[HANASHIR:3625] shema

[Benjo <bfleisch...>]

hi list-

1)barukh shem kvod (blessed is [the] honored name), malkhuto l'olam va'ed 
(his 'kingdom' is everlasting):

The jewish tradition has been to always say this verse silently, as 
before noted, it is not part of the bible quote.  early Reform, 
in one of its many changes in the liturgy, i believe, required a 
reversal of the tradition and had congregants both stand up for 
thr Shema and say the verse aloud.  questions:  
why do we say it at all, why do we say it out loud on Yom Kippur?  the 
reasons elude me at the moment but i've read them.  sources to look up: 
Klein's "Guide to Jewish REligious practice", Millgram's "Jewish Worship" 
, Hammer's "Entering Jewish Prayer".
in Hammer it says p. 129
the ancient method of readingthe shema was at a public service, with a 
minyan, the leader would proclaim the first line.  then he opened the 
scroll and showed the passage to the people.  this was done twice daily.
the people would then respond with a response that was common whenever 
the name of God ws recited "Blessed be the name of His glorious Majesty 
forever and ever!".  Hammer says this makes sense why it interrupts the 
text then, because it isa response of the congregation.  The congregation 
then continues the reading v'ahavta...
        This method was abandoned perhaps with Roman persecutions in the 
2nd century C.E. when public practice of Judaism was forbidden.  the 
response lost importance without public reading.  today, we retain the 
practice but say the verse quietly so as not to interrupt the text.  
Hammer then lists a number of legends that explain it. a legend explains 
that since 'barukh shem kvod' is an angelic response, we say it aloud on 
yom Kippur because on that day there is no difference between us and the 
angels. (we are free of sin and dependence on bodily needs).

2) adding 'El Melekh Ne'eman' God is a trustworthy 'king.'
this is only said to oneself in the absence of a minyan. i read in the 
masorti siddur (va'ni tfillati) once an explanation that the shema has X 
words in it and since at the end of a reading in a minyan the sh"atz 
(leader) says "Adomai Elokekhem Emet" that the X+3 words of the reading 
have a special kabbalistic significance.  since there is no leader to say 
those extra 3 words in the absence of a minyan, the individual adds the 3 
'El melekh ne'eman'

well, I hope that helps. i just happened to have Hammer's book with me 
today :)

Janis wrote:  Common
 translations generally translate "Machuto" as his
kingdom, but I suspect it's referring to G-d, Himself - his kingSHIP 
rather tha kingDOM.

i believe 'malkhut' is kingdom or 'place of dominion', so malkhuto would 
be his dominion.  shem kvod refers to God, malkhuto refers to what God 
does or where he is.  that's ahow I see it.  your interpretation is 
interesting though

later
-Benjamin

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