Advanced level please
What is the power of kavod /yirah to interupt krias shma?
Why is it better than krias shma?
And if it is a hefsek in the brachos also, then does it apply to all brachos?
Is chesed or respect so important to interupt brachos?
Is this similar to Avrohom avinu stopping to speak to HKBH in order to do hachnasas orchim?
Ariel Greenberg, United States
There are a number of different questions to address here. The first question could be phrased as follows: When one is talking to a king, one cannot interrupt to speak to others, as is evident on Daf 32b. How, then, can one interrupt Keri'as Shema? Is this less important than Tefilah?
Regarding Yir'ah, it is possible that a person saying Keri'as Shema is afraid the other person will harm him and therefore the interruption to greet him will enable him to have Kavanah, which is the main component of Keri'as Shema, as explained further in the Gemara. Even in Tefilah, the Gemara says that if the king could harm him, he must stop his Tefilah and speak to the king.
However, the Gemara on 14a says that even one's teacher or parent is included in the obligation of Yir'ah. The Rashba adduces from here proof against Rashi and the Rambam who maintain that Yir'ah is fear of someone who will harm a person, since it appears from here that Yir'ah is even for a father or Rebbi. The obligation to greet them stems from the verse, "Ish Imo v'Aviv Tira'u," which is also a Mitzvah d'Oraisa (Shenos Eliyahu). However, your question is still relevant: why should a person leave Malchus Shamayim and perform another Mitzvah? Isn't he an "Osek b'Mitzvah"?
Your answer that this is because of Chesed towards the other person is definitely a possibility, and maybe this could be derived from Avraham's behavior -- see ha'Amek Davar to Parshas Vayera. But we also must note that the main obligation of Keri'as Shema (accepting the yoke of Hash-m's Kingship) is fulfilled already by the third verse of Keri'as Shema (and some say even the first verse). Thus, the recitation of the three Parshiyos is mid'Rabanan, and therefore it is permitted to fulfill a Mitzvah after reading the first Pesukim (since one cannot stop at that point; Shulchan Aruch OC 66:3).
Regarding the Berachos of Keri'as Shema, it is possible that due to their length Chazal were more lenient regarding interrupting them. Other Berachos, and even Birkas ha'Mazon, have the same stringency as Tefilah and one may not interrupt them unless there is danger (Shulchan Aruch OC 183:8).
Yoel Domb