The Shu”t Divrei Binyahu (8:39) brings that holding a stick, sefer, peyos and even something invisible helps. He quotes the Sefer Zikoran who says that even a bit of tobacco helps. He then says, the mekor is seemingly from the Gemara in Pesachim that says that holding a friend’s hand helps. And it would seem that a hand is non-specific, and holding anything helps.
4) The Beis Yosef (Orach Chaim 58:7) quotes the Kol-Bo who says: Some say if one missed krias shema in the morning there is no making up for it by Ma’ariv. Similarly, if one missed it in Ma’ariv, there is no making up for it in Shacharis. However, Rabbeinu Chaim writes that krias shema is the same as shemonah esrei, and there is tashlumin [one can make up for] for both krias shema and shemonah esrei.
The Shulchan Aruch (58:7) rules: If one never recited krias shema in the day, some say there is tashlumin in Ma’ariv, the same is with Ma’ariv, if one missed out shema in Ma’ariv, he can make up for it in Shacharis. Some argue.
The Mishneh Lemelech (Hilchos Tefillah, 3:9) asks: The Gemara in Berachos (26) says clearly, מעוות לא יוכל לתקון – “a mistake which can’t be fixed”, refers to krias shema?
The Be’er Heitev answers very simply that the Gemara is talking about one who missed out krias shema on purpose, however, if it was a mistake then there is tashlumin the same as shemonah esrei.
Practically the Mishnah Berurah (58:29) brings: The Gaon and Birkay Yosef conclude there is no tashlumin, as when it comes to tefillah which is רחמי נינהו – mercy, there is room to make up for it, however, when it comes to shema there is no room for tashlumin.
5) i) Since krias shema requires concentration, especially during the first pasuk, in order to help focus and avoid getting distracted we cover our eyes. (Tur)
ii) To teach us to believe even in things that our eyes can’t see. (Mishnas Chachomim, of the Maharam Chagiz, maalah 23).
iii) One who is blind is as if he is dead, so we cover our eyes to act as if we are dead, to show we are prepared to give up our lives to make a kiddush Hashem. (Taamei Minhagim, in the name of R’ Menachem Mendel MiKasov zt”l)
In regard to whether one should remove his glasses, the Shu”t Divrei Yatziv (Likutim VeHashmotas, siman 12, Yoma DeHilulah, 9th of Tamuz) writes: Is there a problem of chatzizah [interruption] by krias shema that one should need to remove his glasses?
The main reason for covering our eyes is to help one concentrate, and what difference does it make if one’s hand is directly on his eyes, or on top of the glasses. Therefore, there is no need to remove the glasses.
The Shu”t Oz Nidberu (12:53) also discusses this, and he says there is no need to remove the glasses, as the idea of covering the eyes is a minhag and there is no room for chumras, and the main thing is to close the eyes tightly. He adds: Not like those machmirim [stringent people] who remove them, as there is no need to and it just confuses people who do so and ruins their concentration during shema.
6) The Baal HaTurim and Paneiach Raza answer that Bilaam was unable to indiscriminately issue curses whenever he wanted. The Gemara (Berachos 7a) teaches that Bilaam’s skill was determining when Hashem was angry and uttering curses at that opportune time. At the time of his confrontation with his donkey, he recognized that Hashem was not angry, so any attempt to curse his donkey would be in vain.
Alternatively, Bilaam was planning to curse the Jews later that day, and cursing his donkey would “use up” his daily quota and force him to wait an additional day to curse the Jews.
The Oznayim L’Torah explains that Bilaam’s curses did not magically take effect. Rather, he knew how to tap into the sources of tumah [impurity] in people and cause them to sin, for which they would be punished. Because this concept only applies to people, he was therefore unable to curse his donkey.
In light of the middle answer we mentioned, the Chasam Sofer explains the words of the malach [angel] to Bilaam. The malach said “Why did you hit your donkey three times”. Why did he not address the point directly and say, “Why are you going to curse the Jews?” The Chasam Sofer explains: The reason Bilaam hit the donkey and didn’t curse it, was because he didn’t have the ability to curse twice in one day and he didn’t want to use up his quota. If the malach would have asked Bilaam, “Why are you going to curse the Jews?”, he would have answered “I’m not, I am going to bless them”. Therefore, the malach said, “Why did you hit the donkey”, if Bilaam was going to bless the Jews, then he wouldn’t mind using up his quota of cursing on the donkey, the fact that he did mind, it showed that he intended to curse the Jews. Consequently, by asking Bilaam why he hit the donkey, the malach was cleverly telling off Bilaam for going to curse the Jews, and he wouldn’t be able to answer that he wasn’t.
