The Three Paragraphs of the Shema

ByLiz Levin

The Shema and Its Blessings

משנה תורה, הלכות תפילה וברכת כהנים א׳:א׳

מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה לְהִתְפַּלֵּל בְּכָל יוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כג כה) ״וַעֲבַדְתֶּם אֵת ה׳‎ אֱלֹהֵיכֶם״. מִפִּי הַשְּׁמוּעָה לָמְדוּ שֶׁעֲבוֹדָה זוֹ הִיא תְּפִלָּה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים יא יג) ״וּלְעָבְדוֹ בְּכָל לְבַבְכֶם״ אָמְרוּ חֲכָמִים אֵי זוֹ הִיא עֲבוֹדָה שֶׁבַּלֵּב זוֹ תְּפִלָּה. וְאֵין מִנְיַן הַתְּפִלּוֹת מִן הַתּוֹרָה. וְאֵין מִשְׁנֶה הַתְּפִלָּה הַזֹּאת מִן הַתּוֹרָה. וְאֵין לַתְּפִלָּה זְמַן קָבוּעַ מִן הַתּוֹרָה:

Mishneh Torah, Prayer and the Priestly Blessing 1:1

It is a positive Torah commandment to pray every day, as [Exodus 23:25] states: "You shall serve God, your Lord." Tradition teaches us that this service is prayer, as [Deuteronomy 11:13] states: "And serve Him with all your heart" and our Sages said: Which is the service of the heart? This is prayer.
The number of prayers is not prescribed in the Torah, nor does it prescribe a specific formula for prayer. Also, according to Torah law, there are no fixed times for prayers.

משנה תמיד ה׳:א׳

אָמַר לָהֶם הַמְמֻנֶּה, בָּרְכוּ בְרָכָה אֶחַת, וְהֵן בֵּרְכוּ. קָרְאוּ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדְּבָרִים, שְׁמַע, וְהָיָה אִם שָׁמֹעַ, וַיֹּאמֶר. בֵּרְכוּ אֶת הָעָם שָׁלשׁ בְּרָכוֹת, אֱמֶת וְיַצִּיב, וַעֲבוֹדָה, וּבִרְכַּת כֹּהֲנִים. וּבְשַׁבָּת מוֹסִיפִין בְּרָכָה אַחַת לַמִּשְׁמָר הַיּוֹצֵא:

Mishnah Tamid 5:1

The appointed [priest] said to them: “Say one blessing” [one right before the Shema], and they blessed. They then recited the Ten Commandments, 'Shema', 'Vehaya im Shamoa' and 'Vayomer' [the three paragraphs of the Shema]. They also blessed the people with these three blessings: Emet Veyatsiv [the blessing that follows the Shema in the morning prayer], Avodah [the blessing in Shemoneh Esreh calling for G-D to accept the Temple service], and the Birkat Kohanim [the Priestly Blessing]. On Shabbat, they added a blessing for the watch that was leaving.

דברים ו׳:ד׳-ט׳

שְׁמַ֖ע יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ יְהֹוָ֥ה ׀ אֶחָֽד׃ וְאָ֣הַבְתָּ֔ אֵ֖ת יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ בְּכׇל־לְבָבְךָ֥ וּבְכׇל־נַפְשְׁךָ֖ וּבְכׇל־מְאֹדֶֽךָ׃ וְהָי֞וּ הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֗לֶּה אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָנֹכִ֧י מְצַוְּךָ֛ הַיּ֖וֹם עַל־לְבָבֶֽךָ׃ וְשִׁנַּנְתָּ֣ם לְבָנֶ֔יךָ וְדִבַּרְתָּ֖ בָּ֑ם בְּשִׁבְתְּךָ֤ בְּבֵיתֶ֙ךָ֙ וּבְלֶכְתְּךָ֣ בַדֶּ֔רֶךְ וּֽבְשׇׁכְבְּךָ֖ וּבְקוּמֶֽךָ׃ וּקְשַׁרְתָּ֥ם לְא֖וֹת עַל־יָדֶ֑ךָ וְהָי֥וּ לְטֹטָפֹ֖ת בֵּ֥ין עֵינֶֽיךָ׃ וּכְתַבְתָּ֛ם עַל־מְזֻז֥וֹת בֵּיתֶ֖ךָ וּבִשְׁעָרֶֽיךָ׃ {ס}

