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Why does the Rambam (רמב"ם) require both Borchu and Kaddish for morning prayers, while evening requires only one or the other? Megillah 23b establishes parshas al sh'ma requires ten people. The shiur develops a yesod that morning Krias Shema has two distinct functions requiring tzibur: kabbalas ol malchus shamayim (making Hashem (ה׳) king through communal declaration) and the beginning of avodah (service that extends into Shemoneh Esreh).
The shiur analyzes the Rambam (רמב"ם)'s presentation of the laws of communal prayer in Hilchos Tefillah, focusing on the requirement of "parshas al sh'ma" found in Megillah 23b. The Rambam describes a unique davening structure where the shaliach tzibur recites Birchas Krias Shema and Shema aloud while the congregation either listens and is yotzei or joins along. This raises fundamental questions: what exactly is parshas al sh'ma, and why does it require a minyan? The Rambam's description reveals an intriguing pattern. In the morning service, he mandates both Kaddish (before Borchu) and Borchu. The congregation must answer "Yehei Shmei Rabba" with all their strength and "Amen" at the end of Kaddish. For Mincha, the Rambam specifies that everyone must stand for Kaddish before Shemoneh Esreh. For Maariv, he mentions both Borchu and Kaddish, with the standing requirement appearing after Kaddish. These variations demand explanation—if Kaddish alone creates the tzibur for tefillah, why is Borchu needed? And why do the standing requirements differ?
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Megillah 23b
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