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What is the nature of Kriat Shema - one mitzvah (מצוה) performed twice or two distinct mitzvos? Rashi (רש"י) holds there are two separate mitzvos with different spiritual experiences (surrendering at night vs. energizing in morning), while Tosafos (תוספות) sees one mitzvah of accepting Heaven's yoke performed twice daily. This dispute parallels the Ramban (רמב"ן)-Rambam (רמב"ם) machloket on counting mitzvos and impacts practical halachic applications.
This shiur provides an in-depth analysis of Brachos 2a, focusing on the fundamental machloket between Rashi (רש"י) and Tosafos (תוספות) regarding the nature of Kriat Shema. Rabbi Zweig explains that according to Rashi, there are two separate mitzvos - one of 'beshachbecha' (when you lie down) and one of 'uvkumecha' (when you rise up), representing different spiritual experiences. The evening Shema involves 'mafkir ruach' (surrendering one's soul), while the morning Shema is about energizing oneself for the day. According to Tosafos, however, there is only one mitzvah (מצוה) of 'kabbalas ol malchus shamayim' (accepting the yoke of Heaven) performed twice daily. The shiur connects this dispute to the positions of the Rambam (רמב"ם) and Ramban (רמב"ן) regarding counting mitzvos. The Ramban argues that Kriat Shema should count as two mitzvos because they are not 'maakeh zeh es zeh' (interdependent) and occur at different times with different spiritual qualities. The Rambam counts it as one mitzvah, similar to how he views tefillah as one mitzvah said three times daily.
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Brachos 2a
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