Deuteronomy 6:4-9

Hearken O Israel:
YHWH our God, YHWH is One! So you are to love YHWH your God with all your heart, with all your being, with all your substance! And these words, which I myself command you today, are to be upon your heart. You are to repeat them with your children and are to speak of them in your sitting in your house and in your walking in the way, in your lying down and in your rising up. You are to tie them as a sign upon your hand, and they are to be for bands between your eyes. And you are to write them upon the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

דברים י״א:י״ג-כ״א

וְהָיָ֗ה אִם־שָׁמֹ֤עַ תִּשְׁמְעוּ֙ אֶל־מִצְוֺתַ֔י אֲשֶׁ֧ר אָנֹכִ֛י מְצַוֶּ֥ה אֶתְכֶ֖ם הַיּ֑וֹם לְאַהֲבָ֞ה אֶת־יְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶם֙ וּלְעׇבְד֔וֹ בְּכׇל־לְבַבְכֶ֖ם וּבְכׇל־נַפְשְׁכֶֽם׃ וְנָתַתִּ֧י מְטַֽר־אַרְצְכֶ֛ם בְּעִתּ֖וֹ יוֹרֶ֣ה וּמַלְק֑וֹשׁ וְאָסַפְתָּ֣ דְגָנֶ֔ךָ וְתִירֹֽשְׁךָ֖ וְיִצְהָרֶֽךָ׃ וְנָתַתִּ֛י עֵ֥שֶׂב בְּשָׂדְךָ֖ לִבְהֶמְתֶּ֑ךָ וְאָכַלְתָּ֖ וְשָׂבָֽעְתָּ׃ הִשָּֽׁמְר֣וּ לָכֶ֔ם פֶּ֥ן יִפְתֶּ֖ה לְבַבְכֶ֑ם וְסַרְתֶּ֗ם וַעֲבַדְתֶּם֙ אֱלֹהִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֔ים וְהִשְׁתַּחֲוִיתֶ֖ם לָהֶֽם׃ וְחָרָ֨ה אַף־יְהֹוָ֜ה בָּכֶ֗ם וְעָצַ֤ר אֶת־הַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ וְלֹֽא־יִהְיֶ֣ה מָטָ֔ר וְהָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה לֹ֥א תִתֵּ֖ן אֶת־יְבוּלָ֑הּ וַאֲבַדְתֶּ֣ם מְהֵרָ֗ה מֵעַל֙ הָאָ֣רֶץ הַטֹּבָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה נֹתֵ֥ן לָכֶֽם׃ וְשַׂמְתֶּם֙ אֶת־דְּבָרַ֣י אֵ֔לֶּה עַל־לְבַבְכֶ֖ם וְעַֽל־נַפְשְׁכֶ֑ם וּקְשַׁרְתֶּ֨ם אֹתָ֤ם לְאוֹת֙ עַל־יֶדְכֶ֔ם וְהָי֥וּ לְטוֹטָפֹ֖ת בֵּ֥ין עֵינֵיכֶֽם׃ וְלִמַּדְתֶּ֥ם אֹתָ֛ם אֶת־בְּנֵיכֶ֖ם לְדַבֵּ֣ר בָּ֑ם בְּשִׁבְתְּךָ֤ בְּבֵיתֶ֙ךָ֙ וּבְלֶכְתְּךָ֣ בַדֶּ֔רֶךְ וּֽבְשׇׁכְבְּךָ֖ וּבְקוּמֶֽךָ׃ וּכְתַבְתָּ֛ם עַל־מְזוּז֥וֹת בֵּיתֶ֖ךָ וּבִשְׁעָרֶֽיךָ׃ לְמַ֨עַן יִרְבּ֤וּ יְמֵיכֶם֙ וִימֵ֣י בְנֵיכֶ֔ם עַ֚ל הָֽאֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר נִשְׁבַּ֧ע יְהֹוָ֛ה לַאֲבֹתֵיכֶ֖ם לָתֵ֣ת לָהֶ֑ם כִּימֵ֥י הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ {ס}

