Shema refers to a prayer, named Shema after its first word. It is traditionally said 3 times a day: in the morning and evening prayers, and before retiring at night. Shema may refer to the first verse (Deut. 6:4), the longer version which includes Deut. 6:5-9, 11:13-21 and Num. 15:37-41, or the even ...
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Answering “amen” to “Ahavas olam” in the evening but not in the morning
Mishna B'rura 91:16 cites a difference of opinion regarding whether one should respond "amen" to the shatz's (leader's) blessing immediately before "Sh'ma" or should, on the contrary, finish saying ...
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56 views
'Kavannah' of Shem Havayeh in the first line of Kriat Shma
The requirement when saying the name 'Havayeh' to have in mind both the meaning of 'adon ha-kol' and 'hayah hoveh ve-yihyhe' takes me some time: longer than almost anybody I see in shul taking to ...
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Mishna, Brakhot 2a: When the kohanim enter…where?
Mishna, Brakhot 2a
מאימתי קורין את שמע בערבין משעה שהכהנים נכנסים לאכול בתרומתן
What is the author implying as the direct object of the verb נכנסים? In other words, from the hour that the kohanim ...
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What level of obligation is of kriat shema al hamita?
What is the level of obligation for krias shema al hamita (the recitation of Shema before going to bed)? Is it a mitzvah deoraisa, mitzvah derabanan, is it a minhag avoseinu byadeinu? Maybe it's ...
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How could different pronunciations arise when we are obligated to pronounce the Shema precisely?
If one does not pronounce the Shema correctly, one has not fulfilled their obligation (שולחן ערוך או"ח סימן סב). If so, then how could different pronunciations of the Hebrew words arise? Shouldn't at ...
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Do the laws of forgiveness apply equally to Jews forgiving non-Jews?
In the prayer introducing the bedtime shema we say we forgive everyone for everything, even in previous incarnations (gilgulim), and then say, "every Jew." I'm not sure I'm understanding it correctly, ...
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Berachot in Kriat Shema
I'm sorry if the question is too general, but I was just wondering about Berachot Kriat Shema. What exactly are they? What kind of relationship do they have with the Shema? We need to make a Beracha ...
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153 views
Is there a special significance of 4 directions as opposed to 6?
According to halacha, when a person says the word "echad" (אחד) in Shema:
בדלי"ת צריך להאריך יותר כדי שיעור שיחשוב שהקב"ה יחיד בעולמו ומושל בד' רוחות העולם
[One should] draw out the dale more ...
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1answer
71 views
Two Brachos before shema and one after in the morning, and two before and after in the evening
In the first Gemara of Brachos, the gemara quotes a 'seifa' that says:
THE MORNING SHEMA IS PRECEDED BY TWO BRACHOS AND FOLLOWED BY ONE. THE EVENING SHEMA IS PRECEDED BY TWO BRACHOS AND FOLLOWED BY ...
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Why does Jewish law and tradition specify times for saying Shema?
This question is asked at a very basic level, not deeply aware of Judaism or the process of Jewish law. I'm not Jewish so it isn't directly applicable to me, but it helps me to ask a broader question ...
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Which kings stay in bed to the third hour of the day?
It says in the Gemara that we can say Shma until the third hour since that's when kings get up.
What kings are we talking about? Jewish kings weren't around until much later, so Sof Zman Krias Shema ...
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3answers
82 views
Source of Midrash regarding Yaakov's saying Shema
There is a famous Rashi in Parashat Vayigash (46:29) where Rashi explains that Yaakov didn't cry on Yosef's shoulders because he was reciting Shema. He cryptically quotes this in the name of ...
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83 views
Brachos Daf 2a - What does Creation have to do with Krias Shema?
The Gemorah in Brachos Daf 2a asks two questions right away after
learning the Mishnah. The second is: Why is it that the Mishnah
taught about the time at night for Krias Shema first - really we
...
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1answer
212 views
Can a non-Jew recite the Shema?
Can a non-Jew recite the Shema and other Jewish prayers? Is there any one which is off limits to non-Jews?
Thanks.
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118 views
Can I say the prayers of Birkot HaShachar and Tikkun Chatzot after Chatzot (Midnight), even if I don't sleep yet?
Can I say the prayers of Birkot HaShachar and Tikkun Chatzot after Chatzot (Midnight), even if I had not gone to sleep yet?
How should I proceed with the Kriat Shema Al Hamitá if I will remain awake ...
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1answer
82 views
Will the real vertical bars (in Sh'ma) please stand up?
I use the ArtScroll sidurim (prayer books), which include a great many vertical bars between adjacent words of the three paragraphs of "Sh'ma", wherever the editors felt people may come to slur ...
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1answer
115 views
Is a room with only a shower the same as a normal bathroom?
In terms of the halachos in Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim Siman 85 (which places is it ossur to say Krias Shema) would a small room with just a shower head have the same dinim as a room with a toilet or ...
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127 views
Davening after the zman
Can someone please explain the halachot for someone who wakes up after zman kriat shema? After zman tfillah?
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1answer
83 views
Who established the Shema?
The Gemara in Berachos 12b says "They sought to establish [various passages] in the Shema" and "they establish[ed] the passage of tzitzis in the Shema" (Artscroll trans.)
I had thought that the ...
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1answer
44 views
How can Birchoth Keriath Shema' substitute for Birchoth HaTorah?
Birchoth Keriath Shema' are able to substitute for Birchoth HaTorah in case one cannot remember if he said the latter, or in case one did not sleep and is in doubt whether or not he should say them.
...
