The best approach to take before davening – and the correct approach – is that before reciting the Shema and davening in the morning, one must relieve oneself, wash one’s hands and then put on Tefillin. One must prepare oneself before davening so that when one accepts the Kingdom of Heaven – one does so in absolute purity.
If there is no water available to wash, the Gemara tells us what we need to do. One may even use any substance that can help clean the hands if water is really unavailable.
We move on to the new Mishnah:
The Mishnah gives opinions about the Mitzvah of reciting the Keriat Shema out aloud. Does one need to? Will one not fulfill one’s obligation if one cannot hear what one says?
The second part of the Mishnah discusses another issue with regards to reciting Shema. A person who does not enunciate their words correctly. Do they fulfill their requirement of reciting the Shema? Or is it sufficient to mumble what one says even if the letters are not pronounced perfectly?
The Mishnah discusses a third issue. One who recites the Keriat Shema out of order. Does one fulfill one’s obligation?
The issue of hearing what one says revolves around the word “Shema” which means “Hear”. If so – it is surely clear that one must indeed hear what one says – right? Not necessarily so…
What about a person who is deaf and cannot hear? Can they fulfill their Mitzvah to recite the Keriat Shema?
The Gemara brings another Mishnah which speaks about the Mitzvah of taking tithes. There it says that one who is deaf – even though he can speak – should not take tithes. This is because such a person will be required to make the blessing on taking tithes. But he won’t be able to hear himself! Therefore he should not take tithes. But as is the way of the Talmud, it is not good enough to just end things off there and then. A discussion must take place so that we can put this Halachah into perspective. Maybe the deaf person can indeed take tithes – even though he cannot hear himself making the blessing.
