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DAAT · LEVEL 1 — INTRODUCTION

Siman ס״ח · Piyyutim in the Shema blessings

דין שלא להפסיק בפיוטים בברכות קריאת שמע — there are places that say piyyutim in the Shema blessings ; it is proper to refrain, for it is a הפסק. But the Rama's gloss : ויש אומרים דאין איסור (הר״י, הרשב״א, הטור) — such is the custom. Nevertheless, while the tzibbur says them, one engages in nothing, not even Torah
סימן ס״ח · סעיף אחד
דין שלא להפסיק בפיוטים בברכות קריאת שמע
🌱 Introductory level · Beginners
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This siman teaches whether to interrupt the Shema blessings with piyyutim: the Mechaber holds נכון למנוע — it is proper to refrain, since it is a הפסק ; but the Rama rules ויש אומרים דאין איסור (הר״י, הרשב״א, הטור), and such is the custom. Nevertheless, while the tzibbur says them, one engages in nothing, not even Torah ; and הרהור לאו כדיבור — studying by thought is permitted. Hebrew text, fluent English translation and explanation of the seif, with a section of practical cases.

Topic: Not interrupting with piyyutim in the Shema blessings — הפסק, the Rama's gloss, and הרהור לאו כדיבור
Source: שולחן ערוך אורח חיים סימן ס״ח · סעיף אחד

Compiled by: רב יוסף חיים סממה
DAAT · daattorah.com

Our Sages taught (ברכות י״א.): מקום שאמרו לקצר אינו רשאי להאריך, מקום שאמרו להאריך אינו רשאי לקצר — where they said to be brief one may not lengthen, and where they said to lengthen one may not be brief. Every berakha has a fixed form (מטבע). Hence the question of the siman: does adding piyyutim to the Shema blessings count as a הפסק that alters the fixed form of the berakha? We study here at the level of principle; for personal conduct, one refers to the custom and to the ruling of the Rav.

📑 Study outline

A. The seif — the Mechaber (נכון למנוע — הפסק), the Rama's gloss (ויש אומרים דאין איסור), the ban on interrupting, and הרהור לאו כדיבור
1. Practical case — a community that says piyyutim: must one refrain?
2. Practical case — during the piyyutim: may one study or talk?
3. Practical case — learning by thought (הרהור) and not separating from the tzibbur
+ Comprehension questions and going further

A. Piyyutim in the Shema blessings — the seif

פִּיּוּטִים בְּבִרְכוֹת קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע — piyyutim in the Shema blessings — piyyutim are liturgical poems that some insert in the middle of the blessings surrounding the Shema. The question is whether they constitute a הפסק — an interruption that alters the fixed form (מטבע) of the berakha. The Mechaber leans toward refraining; the Rama reports that יש אומרים דאין איסור and that such is the custom. Yet one principle is shared by all: while the tzibbur says them, one engages in nothing else.

1. The Mechaber — נכון למנוע (it is a הפסק)

יש מקומות שמפסיקים בברכת קריאת שמע לומר פיוטים, ונכון למנוע מלאומרם משום דהוי הפסק.
There are places that interrupt the blessings of the קריאת שמע to say piyyutim ; and it is proper to refrain from saying them (נכון למנוע), since they constitute a הפסק (an interruption).
The Mechaber notes a practice — some places say piyyutim within the Shema blessings — and gives his view: נכון למנוע, it is proper to refrain, for these additions are a הפסק that breaks the order and the fixed form of the blessings.

2. The Rama's gloss — ויש אומרים דאין איסור

הגה: ויש אומרים דאין איסור בדבר [הר״י בסוף פרק אין עומדין, והרשב״א, והטור], וכן נוהגין בכל המקומות לאומרם, והמקיל ואינו אומרם לא הפסיד.
Gloss: and there are those who say there is no prohibition in the matter (the הר״י at the end of chapter אין עומדין, the הרשב״א and the הטור), and such is the custom of all places to say them ; and one who is lenient and does not say them has not lost anything.
The Rama reports the opposing view: according to the הר״י (end of chapter אין עומדין), the הרשב״א and the הטור, there is אין איסור — no prohibition in saying them, and וכן נוהגין — such is the widespread custom. In practice one follows the custom of the place; and המקיל ואינו אומרם לא הפסיד — one who prefers to refrain loses nothing.

