitzvos during Yom Tov Sheini although it’s only a custom. Also, if they didn’t make a Bracha on it, why is our Gemara worried whether you can respond to someone in the middle of it? Also, this is why, when Rav came to Bavel and saw them starting to say Hallel on Rosh Chodesh, and he wanted to stop them until he saw them skipping and he realized that it was only a custom. However, if you don’t make a Bracha over a custom, why didn’t he realize it’s a custom when they didn’t make a Bracha?

In Tosfos’s days they would make a Bracha “L’gmor Hallel” when they said the whole Hallel. and “L’kros Hallel” when they skipped. So, why didn’t Rav understand that it was a custom when they made the Bracha ’L’kros?’ Tosfos answers: really, you can make either Bracha for either reading, so it wasn’t a proof what they were saying. However, we’re accustomed to make L’kros for skipping and L’gmor if you read the whole thing to make sure that we don’t make a mistake how much to read.]

[There are those who want to say that an individual doesn’t make a Bracha over it. However the Sar Mikutzi disagrees since it’s no worse than any individual who’s not obligated to do a Mitzvah but wants to do the Mitzva, like women regarding time-based positive Mitzvos, that they may make a Bracha over them.]

17a) [Tosfos concludes: you can’t make a Bracha Rishona on the Hallel said in the Pesach Seder since you make a Hefsik between the beginning and end of Hallel. After all, we had the question whether you can make a Hefsik to greet someone in Hallel like in Shma. However, we wouldn’t allow a real Hefsik because you made a Bracha on it. After all, without a Bracha, what would be wrong with a Hefsik? The Yerushalmi that implies that you make a Bracha, that’s only for those who say Hallel straight without a Hefsik, but we who make a Hefsik, don’t make a Bracha. Even those who make a Bracha, the Yerushalmi says: if he reads Hallel in Shul, he’s Yoitza then and he doesn’t have to say it again by the Seder. The Yerushalmi resolves from this that you don’t need to drink the four cups in the order of the Hagada, since this person doesn’t even say Hallel in his Seder. Therefore, the Yerushalmi says; this is the reason why the Bracha “Ashar Gu’olnu” (which we make right after the first part of Hallel before the meal) starts with a Baruch and is not a Bracha that’s next to an earlier Bracha (of L’kros Hallel) since they don’t always make it at the Seder, i.e., if they already read Hallel in Shul.

When the Yerushalmi said that their is a “past and future’ to a Bracha, it wasn’t referring to making a L’kros for the first part of Hallel and a L’gmor for the second half of Hallel, like Tosfos originally thought. Rather, the Yerushalmi was asking why does “Asher Gu’olnu” ends with a Baruch Atah, and we don’t consider it as a short Bracha like Bracha on food since it’s only a praise. On that, the Yerushalmi answers: it has a past and future, that we praise him for the redemption of the past, and of the future redemptions. Since the Bracha has many concepts, we consider it a long Bracha to end with a Baruch Atah.

Tosfos concludes: That, which the Bracha ‘Yihalilucha’ (that we say at the end of the second part of Hallel) doesn’t start with a Bracha although it’s not next to an earlier Bracha, (as we said that the meal is a Hefsik), that’s because it’s only a praise, so it doesn’t need a beginning Baruch just like Elokai Neshama.]

18) One may taste [Tosfos: and spit out] during a fast, since he only accepted on himself not to eat and drink, but not to refrain from all pleasures. [Tosfos says: this infers that it’s only to a fast that an individual accepted, since it depends on what he accepted upon himself, but not one enacted by the Tzibur.] Also, if he tastes, he shouldn’t make a Bracha until he tastes a Revious. [Tosfos says: however, he may not swallow it during a fast, and he would regularly need to make a Bracha on swallowing too.]

19) It’s forbidden to give Shalom to someone before he Davened. Although we allow saying Shalom in middle of Shma, we must say this prohibition is only when he got up early to go to his friend’s door to give Shalom. [Tosfos says: however, it’s permitted if you just happened to bump into him].

20) It’s forbidden for someone to do his work before he Davened.

21) You can’t make a Hefsik between “Hashem Eilokeichem” and ‘Emes.’ R’ Yochanan requires one to say Emes again when he starts “Emes V’yatziv.” Rabbah doesn’t require him to say Emes again.

22) Someone shouldn’t start saying Parshas Tzitzis at night. Rather, they composed another way to mention “the redemption from Egypt” at night; “I thank you etc.” However if you started saying the Parsha of Tzitzis, you need to finish it regularly. Rav held that the words “El Bnai Yisrael” isn’t the start of the Parsha, only the words “V’amarta Aleihem” is a start. However, in Maarava, they said V’amarta Aleihem, since they didn’t hold it as a start to Parshas Tzitzis. Therefore, nowadays, we say V’amarta Aleihem, since Maarava said it. However, since Rav held that you started Parshas Tzitzis when starting V’amarta Aleihem, we finish it.