Deuteronomy 11:13-21

Now it shall be: if you hearken, yes, hearken to my commandments that I command you today, to love YHWH your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your being: I will give forth the rain of your land in its due-time, shooting-rain and later-rain; you shall gather in your grain, your new-wine and your shining-oil; I will give forth herbage in your field, for your animals, and you will eat and you will be satisfied. Take you care, lest your heart be seduced, so that you turn aside and serve other gods and bow down to them, and the anger of YHWH flare up against you so that he shuts up the heavens, and there is no rain, and the earth does not give forth its yield, and you perish quickly from off the good land that YHWH is giving you! You are to place these my words upon your heart and upon your being; you are to tie them as a sign on your hand, and let them be as bands between your eyes; you are to teach them to your children, by speaking of them in your sitting in your house, in your walking on the way, in your lying down, in your rising up; you are to write them upon the doorposts of your house, and on your gates, in order that your days may be many, along with the days of your children on the land that YHWH swore to your fathers, to give them [as long] as the days of the heavens over the earth.

במדבר ט״ו:ל״ז-מ״א

וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃ דַּבֵּ֞ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵהֶ֔ם וְעָשׂ֨וּ לָהֶ֥ם צִיצִ֛ת עַל־כַּנְפֵ֥י בִגְדֵיהֶ֖ם לְדֹרֹתָ֑ם וְנָ֥תְנ֛וּ עַל־צִיצִ֥ת הַכָּנָ֖ף פְּתִ֥יל תְּכֵֽלֶת׃ וְהָיָ֣ה לָכֶם֮ לְצִיצִת֒ וּרְאִיתֶ֣ם אֹת֗וֹ וּזְכַרְתֶּם֙ אֶת־כׇּל־מִצְוֺ֣ת יְהֹוָ֔ה וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם אֹתָ֑ם וְלֹֽא־תָת֜וּרוּ אַחֲרֵ֤י לְבַבְכֶם֙ וְאַחֲרֵ֣י עֵֽינֵיכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־אַתֶּ֥ם זֹנִ֖ים אַחֲרֵיהֶֽם׃ לְמַ֣עַן תִּזְכְּר֔וּ וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם אֶת־כׇּל־מִצְוֺתָ֑י וִהְיִיתֶ֥ם קְדֹשִׁ֖ים לֵאלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם׃ אֲנִ֞י יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֗ם אֲשֶׁ֨ר הוֹצֵ֤אתִי אֶתְכֶם֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם לִהְי֥וֹת לָכֶ֖ם לֵאלֹהִ֑ים אֲנִ֖י יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃ {פ}

Numbers 15:37-41

YHWH said to Moshe, saying: Speak to the Children of Israel and say to them that they are to make themselves tassels on the corners of their garments, throughout their generations, and are to put on the corner tassel a thread of blue-violet. It shall be a tassel for you, that you may look at it and keep-in-mind all the commandments of YHWH and observe them, that you not go scouting-around after your heart, after your eyes which you go whoring after; in order that you may keep-in-mind and observe all my commandments, and [so] be holy to your God! I am YHWH your God, who took you out of the land of Egypt, to be a God to you; I am YHWH your God!

ערוך השולחן, אורח חיים א׳:ה׳

יסוד התורה ועמוד העבודה לידע שיש אלהים אחד יחיד ומיוחד, והוא ברא כל העולמות, והוא משגיח עליהם בכל עת ובכל רגע. ואלמלי יצוייר חס ושלום סילוק השגחתו – אף רגע היו כל העולמות חוזרים לתוהו ובוהו. וזהו שנאמר: "שמע ישראל ה' אלהינו ה' אחד". ונאמר: "וידעת היום… כי ה' הוא האלהים בשמים ממעל ועל הארץ מתחת אין עוד". כלומר: שאין שום כוח זולתו יתברך, והוא המהוה כל העולמות, והוא המחיה את כל העולמות, והוא המקיימם. ובמתן תורה ראינו זה בחוש, כדכתיב: "אתה הראת לדעת כי ה' הוא האלהים, אין עוד מלבדו". כלומר: כי ה' שברא כל העולמות – הוא המשגיח והמנהיג עליהם לעד ולעולמים. ו"אלהים" ביאורו: השגחה והנהגה, ואין שום כוח גדול או קטן זולתו יתברך.

