(Mishnah): And [he may not begin] to eat...

Question: What is the beginning of eating?

Answer #1 (Rav Acha citing R. Ba citing Rebbi): It is from when he washes his hands.

Opinion #1 (R. Acha): This was said regarding Kidush (if one washed his hands, he does not say Kidush).

Opinion #2 (R. Ba): It was said regarding Brachah (one may not interrupt between washing his hands and Birkas ha'Motzi);

Source: [Once,] Rav washed his hands. His son Chiya hinted that he will mix [the wine with water, like was normally done]; he wanted to give to him [to drink];

Rav: We already began [the meal. I may not interrupt.]

A case occurred in which R. Maisha and R. Shmuel bar Rav Yitzchak were sitting and eating in one of the Batei Kenesiyos, in the Aliyah. The time for Tefilah came. R. Shmuel bar Rav Yitzchak got up and prayed.

Question (R. Maisha): Did not Rebbi teach [in our Mishnah] that if one began, he need not interrupt?

And Chizkiyah taught that that anyone who is exempt from a matter, and he does it, he is called a commoner!

Answer (R. Shmuel bar Rav Yitzchak): A Beraisa teaches that a Chasan is exempt [from Kri'as Shma]. If a Chasan wants to read, he reads!

Rebuttal (R. Maisha): I can answer that it is like R. Gamliel, who said [when he married] "I will not heed you to be Mevatel from myself [Kabalas Ol] Malchus Shamayim [even] for a moment!'' (He holds that Kri'as Shma is unlike other matters from which one is exempt.)

(Mishnah): One may not [begin to] judge.

R. Yirmeyah and Rav Yosef [argued about this]. One of them said [that the start of Din is] from when they sit to judge, and the other said that it is from when they hear the claims.

(Mishnah): If one began, he need not interrupt. We interrupt to say Shma, but we do not interrupt for prayer.

Explanation #1 (R. Acha): This is because Kri'as Shma is mid'Oraisa, and Tefilah is not mid'Oraisa.

Explanation #2 (R. Ba): This is because Kri'as Shma has a fixed time [mid'Oraisa], and Tefilah does not have a fixed time. (Also mid'Rabanan, there is more time for Tefilah than for Kri'as Shma.)

Explanation #3 (R. Yosah): This is because Kri'as Shma does not need Kavanah, and Tefilah needs Kavanah.

Question (R. Mana, to R. Yosah): Even if you will say that one does not need Kavanah in [all of] Kri'as Shma, the first three verses (which contain the primary Kabalas Ol Malchus Shamayim and Ol Mitzvos) need Kavanah!

Answer (R. Yosah): Since they are a small amount, he can have intent [while interrupting the matter that he started].

(R. Yochanan citing R. Shimon ben Yochai): People like us, who engage [constantly] in Talmud Torah, even for Kri'as Shma we do not interrupt.

(R. Yochanan, regarding himself): People like us, who do not engage in Talmud Torah [constantly; we interrupt for income], even for Tefilah we interrupt.

Each one said like he holds [elsewhere]. R. Yochanan holds like he taught, for R. Yochanan said "if only a person would pray the entire day''! (He holds that Tefilah is greater than Torah.)

What is the reason? No Tefilah is lost.

R. Shimon ben Yochai said like he holds [elsewhere], for R. Shimon ben Yochai said "if I were standing on Har Sinai at the time the Torah was given to Yisrael, I would have asked from Hash-m that man should be created with two mouths - one for Torah, and one to do all his needs (including Tefilah. This shows that he holds that Torah is greater than Tefilah.

R. Shimon retracted and said "[man was created properly]. Now that he has only one [mouth], the world cannot stand due to all his Leshon ha'Ra. If he had two [mouths], how much more [Leshon ha'Ra he would speak]!''

R. Yosah (to R. Yirmeyah): R. Yochanan holds like R. Chananyah ben Akivah;

(Beraisa): People who write Seforim, Tefilin and Mezuzos, they interrupt for Kri'as Shma, but they do not interrupt for prayer;

R. Chananyah ben Akivah says, just like they interrupt to say Shma, they interrupt for prayer, Tefilin and other Torah Mitzvos.

Question: Doesn't R. Shimon ben Yochai agree that we interrupt to make a Sukah or Lulav?

Question: Doesn't R. Shimon ben Yochai hold that one must learn in order to fulfill, and not learn without intent to fulfill? [The latter], it would be better had he not been created!

(R. Yochanan): One who learns without intent to fulfill, it would be better had his fetal sac turned over on him, and he never entered the world!

Answer: [R. Shimon ben Yochai agree that one must learn in order to fulfill. Kri'as Shma is different,] for this (Kri'as Shma) is Shinun (speech, without an action - "v'Shinantam l'Vanecha''), and this (Divrei Torah) is Shinun. We are not Mevatel Shinun for the sake of Shinun. (Only Mitzvos of action override Talmud Torah. We explained this like R. YONAH, Brachos 9b.)

Question (Mishnah): If one recites [Shma after its time], he does not lose. He is like one who reads in the Torah.

Inference: Reciting [Shma] in its time is greater than Divrei Torah!

Answer #1: Since R. Shimon ben Yochai was constantly learning Divrei Torah, [Kri'as Shma] was not dearer to him more than [other] Divrei Torah. (The Mishnah discusses other people.)

Answer #2 (R. Ba Mari): Our Mishnah teaches only [that Kri'as Shma after its time is] like one who learns Mikra. In its time, it is like one who learns Mishnah;

R. Shimon holds like he taught elsewhere, that one who engages in Mikra, it is a [good] Midah, but it is not [the best] Midah. Rabanan consider Mikra like Mishnah.