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1answer
93 views
Kohanim on first shift can't say Shema'?
The first Mishnah in Berachoth quotes R' Eli'ezer's opinion that the time for reciting Shema' in the evening extends only until the end of the first shift (the Kohanim would serve in the Beith ...
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59 views
UvLechtecha VaDerech? With Kavanah?
How can one maintain Kavanah reciting Keriath Shema' while walking along the way? Or is the requirement waived in this case?
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82 views
Does Baruch HaShem Le'Olam (Ma'ariv; Ashkenazi) count as Birchoth Keriath Shema'?
Does Baruch HaShem Le'Olam have the same Din as Birchoth Keriath Shema' in terms of interruption?
If you are in the middle of the Berachah, do you respond to the same things as you would if you were ...
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2answers
145 views
Ve-dibarta BAM? or bam?
Would saying "ve-dibarta BAM!!!" (with the letter A pronounced like Apple) help me to discharge my obligation when reciting kriat shema, or would it be better that I say "bam" instead? (the letter A ...
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263 views
All you need is love?
I once had a Hebrew professor state with absolute determination that "Ahavah" (the Hebrew word for "love") does not, in fact, mean love. His proof was twofold:
1. G-d could not have commanded us to ...
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1answer
152 views
Shema in Musaf Kedushah - Source and reason
I grew up on the Birnbaum siddur, I admit it. I read the little explanations at the bottom of the page over and over. Later, I bought a set of Artscroll machzorim and used those on Rosh Hashana and ...
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2answers
172 views
Is there any source for saying the first possuk of Shema quietly?
The Rema in OC 61(26) says the custom is to say the first possuk of the shema aloud. In this question Sh'ma aloud but amida quietly Gershon Gold said that Shema is said aloud in unison and msh210 ...
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1answer
99 views
When we say “עַל צִיצִת הַכָּנָף” at which point do we kiss the tzitzis?
When we say Krias Shema, the widespread custom (referred to in OC 24 (4) Rema), is to kiss the tzitzis when we say the word, “צִיצִת”.
When we come to the words, עַל צִיצִת הַכָּנָף (which Singer ...
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Covering eyes for leolam yehey
As in this question, if you begin "leolam yehey" at the beginning of shacharit near the end of the time for reciting shema, and you may not otherwise recite it in time, you are supposed to recite a ...
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100 views
Kissing tzitzit for maariv
Why don't we kiss the tzitzit during the Vayomer section of shma of maariv? I would think we would since we are reading the same text as we do for shacharit.
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1answer
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Kissing tzitzit for full shma during “leolam yehey”
If one begins shacharit near sof zman kriat shema and is concerned that he not be able to say shema before sof zman kriat shema, he is supposed to say "full shema" during leolam yehey in the begining ...
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Glasses and Shema
The Shulhan Aruch records the custom of placing one's hand over his eyes in Shema in order to increase concentration. What about someone who wears glasses? Must he move them or remove them?
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1answer
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Why have I never seen “Prisoh al shema”?
“Prisoh al shema”
A good summary is to be found in a shiur from the The Israel Koschitzky Virtual Beit Midrash.
In short, “…. ten men who prayed alone can subsequently fulfill their obligations ...
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Why doesn't saying the sh'ma satisfy torah-reading requirements?
According to this answer to a related question, the g'mara on Bava Kamma 82a requires reading torah at least every three days because we should never go longer than that without words of torah.
But ...
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8answers
283 views
How do you extend the sound of a daleth in Shema?
How does one extend the sound of the daleth in the echod of the shema as prescribed in OC 61 (6)?. The letter as we say it does not seem to allow extension. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalet ...
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2answers
252 views
Polyphasic Sleep and Halacha
I recently read an article on polyphasic sleep and I'm quite interested in experimenting with it. The article advises the Uberman approach which advocates 20-30 minute naps every four hours, meaning ...
3
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2answers
263 views
Davening Maariv at Shekiya / or after Plag HaMincha - repeating Kriyas Shema
If a person prays Maariv after Plag HaMincha prior to Shekiya is there any Halachic authority that holds he is Yotzei the Mitzva of Kriyas Shema and does not have to repeat it? What if he prays right ...
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3answers
212 views
Kissing Tzitzis during Shema
There are those that kiss their Tzitzis during Shema at Shacharis as per Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 17:7 and the Kaf HaChaim 18 and there are those that do not. What is the source and reason for those that ...
6
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2answers
132 views
Sh'ma aloud but amida quietly
Shulchan Aruch Orach Chayim 61:4:
We are accustomed to reading the first verse [of "Sh'ma"] in a loud voice in order to arouse the direction [of our thoughts].
SA OC 101:2:
But he should not ...
6
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3answers
342 views
When to say Hamapil
In the bedtime shema, some siddurim have the bracha of Hamapil printed immediately before the paragraph of shema, whereas others have it printed at the very end of the bedtime shema prayers. What is ...
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288 views
Minimal requirements for bedtime shema
What is the minimal required text to say for the bedtime shema? Is it sufficient to say only Hamapil and the first paragraph of shema?
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2answers
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What does cantillation do to prayer's status?
I recall seeing recommendations, in multiple Halachic discussions, that someone who's reciting a Scripturally-derived prayer alone that normally requires a minyan, e.g. the 13 Attributes of Mercy, one ...
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1answer
134 views
What is the origin of the custom to say Shema to a baby on the day before his Brit Milah?
I have seen a custom among Ashkenazic Jews that on the day before the Brit Milah of a baby boy, a group of children will come and all say the Shema to the baby. What is the origin and reason for the ...
