בס''ד

THE DAILY DAF MESSAGE OF THE BET ZVI DAFactory

When Small is Big

Why does the Tanna find it necessary to inform us that the passage of Shema Yisrael is the shortest of the 4 passages written inside the Tefillin? The Mishna should have used a briefer version; "...one is liable if one takes out enough to write the paragraph of Shema Yisrael on it"?

The Mishna at the end of Maseches Sota informs us that R' Yossi Katnusa's demise heralded the end of the era in which the Chassidim (= the devotedly righteous) 'flourished'. Why was he called Katnusa (The Small One)? Surely it can't be referring to his physical height?!

According to the Bartenura, the Mishna answers that he was named thus because although he was a Torah giant, his stature was small (KATAN) in comparison to the previous leading Chassidim.

The Rambam, however, interprets the word KATNUSA to mean a root, for a root starts off small and grows into a tall tree. Similarly R' Yossi was the origin of Chassidus in his generation and dispensed direction and goodness to all those that needed it. He was the source of goodness, and everyone else gained through his endeavors.

Our Mishna can be explained in a similar vein.

Only if one takes out a piece of parchment large enough to write the paragraph of Shema Yisrael is one liable. Why did the sages decide that the liability be determined according to the size of the Shema and no other Parsha? Because it is KETANA - the source is the most important tenet of Judaism.

Based on Sefer Siach Yitzchok, by Rav Yitzchok Weiss hy"d zt"l.