23) [Tosfos says: R’ Shimon holds that Tzitzis is a time-based positive Mitzvah since you’re exempt at night. According to the opinion that one’s obligated to put Tzitzis on clothes that are in a box, (i.e., those that you’re not wearing, and assuming you’ll always need to have it on even at night, since it would need to be on the Talis by dawn), we must say the practical way that R’ Shimon exempts it at night is to explain: the Torah exempt clothing that are designated to be worn at night. The Yerushalmi explains it that way too. The reason that the Rabanan argue and say it’s not a time-based Mitzvah is; since you’re obligated in Tzitzis if you wear clothing that is designated to be worn day and night.]

24) You first need to put on Tefilin before you say Shma, or else it’s like you’re saying false witness on yourself (i.e., as an euphemism on Hashem; as you say that Hashem commanded you to wear it, and you’re not wearing it). However, if you don’t have the Tefilin now, you can read Shma, and then when you get the Tefilin, you put it on and then Daven.

[Tosfos says: from here it seems that you can put on Talis and Tefilin between Geula and Tefila and make a Bracha. However, Tosfos concludes: it may not be a proof to Talis, since we may only allow it by Tefilin since you need it for Davening since it’s also like saying false witness on yourself since it’s part of “accepting the yoke of Heaven.” However, Tzitzis is only an obligation when you wear the Talis, and if you’re not wearing the Talis, you don’t have any obligation. The Ram from Kutzi says that, even regarding the Tefilin, perhaps you shouldn’t make a Bracha when you put it on, but wait until after Shemona Esrei and then you’ll move it around (and it’s like you’re placing it on now) and make a Bracha on it. Similarly, if you put on your Talis while your hands are dirty and can’t make a Bracha, when you wash them, you move around the Talis and you make the Bracha.]

25) Someone who is digging a grave for a dead body is considered as being busy with a Mitzvah, and thus, exempt from reading Shma, [Tosfos explains the Chiddush of Shma: even if it has a small window of time that you can do it, still you’re exempt, and of course you’re exempt] from all other Mitzvos in the Torah. This is only true if no one else is digging but you. However, if two are helping digging, then each one needs to go out and say Shma during his friend’s turn at digging.

Daf 15

26) If someone doesn’t have any water to wash his hands in the morning he may clean it by rubbing them on dirt, pebbles or woodchips. R’ Chisda cursed those who exclusively go to find water (since he might miss the time to say Shma). However, this is just for Shma, but for Davening, you should try to get water for up to a Parsa (four Mil) if you’re heading in that direction anyhow. If not, then you don’t need to go even a Mil. However, you need to go if it’s less than a Mil. [Tosfos says: we don’t have this in the text, rather, you shouldn’t even try to get water to Daven since you’ll also miss the time for Shachris. This, that the Gemara in Chulin says to wait for Davening for a Parsa etc., that’s regarding Davening in a Minyan.]

27) If someone reads Shma so low that he can’t hear the words; R’ Yossi holds that he’s not Yoitza. R’ Yehuda holds that he’s Yoitza B’dieved, but L’chatchila, he should hear the words. R’ Meir permits reading that way L’chatchila. [Tosfos asks: the reason for R’ Yossi is because the Pasuk says Shma, to hear, and that’s only said by Shma; and perhaps they also enacted all rabbinical Brachos to be like Shma, but why aren’t you Yoitza by Bentching? After all, the Torah didn’t write ’Shma’ by it. Tosfos answers: since the Rabanan decreed to hear what he’s saying by Bentching so that he shouldn’t think he’s also Yoitza by Shma, we shouldn’t differentiate between Shma and Bentching, and we should say they decreed for him not to be Yoitza by Bentching either.]

28) If a deaf person separates Trumah, even R’ Yossi holds that it’s good. Although the deaf man can’t hear his own Bracha, so he can’t be Yoitza, but a lack of Bracha doesn’t prevent the Trumah from being taken.

29) R’ Yosef says that the argument is only regarding reading Shma, since the Pasuk says Shma, to listen. However, R’ Yossi agrees that he’s Yoitza other Mitzvos B’dieved without hearing what he’s saying. [Tosfos says: he argues on what we said earlier that R’ Yossi held this by all Mitzvos.]

30) The Halacha is like R’ Yehuda that you’re Yoitza B’dieved.

