29. Rabbi Yitzchak and Rabbi Yehuda were walking along the road. They reached the place of the village Sachnin, where Rav Hamnuna Saba (the elder) lived, and they were guests of his wife who had a small boy. Every day he went to school, and when he came home from school that day, he saw these sages. His mother told him to approach these lofty people and receive blessings from them. He approached them. As he was approaching, he retreated and said to his mother, I do not wish to approach them, since they did not read Kriat Sh'ma this day and they taught me that whoever does not recite the Sh'ma at its appropriate time is banned all that day.

30. They heard and marveled. They raised their hands and blessed him. They said, It is certainly true THAT WE DIDN'T READ THE KRIAT SH'MA, because today we were busy with a groom and a bride that did not have their minimum needs, and were thus being delayed in their marriage. There was no one to take up their cause and we did our best for them. THEREFORE, we could not read the Kriat Sh'ma at its appropriate time. And whoever performs a precept is exempt from a precept. They said to him, son how did you know? He said to them, By the fragrance of your garments I knew, when I approached you. They marvelled, sat down, washed their hands and ate bread.

37. At first, I saw THAT YOU DID NOT READ THE SH'MA and now I see THAT YOU ARE NOT HOLY AND ELEVATED; since my father did not see A HOLY MAN RIDING ON an donkey, without bringing after him an donkey, to carry the burden of Torah. Since you were not meritorious enough that my father should follow after you on an donkey, I will not tell you who my father is. Rabbi Yehuda said to Rabbi Yitzchak, It seems to us that this boy is not human. They ate. The boy was speaking words of Torah and giving new insights in the Torah. They said, Let us bless. He said to them, You spoke well, since the Holy Name is not blessed through this blessing only by summons.

199. Then, HE NEEDS to place oneself among those who have risked their lives for the sake of sanctifying the Holy Name. That is accomplished at the unification of the Sh'ma Yisrael, for whoever concentrated on it at this verse, it is considered as if he risked his life for the sanctification of Hashem's name.

476. "Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion..." (Ibid. 24). Which nation is as strong as Yisrael? When the morning light breaks to shine, he rises and gains strength like a lion for the devotional service of his Master with many songs and praises, studying Torah all day. At night, he "shall not lie down until he eat of the prey" (Ibid.). When a person wishes to lie down on his bed, he sanctifies the Holy Name and proclaims Him King above and below. How many instigators of laws come together before them at the time they open their mouths on their bed with Sh'ma Yisrael, and beg for compassion before the Holy King with several verses of mercy.