The Beginning of the Oral Torah

The first mishnah in the Talmud, the very beginning of the Torah She’b’al Peh, concerns the mitzvah of k’riat shma. Commentaries suggest several reasons for this: a) According to a gloss in the Rambam’s introduction to Seder Z’raim, the placement is to emphasize the message that “Reishit chokhmah yirat Hashem.” The Tzlach offers three other suggestions: b) to parallel the ten commandments, which begin with the same theme as k’riat shma – “I am the L-rd your G-d”, etc.; c) to counter confusion that may result upon beginning the Torah She’b’al Peh – although there are two Torahs, there is still only one G-d; d) to display how the importance of Torah She’b’al Peh is shown already in the Torah Sh’B’K’tav – k’riat shmai contains references to the importance of constant Torah study, consistent with the Torah’s warning not to forget its contents. If the entire Torah were written, this emphasis would appear to be overstated. Rather, the existence and importance of another, unwritten Torah, is being indicated. (See also Resp. Minchat Yitzchak, likkutim, #4).