31) If a minor reads the Megila; the Chachumim say that an adult can’t be Yoitza with it, and R’ Yehuda held that he could. [Tosfos asks: the Gemara later says that a minor can be Moitzie his father Bentching if his father only ate a Kazayis bread. So, we see a minor can be Moitzie and adult in a rabbinic Mitzvah. Tosfos answers: Bentching over a Kazayis is not really a true enactment, but just a stringency, so it’s really easy to be exempt from such a quasi-obligation. As the Gemara says “they were stringent on themselves (to Bentch) on a Kabeitza or a Kazayis. Alternatively, there, the minor ate to satiation. Therefore, each one only has a single rabbincal obligation. The son, because he’s a minor that they enacted training, and the father, since he ate a rabbinical amount. However, by Megila, the son has a double rabbinical enactment. One, that the whole Megila is rabbinic, and two, he’s only rabbinically obligated in any Mitzva for training. So, that can’t be Moitzie his father that only has one level of rabbinical enactment, to read the Megila.]

32) If one reads without being exact (i.e., he mumbles it) or he doesn’t give a break between letters that “stick together,” like if you have a certain letter that ends a word and the same letter starts the next word, you need a break that you don’t read it as one word. For example, “Bchol Livovicha” shouldn’t sound like “Bcholivuvicha.” [Tosfos brings Rif who adds: even “V’chara Af” should have a break so it doesn’t sound like ’V’charof.’ The same applies to any word that ends with a Mem and the next starts with an Aleph. You should also need to put emphasis on the Zayin of Tizkiru so it shouldn’t sound like Tishkiru, like you’re getting paid and only serve Hashem to get reward.] R’ Yossi holds he’s Yoitza and R’ Yehuda holds he’s not Yoitza. The Halacha is like R’ Yossi that you’re Yoitza.

33) The Pasuk says “U’chisavtam,” which we Darshen that you need a “Kesiva Tama,” a complete writing. This teaches us that you need to write the complete Parsha for Tefilin and Mezuzos, which includes writing the commands “to write them” and “to wear the Tefilin” (U’chisavtam and U’Kishartam). We need this Drasha for R’ Yehuda who held that, when you write the Parsha of Sota to be erased in the water, you only write the curses, and not the commands to write the Parsha and to erase it. Although you might say that we should learn Tefilin and Mezuzos from there from a Gezeira Shava of “Kesiva Kesiva,” so the Pasuk of Kesiva Tama teaches us otherwise.

Daf 16

34) If he reads Shma backwards, he’s not Yoitza. If he reads the Shma and made a mistake in the reading, he needs to return to the place where he made the mistake. If he’s not sure where it was, then he returns to the beginning of the Parsha. If he’s not sure which Parsha he was in, he returns to the beginning. If he’s saying “U’chisavtam” and he doesn’t know of which Parsha he’s saying, he must return to the U’chisavtam of the first Parsha. This is only if he didn’t spontaneously start “L’man Yirbu” but if he did, we assume he’s continuing what he was saying and is a proof that you were in the second Parsha. [Rashi explains: then he can assume that he said everything until Emes V’yatziv since everyone is familiar with the whole Parsha that it just rolls off their lips.]

35) A craftsman may read Shma on top of a tree or wall (that he’s working on) since he doesn’t need much concentration, since he only needs to think of the meaning of the first Parsha. [Tosfos explains: this is not exact, since the Gemara is saying this by Rava and he holds that you only need to think about the first Pasuk]. However, he must stop working for that first Parsha. Although Beis Hillel allows working while saying Shma, that’s from the second Parsha and on.

However, he must go down to Daven Shemona Esrei, since his mind isn’t so calm to concentrate since he’s in a perilous position. [Tosfos explains: you need this reason and you can’t say that the reason you must descend is, like we said earlier, that you can’t Daven on a high place. After all, that’s only if you Daven on a chair or bench. However, if you’re in a tree that you’re working in, it’s like its own floor, and it’s like you’re Davening on a second floor apartment.] However, if he’s in an olive or fig tree (that have many branches and he’s more secure and less fearful) the day worker may Daven on it (not to lose time that he owes to the one who hired him). However, the owner working there must descend even from an olive or fig tree. (Since he doesn’t owe anyone, we don’t give him this leniency.)

36) If a day worker is only working for his food, he needs to Daven the whole Shemona Esrei. (We don’t give any leniencies so he can hurry back to work for the one who hired him, since he’s not getting much of a payment.) However, if he’s getting paid a salary, he only Davens a shorten version (like Havineinu). Even according to R’ Gamliel who regularly forbids people to rely on Davening the short version, but he’ll agree by a worker that he shouldn’t stop his obligated work for a complete Shemona Esrei.

