שמע ישראל השם אלוקינו השם אחד
Chazal tell us that the creation of the world was worthwhile just for the acceptance of the yoke of Heaven that we enact during our daily recital of Shema. Sefer HaChinuch writes that when a person reciting Shema recalls the unity and kingship of the Almighty, he will take to heart that Hashem observes all of his actions. Thinking this and saying these words in Shema will guard a person throughout the day. Repeating it at night will guard him at night, as well.
R’ Elya Lopian zt”l was once asked to deliver a mussar shmuess in the Lomza Yeshivah in Petach Tikvah. R’ Elya agreed, and he began to make arrangements to travel from his yeshivah in Kfar Chassidim to Petach Tikvah.
In those days, this was not an easy trip. From his yeshivah in Kfar Chassidim, he would have to take a bus to the central bus station in Haifa. From there, he would take a bus to Tel Aviv, and from there, he would either take a bus or a cab to Petach Tikvah. Sometimes, the buses did not run on schedule, and there weren’t always taxis available. It was a long, grueling trip, but R’ Elya was happy to make it.
After the shmuess, a bochur from Lomza accompanied the elderly mashgiach on the first leg of his return trip to the central bus station in Tel Aviv. As R’ Elya was about to board the next bus to Haifa, he told the boy, “I would like to pay you back for all your efforts in accompanying me.”
The student quickly demurred, refusing to take a penny. R’ Elya smiled and said, “I wasn’t going to pay you in money. I was going to pay you by giving you good advice. Chazal teach us: ‘Whoever says Krias Shema and is scrupulous in the words and letters, they cool off Gehinnom for him.’ I’m sure you are aware of how ‘shreklich’ (terrible) Gehinnom is. So my advice to you is that when you say Krias Shema .... read each and every word carefully!”