Arukh HaShulchan, Orach Chaim 1:5

The foundation of Torah and the pillar of the divine service is to know that there is one God. who is singular and unique, and that He created the Worlds(i.e this world and the next world), and that he is constantly watching us. If, God forbid, he suddenly stopped watching and guiding the world even for a moment, it would revert to chaos and disorder. This is the essence of what is stated: (Deuteronomy 6:4) 'Listen, oh Israel, Hashem, your God, is One'.

משנה ברכות ב׳:ב׳

אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן קָרְחָה, לָמָּה קָדְמָה שְׁמַע לִוְהָיָה אִם שָׁמֹעַ, אֶלָּא כְדֵי שֶׁיְּקַבֵּל עָלָיו עֹל מַלְכוּת שָׁמַיִם תְּחִלָּה, וְאַחַר כָּךְ יְקַבֵּל עָלָיו עֹל מִצְוֹת. וְהָיָה אִם שָׁמֹעַ לְוַיֹּאמֶר, שֶׁוְהָיָה אִם שָׁמֹעַ נוֹהֵג בַּיּוֹם וּבַלַּיְלָה, וַיֹּאמֶר אֵינוֹ נוֹהֵג אֶלָּא בַּיּוֹם:

Mishnah Berakhot 2:2

Rabbi Yehoshua ben Karchah said: Why does Shema precede Vehayah im shamoa? So that one may accept the yoke of the kingdom of heaven first, and after that accept the yoke of the commandments. And [why does] Vehayah im shamoa [precede] Vayomer? Because Vehayah im shamoa applies during the day and at night, and Vayomer only applies during the day.

תלמוד ירושלמי ברכות ב׳:א׳:ד׳

מַה בֵּין פֶּרֶק רִאשׁוֹן וּמַה בֵּין פֶּרֶק שֵׁנִי. אָמַר רִבִּי חֲנִינָא כָּל־מָה שֶׁכָּתוּב בְּזֶה כָּתוּב בְּזֶה. מֵעַתָּה לֹא יִקְרָא אֶלָּא אֶחָד. אָמַר רִבִּי אִילָּא הָרִאשׁוֹן לְיָחִיד וְהַשֵּׁנִי לְצִיבּוּר. וְהָרִאשׁוֹן לְתַלְמוּד. וְהַשֵּׁנִי לְמַעֲשֶׂה.

Jerusalem Talmud Berakhot 2:1:4

What is the difference between the first and second paragraphs? Rebbi Ḥanina said: Everything mentioned in the first paragraph is mentioned in the second. In that case, should one have to recite only one of them? Rebbi Illa said: The first one is directed to the individual, the second one to the community; the first one concentrates on learning, the second one on doing.

מסיני לאתיופיה, שולחן האוּרית, השער השישי; יסודות הבית היהודי י״א:ה׳

...

From Sinai to Ethiopia, Shulhan haOrit; The Halakhah of Ethiopian Jewry, Then and Now, 6 Foundations of the Jewish Home 11:5

The study of Torah is a mitzvah like any other. The principle of this commandment, as apparent in the text, is designed to teach the individual how to fulfill this commandment. The Torah repeats the commandment to study in several places, as the Rambam specifies in Sefer ha-Mitzvot, citing the biblical text: “And these words, which I command you this day, shall be upon your heart. And you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk on the path, and when you lie down, and when you rise up” (Deuteronomy 6:6–7); “ . . . that you may learn them, and observe to do them” (Deuteronomy 5:1); “ . . . that they may learn” (Deuteronomy 31:12). The book of Joshua states, “You shall meditate therein day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written therein” (1:8). Shimon ha-Tzaddik, a member of the Great Assembly, reveals the value and importance of the Torah in his statement: “The world is based on three things – Torah, divine service, and the practice of kindliness.” After the destruction of the Second Temple, when the Torah was construed as the only supreme value, the Sages determined that “The study of Torah outweighs them all.”

פניני הלכה, תפילת נשים ט״ז:ד׳:ב׳

פרשת שמע (דברים ו, ד-ט) מורכבת משלושה חלקים: א) יסוד האמונה. ב) המשמעות של יסוד זה לחיינו. ג) הדרכה כיצד להשריש את האמונה בחיינו.