37) There is another Halacha which we differentiate if he’s receiving a salary or just getting his meal. A worker that gets a salary Bentches the first Bracha, and then says the second Bracha and combines the third Bracha (Bonei Yerushalayim) within the second Bracha. [Tosfos explains: although the Torah requires you to make three Brachos, the rabbis have the ability to uproot a Torah law (pastively) for a reason, like here not to stop your work that you’re hired to do for too long.] However, if he’s only getting his meal, then he Bentches the full Bentching. Even if he’s salaried, if the owner is leaning and eating with them, (it shows that he’s not so pushy to get every second of work from them), then the workers must Bentch completely.

38) The workers are exempt from making the Bracha before eating, since it’s completely a rabbinic enactment.

39) A Chasson of a virgin is exempt from reading the Shma. After all, we say that, not only those who are busy with a Mitzvah is exempt from another Mitzva, but also anyone who is preoccupied because of a Mitzvah, like here he’s worried if she’s really a virgin, is exempt for the first four days if he didn’t yet have relations. However, if there is no preoccupation, like if he’s marrying a widow, or if there is preoccupation, but not from a Mitzvah, like if his ship is sinking, he’s obligated.

40) R’ Gamleil read the first night he was a Chasson. [Tosfos points out that this doesn’t contradict the above Hahlacha. Rather, if he’s a great man and wants to accept the yoke of Heaven and is confident that he can think of the meaning of Shma, he’s allowed to read Shma.]

41) The prohibitions of Aninus (i.e., the time right after death) is from the Torah, and therefore, if a relative was buried that day, then you can’t bathe at all. [Tosfos explains: although the prohibition for an Onan to bathe is only rabbinic, since the prohibition to eat Maasar Sheini then is from the Torah; we need to forbid its rabbinical prohibitions in all cases without leniencies.] However, R’ Gamliel held that Aninus by night is only rabbinic, so we can be lenient for a delicate person to bathe. [Tosfos explains: this also applies to any bathing that’s medicinal and not for pleasure. This is also true regarding Tisha B’av and Yom Kippur, that it’s permitted if done medicinally and not for pleasure.]

42) If someone’s slaves and maidservants died, you don’t stand in rows to say “Hashem should comfort you etc.,” you don’t make any Brachos for mourners, nor do you come to comfort them like you would do if they lost a relative. [Tosfos explains the reason: since you might mistakenly assign them a pedigree of a true Jew (and have their children marry into Jews).] R’ Shimon b. Gamleil accepted condolences for Tavi his slave since he was a great man. Also, you don’t address them as Mr. and Mrs. However, if they’re really exemplary people, you may call them that.

43) You tell someone when his slave dies the same thing as when his ox dies; Hashem should make up your loss. R’ Yossi says that, if he was an exemplary person, you can say he was a good man, trustworthy and you had pleasure from what he did. The Chachumim say: if you say this for a slave, what’s left to say for a regular Jew (to make a distinction)?

44) Chachumim say that, if a Chasson wants to read Shma, he may do so. R’ Shimon b.Gamliel says that not anyone who want to take the status of being extra pious may do so. So, if a regular Chasson reads Shma, it looks like he’s being haughty.

The Gemara asks: regarding working on Tisha B’av, it seems that their opinions are the opposite. As we say; in a place where the custom is to work on Tisha Bav, a Talmid Chachum shouldn’t work. The Chachumim say that only a Talmid Chachum may not work, but not others since it will look as if he’s haughty. However, R’ Shimon b. Gamliel says that anyone can make himself into a Talmid Chachum and not do work. R’ Yochanan answers: we must switch their opinions to make them match. R’ Shisha b. R’ Idi answers: the Chachumim only holds that it doesn’t look haughty by Shma since everyone is reading Shma, so if he joins them, he doesn’t stick out. However, by Tisha B’av, where everyone is working and he’s not, this is haughtiness. However, R’ Shimon b. Gamliel says: we only consider it haughty if he’s reading Shma when we know that he can’t concentrate. However, by Tisha B’av, perhaps it doesn’t stick out too much that he’s not doing work, for perhaps he doesn’t have work to do. After all, there’s a lot of unemployed people.

[Tosfos Paskins like R’ Shimon b. Gamliel (since the Halacha is always according to him when he’s mentioned in a Mishna); and according to R’ Shisha’s explanation (since he’s a later authority than R’ Yochanan). However, he concludes: nowadays, where we regularly don’t have much concentration, it’s haughty if a Chasson doesn’t read Shma since he’s trying to show that, regularly, he can concentrate.]