3. The ban on interrupting during the piyyutim

ומכל מקום לא יעסוק בשום דבר, אפילו בדברי תורה אסור להפסיק ולעסוק כל זמן שהצבור אומר פיוטים, כל שכן שאסור לדבר שום שיחה בטלה.
Nevertheless, one should not engage in anything: even with words of Torah it is forbidden to interrupt and to engage in them the entire time the congregation says the piyyutim ; and all the more so is it forbidden to speak any idle talk.
Even where the piyyutim are said, one must remain with the tzibbur: as long as it says them, one engages in nothing else. Even דברי תורה — Torah study — is forbidden as an interruption; and כל שכן, all the more so, שיחה בטלה (idle talk) is prohibited.

4. הרהור לאו כדיבור — thought is not speech

ומכל מקום מי שלומד על ידי הרהור שרואה בספר ומהרהר לית ביה איסורא, דהרהור לאו כדיבור דמי... ועל כן אין לאדם לפרוש עצמו מהצבור במקום שנהגו לאמרם, ויאמר אותו עמהם.
Nevertheless, one who studies by thought (הרהור), looking at a book and reflecting, has nothing forbidden, since thought is not like speech (הרהור לאו כדיבור דמי)... Therefore one should not separate from the congregation where the custom is to say them, and one should say them along with it.
Looking at a book and reflecting silently is not a הפסק, since הרהור לאו כדיבור — thought is not equivalent to speech. Yet the Rama fears this may lead to speaking and to a real interruption; therefore אין לאדם לפרוש עצמו מהצבור — one does not set oneself apart from the congregation where the piyyutim are said, but says them along with it.
The siman in one sentence: inserting piyyutim into the Shema blessings is, for the Mechaber, a הפסק from which נכון למנוע ; but the Rama reports ויש אומרים דאין איסור (הר״י, הרשב״א, הטור) and that such is the custom, והמקיל לא הפסיד ; while the tzibbur says them, one engages in nothing, not even Torah ; and הרהור לאו כדיבור — studying by thought is permitted, but without separating from the congregation.

Practical cases

Case 1 — A community that says the piyyutim

Situation: in his synagogue, piyyutim are added within the Shema blessings. Must one refrain?
Conduct: the Mechaber holds נכון למנוע (it is a הפסק), but the Rama rules ויש אומרים דאין איסור (הר״י, הרשב״א, הטור) and וכן נוהגין — such is the widespread custom. One therefore follows the custom of the place: where the piyyutim are said, one says them with the congregation; המקיל ואינו אומרם לא הפסיד. For the practical application, one follows one's Rav.

Case 2 — Studying or talking during the piyyutim

Situation: while the tzibbur says the piyyutim, may one review a limud or exchange a word?
Conduct: לא יעסוק בשום דבר — one engages in nothing while the tzibbur says them. Even דברי תורה (Torah study) is forbidden as an interruption; and כל שכן שיחה בטלה (idle talk). For the details, one follows one's Rav.

Case 3 — Learning by thought (הרהור)

Situation: may one, silently, look at a book and reflect during the piyyutim?
Conduct: yes, הרהור לאו כדיבור — thought is not speech, לית ביה איסורא, there is no prohibition in studying thus in silence. But one takes care not to separate from the tzibbur (אין לאדם לפרוש עצמו מהצבור) where the piyyutim are said: one says them with the congregation. For borderline cases, one follows one's Rav.

Comprehension questions

Check your understanding:
  1. Why does the Mechaber hold that it is נכון למנוע the piyyutim in the Shema blessings?
  2. What does the Rama report in his gloss, and in the name of which Rishonim (יש אומרים דאין איסור)?
  3. While the tzibbur says the piyyutim, why is even Torah study forbidden?
  4. What is הרהור לאו כדיבור, and why does it permit studying by thought?
  5. Why must one not separate from the congregation (אין לאדם לפרוש עצמו מהצבור) where the piyyutim are said?

Going further

If you wish to deepen this siman:
Continue to the next simanSiman 69 →
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DAAT · רב יוסף חיים סממה

סימן ס״ח · סעיף אחד · Level 1 — Introduction
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