Peninei Halakhah, Women's Prayer 16:4:2

The Shema paragraph (Devarim 6:4-9) consists of three sections: 1) the principle of faith; 2) the meaning of this principle in our lives; 3) guidance on imbuing our lives with faith.

משנה תורה, הלכות קריאת שמע א׳:ב׳

וּמַה הוּא קוֹרֵא, שְׁלֹשָׁה פָּרָשִׁיּוֹת. אֵלּוּ הֵן (דברים ו ד) ״שְׁמַע״ (דברים יא יג) ״וְהָיָה אִם שָׁמֹעַ״ (במדבר טו לז) ״וַיֹּאמֶר״. וּמַקְדִּימִין לִקְרוֹת פָּרָשַׁת שְׁמַע מִפְּנֵי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהּ יִחוּד הַשֵּׁם וְאַהֲבָתוֹ וְתַלְמוּדוֹ שֶׁהוּא הָעִקָּר הַגָּדוֹל שֶׁהַכּל תָּלוּי בּוֹ. וְאַחֲרֶיהָ וְהָיָה אִם שָׁמֹעַ שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהּ צִוּוּי עַל (זְכִירַת) שְׁאָר כָּל הַמִּצְוֹת. וְאַחַר כָּךְ פָּרָשַׁת (במדבר טו לח) ״צִיצִית״ שֶׁגַּם הִיא יֵשׁ בָּהּ צִוּוּי זְכִירַת כָּל הַמִּצְוֹת:

Mishneh Torah, Reading the Shema 1:2

And what is it that one recites? These three sections:
"Hear O Israel..." (Deuteronomy 6:4-9),

"And if you will listen..." (Deuteronomy 11:13-21),and

"And God said..." (Numbers 15:37-41).
We begin with the section of "Hear O Israel" since it contains [the concept of] the unity of God, [the commandment of] loving Him and the study of Torah, it being a fundamental principle upon which everything is based.
After it, [we read] "And if you will listen...," since it contains the imperative to fulfill the rest of the commandments, and finally the portion of tzitzit, since it also contains the imperative of remembering all the commandments.

ברכות י״ד ב:י״א-ט״ו

יהושע בן קרחה למה קדמה פרשת שמע וכו': תניא ר"ש בן יוחי אומר בדין הוא שיקדים שמע לוהיה אם שמוע שזה ללמוד וזה ללמד והיה אם שמוע לויאמר שזה ללמוד וזה לעשות אטו שמע ללמוד אית ביה ללמד ולעשות לית ביה והא כתיב ושננתם וקשרתם וכתבתם ותו והיה אם שמוע ללמד הוא דאית ביה ולעשות לית ביה והא כתיב וקשרתם וכתבתם אלא הכי קאמר בדין הוא שתקדם שמע לוהיה אם שמוע שזה ללמוד וללמד ולעשות והיה אם שמוע לויאמר שזה יש בה ללמד ולעשות ויאמר אין בה אלא לעשות בלבד ותיפוק ליה מדרבי יהושע בן קרחה חדא ועוד קאמר חדא כדי שיקבל עליו עול מלכות שמים תחלה ואח"כ יקבל עליו עול מצות ועוד משום דאית בה הני מילי אחרנייתא.

Berakhot 14b:11-15

R. JOSHUA B. KORHAH SAID: WHY IS THE SECTION OF 'HEAR' SAID BEFORE 'IT SHALL COME TO PASS'. It has been taught: R. Simeon b. Yohai says: It is right that 'Hear' should come before 'And it shall come to pass' because the former prescribes learning and the latter teaching, and that 'and it shall come to pass' should precede 'And the Lord said' because the former prescribes teaching and the latter performance. But does then 'hear' speak only of learning and not also of teaching and doing? Is it not written therein, 'And thou shalt teach diligently, and thou shalt bind them and thou shalt write them'? Also, does 'and it shall come to pass' speak only of teaching and not also of performance? Is it not written therein, 'and ye shall bind and ye shall write'? — Rather this is what he means to say: It is right that 'hear' should precede 'and it shall come to pass', because the former mentions both learning, teaching, and doing; and that 'and it shall come to pass' should precede 'and the Lord said', because the former mentions both teaching and doing, whereas the latter mentions doing only. But is not the reason given by R. Joshua b. Korhah sufficient? — He [R. Simeon b. Yohai] gave an additional reason. One is that he should first accept Upon himself the yoke of the kingdom of heaven and then accept the yoke of the commandments. A further reason is that it [the first section] has these other features.

