IF DAVENING AT THE LATEST TIME FOR KRIAT SHMA WAS ONLY TO GIVE RESHUT FOR THE FRAILITIES OF THE SONS OF THE NASI, WHAT HOPE IS THERE FOR SIMPLE PEOPLE TO STRIVE TO BE TSADDIKIM? EITHER THERE IS ONE HALOCHO FOR CLAL YISRAEL, OR ONE FOR THE BNEI NASI AND ONE FOR EVERYONE ELSE? DOESN'T THE KLI YAKAR SAY IN PARSHAT NASO ''THE TORAH IS ''HEFKER'' FOR ALL. IS THE HALOCHO OBJECTIVE?
gershon wynschenk, london,u.k.
The Torah is as you say universal and absolute. We did not bend the Halachah, chas v'Shalom, for the Bnei Melachim. The translation of "b'Kumecha" is extended to three hours for everybody , because there are some who awaken later. Accordingly, the translation of the Pasuk is until three hours -- for everybody.
D. Zupnik