Ulla said:” He who recites the Shma without Tefillin, he as if tesitifies falsely agains himself (R. Yona - for he recites the passages that require putting on tefillin while not wearing it ). RabbimYochanan said :” as if he brings the sacrifice of Olah without meal flour and the sacrifice of Shlomim without libations. Rabbi Yochanan said: He who wishes to receive the complete Yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven will relieve himself and wash his hands and put on Tefillin and read the Shma and pray. R. Chiya bar Abba said that R. Yochanan said that every manl who who relieves himselve, washes his hands, puts on Tefillin, reads the Shma and prays, the verse considers it for him as if he build an altar and brought upon it a sacrifice for it says: I will wash in purity my hands and I will encircle your altar, O G-d.”(Brachot 15a).
The Rambam quotes only the statement of Ulla(Tefillin 4,26)[1]. It is noteworthy and I believe highy significant that he selcts the opinion of Ulla over that of R. Yochanan in deviation of the accepted preference for the opinion of R. Yochanan over that of Ulla.
Careful consideration of the different import of Ulla’s statement provides us with an important albeit, at this point, not a very surpising insight. As R. Yona points out, whereas Ulla criticizes a worshipper who says the Shma without Tefillin, he in no way suggests that this creates a deficiency in the fulfillment of the Mitsva of the Shma. R. Yochanan, on the other hand, clearly indicates that not wearing Tefillin detracts in some way from the Mitsva. Ulla’s statement does not deal with the Shmone Esrei, whereas for R. Yochanan, it is an integral part of the enchances definition of receiving the complete yoke of the kingdom of heaven. In addition, R. Yochanan views this complete yoke in the context of the sacrificial order hereas Ulla does not[2]. The approach is internally consistent for prayer is in place of the Tamid sacrifice(Brachot 26b). Since it is an integral part of the complete yoke, prayer imparts a quasi-sacrificial character to the entire order of the morning prayers, of which the Shma is an integral component[3]. He probably sees the Tefillin and the Shma as building the basis, an altar, for the Shmone Esrei experience , a sacrificial entity within the paradigm of Temple service.
I would like to suggeat that the Rambam, based on his approach to the nature of Shma as being a pardigm of Torah study and not of prayer, could not cite the words and the approach of R. Yochanan who saw the amalgalm of Shma and Smone Esrei , along with hand washing and Tefillin, as constutuents of the expanded and enchanced process of receiving the Yoke of Heaven. He could much easier accept the approach of Ulla that saw wearing Tefillin as a “side issue” that did not impact on the Mitsva performance and did not involve the paradigm of sacrifices..
The Talmud continues:”... for R. Chisda rebuked those who search for water at the time of prayer. This is for Shma but for Shmone Esrei (one is required to travel ) up to (a distance) of a mil(Brachot 15a).” The Rambam qodifies this distinction verbtim(Shma 3,1[4]). The Tosafot, on the other hand write:”...it appears that we do not accept this text for it should be the same also for prayer for what is the difference between the Shma and Prayer.” Although these words are open to several interpretations, elsewhere the Tosafot state explicitly that the Talmudic definition of the term “prayer” includes the Shma(Sabbath 11a s.v. kgon). I think that the Tosafot do view the Shma as an integral part of the Shmone Esrei process and do also see it within the context of prayer as sacrifice. We appear then to have here a disagreement on both textual and conceptual levels regarding the identity of the Shma and the Shmone Esrei between the Tosafot and the Rambam.
[1] Curiously, there is the only reference in the Mishne Torah where the law of the Shma and Shmone Esrei is quoted together.Although standard in the Talmus, in the works of the Rambam the two are almost always discussed separately. This curious insistence on separating the two prayers provides additional evidence to the suggestion that the Rambam viewed the Shma and the Shmone Esrei as different in essence as well as in routine.
[2] Similiarly, the morning washing of hands is viewed by the Rambam(Laws of Prayer 4,2) solely in terms of assuring cleanliness for prayer. There is no mention of the requirement of using a vessel, pouring the water three times, puring out of a vessel instead of sticking one’s hand into a container,or of water, rather than other cleansing agents. There is no sacrificial symbolism to morning hand washing; it is of a purely utilitarian nature. The Rosh to Brachot 60b employs a similiar approach, although a priori he does require that a vessel be used. However, the vessel is only required to conform to the text of the blessing which is modeled after the ablutions before eating bread, where a vessel is required. I am aware of one other positon of the Rosh where he states that the halakhot follow the text of the blessing and not vice versa. In the commentary to Pesachim 115 , the Rosh requires an olive size of Maror based solely on the text of its blessing-”on eating maror(halachic eating is often defined as constituting a size of an olive).
Ther are a number of Rishonim that explicitly pattern the morning ablutions after the service of the High Priest in the Temple(c.f.Kaffih’s commentary to the Mishe Torah) and do require the elements that I mentioned. Note also Teshuvot HaRashba, 191.
[3] I heard R, Shimon Schwab of blessed memory suggest that the whole of morning liturgy can be viewed as a symbolic/experiential piligrimage to the Temple, concluding with the Shmone Esrei.This piligrimage begins with the Akeida, a description of a trip to Moount Moraih and proceeds with the chapters of Ketores and Eilu Mkomon, selecting the appropriate sacrifice to be brought to the courtyard
The worshipper then proceeds past the Soreg, a cross lattice around the Temple Mount, where only Jews are permitted to enter(Keilim 1,8). This corresponds to the blessing of “...sanctifies his nation Israel”. This a blessing delineates the uniqueness of the people of Israel and is followed by Pesukei D’zimra that allude to the Songs of Ascent(Psalms 120-34 )and their assiciation with the steps that lead into the Coutyard of Israelites(Middot 2,5). Rabbi Schwab’s views have been partially recorded by the Khal Adath Jeshurun and put out as a two tape series.
[4] The Rambam’s view as to nature of obligation to wash one’s hands before prayer is not germane to our purpose. The distinction that he makes between washing for the morning prayer and at other times is probably best understood along the lines of the distinction between washing only one’s hands for the purpose of ritual cleanliness( where any means of cleansing is post facto acceptable) and that of purifying one’s whole body, including feet and face(Brachot 4,2-3 and Tefilla 4,3 )
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