קב הישר ס״ז:א׳

כְּתִיב כְּתִיב (דְּבָרִים ו, ז): "וְשִׁנַּנְתָּם לְבָנֶיךָ וְגוֹ'" — אַזְהָרָה לָאָב, שֶׁמְּחֻיָּב לִלְמֹד בְּעַצְמוֹ עִם בְּנוֹ וּלְחַדֵּד אוֹתוֹ בְּפִלְפּוּלָא, שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה בְּנוֹ טִפֵּשׁ בַּתּוֹרָה. וְאִם הָאָב אֵינוֹ בַּעַל תּוֹרָה, אֲזַי הוּא מְצֻוֶּה 'וְדִבַּרְתָּ בָּם — שֶׁיְּדַבֵּר עַל לֵב הַמְלַמְּדִים שֶׁיִּלְמְדוּ עִם בָּנָיו, וְיַדְרִיךְ בָּנָיו בְּמַשָּׂא וּמַתָּן וּבְדֶרֶךְ אֶרֶץ. בְּכֻלָּן יְדַקְדֵּק הָאָדָם הֵיטֵב, שֶׁלֹּא יַעֲבֹר עַל הַתּוֹרָה חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, אֲפִלּוּ כִּמְלוֹא נִימָה.

Kav HaYashar 67:1

It is stated, “And you shall teach them sharply to your sons, etc.” (Deuteronomy 6:7). This is an admonition to fathers that they must study with their sons personally and sharpen their wits so that they do not approach the Torah in a dull manner. And if the father is not himself a scholar, he is commanded, “And you shall speak of them.” That is, let him speak with teachers to persuade them to study with his sons. He must also guide his children in the ways of business and proper conduct and in all these matters he must see to it that they do not to transgress the Torah by so much as a hairsbreadth, Heaven forbid.

בעיות הלכתיות עכשוויות, כרך ב, חלק ראשון, פרק ה: חינוך ד׳

...

Contemporary Halakhic Problems, Vol II, Part I, Chapter V Education 4

Education is frequently regarded as instrumental in nature, i.e., a process of acquiring knowledge and skills to be utilized for specific purposes. Judaism recognizes two distinct forms of religious education. One is ḥinnukh, a concept which is more accurately rendered as "training"; the second is study and acquisition of knowledge. The instrumental value of the latter is incontrovertible. A child who has not been instructed in the laws of tefillin will lack the knowledge necessary for proper performance of the mizvah. Nevertheless, the obligation to teach Torah to children is far more encompassing in nature. The verse "And you shall teach them to your sons" (Deuteronomy 11:19) establishes not simply an obligation to teach children so that they be enabled to perform mizvot, but is an intrinsic component of the mizvah of talmud Torah. A Jew is obligated to teach his son Torah just as he is obligated to study Torah himself. Just as one's own study of Torah is an end in itself, so also is the teaching of Torah to children an end in itself. Study of Torah is not merely a means to observance but in itself constitutes the greatest and most profound of mizvot. Thus the obligation of talmud Torah mandates the study and teaching of all aspects of Torah, including even the study of subject matter pertaining to mizvot which cannot be observed in our time.

מכילתא דרבי ישמעאל, מַסֶּכְתָּא דַעֲמָלֵק ד׳:ל״א-ל״ו

שלשה דברים נתנו על תנאי, ארץ ישראל ובית המקדש ומלכות בית דוד, חוץ מספר תורה ובריתו של אהרן שלא נתנו על תנאי...

ומנין לספר תורה שלא ניתן על תנאי, שנ' (דברים לג) תורה צוה לנו משה מורשה...

Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael, Tractate Amalek 4:31-36

Three things were given conditionally: Eretz Yisrael, the Temple, and the kingdom of the house of David, but not the Torah scroll and the covenant of Aaron, which were not given conditionally...

And whence is it derived that the Torah scroll was given unconditionally? From (Devarim 33:4) "The Torah which Moses commanded us is the (eternal) inheritance of the congregation of Jacob."...