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Why did Yaakov recite Shema at his reunion with Yosef while Yosef did not? The shiur builds on a Rambam (רמב"ם) that communal affairs override even Shema to reveal that Shema is not merely a personal religious commitment but a "pledge of allegiance" to a Jewish state. Yosef's focus on resettling 70 people—establishing a community—was itself the fulfillment of Shema, defining Judaism as a responsibility to build both Jewish community and international brotherhood.
Rabbi Zweig opens by addressing the reunion of Yaakov and Yosef in Parshas Vayigash (45:27–46:1). The Torah (תורה) describes Yosef falling on Yaakov's neck and crying, but Rashi (רש"י) notes that Yaakov neither embraced Yosef in return nor kissed him because he was reciting Shema. The obvious question: why was Yosef not also saying Shema after 22 years of separation? The shiur pivots to a foundational halachic principle: a person immersed in full-time Torah learning must interrupt to recite Shema (a Torah obligation) but need not interrupt for Shemoneh Esrei (a rabbinic obligation). The Rambam (רמב"ם) adds a stunning halacha (הלכה): if a person is engaged in sorkei tzibur (communal affairs), he should not interrupt even for Shema. He should complete the communal work and recite Shema afterward—and the Rambam explicitly says "im nishar zman likros," implying that even if no time remains to say Shema, communal affairs take precedence. This is not about prioritizing; it is about recognizing that communal affairs themselves fulfill the essence of Shema.
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Vayigash 45:27–46:1, Bereishis 39:8–9
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