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13 votes
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Why does the Reform Siddur cut out most of Krias Shema?

Rabbi Richard Sarason, a faculty member at Hebrew Union College (the Reform seminary), talks about the history of these passages in an article about the newest siddur, Mishkan T'filah. He writes (...
Monica Cellio's user avatar
11 votes
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Line break before למען ירבו ימיכם

The issue is discussed in detail by R' Hamburger in Volume 4 of his priceless series, Shorshei Minhag Ashkenaz, and a bit shorther, but in English in the kitzur edition. His main point is that in ...
Kazi bácsi's user avatar
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11 votes
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What constitutes the Shema?

Because the literature surrounding the Shema is quite vast, I will bring only general essentials below. Text of the Shema, referenced below: Deut. 6 שְׁמַע יִשרָאֵל יי אֱלהֵינוּ יי אֶחָד: ...
Dr. Shmuel's user avatar
10 votes
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What is the Hebrew text for this prayer?

אֱלֹהֵינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם יַחֵד שִׁמְךָ וְקַיֵּם מַלְכוּתְךָ תָּמִיד וּמְלֹךְ עָלֵינוּ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד Eloheinu shebashamayim yached shim'cha v'kayem malchut'cha tamid um'loch aleinu l'olam va'ed. Our ...
ezra's user avatar
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8 votes

Can saying Sh'ma once satisfy two different Sh'ma obligations?

No it cannot. In fact, one cannot even recite shema twice in the period between alot hashachar and hanetz hachamah to count for the evening and morning readings. Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 58:5: ...
Joel K's user avatar
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7 votes
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Reciting Shema in English

Berachot 13a ת"ר ק"ש ככתבה דברי רבי וחכ"א בכל לשון מ"ט דרבי אמר קרא והיו בהוייתן יהו ורבנן מאי טעמייהו אמר קרא שמע בכל לשון שאתה שומע ולרבי נמי הא כתיב שמע ההוא מבעי ליה השמע לאזניך מה שאתה ...
Alex's user avatar
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7 votes

Are there five or six reasons why Parshas Tzitzis was added to Shema?

This passage also appears in Yalkut Shimoni, and in that version there are indeed only five things. Number 4, "opinions of heretics" in your translation, does not appear. The supporting verse cited in ...
Alex's user avatar
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6 votes
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12 halachic hours – why no more halachic consequences?

The argument does indeed apply across the board. Perhaps you see it discussed most about the last time for reciting Shema since that's the only time during the day with potential biblical ...
Double AA's user avatar
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6 votes
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Accidentally saying "El Melekh Neeman" when in a tzibbur

The original minhag ashkenaz was to say kel melech neeman in all situations, when davening with a minyan and by oneself. (found in Rokeach, Agur, Tur, Siddur Shlomo Worms Maharik and other Ashkenazi ...
Anon4678's user avatar
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6 votes
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If one is in doubt whether they had already recited maariv should they say the blessings of shema with the shema or not?

If he is unsure if he recited Shema, he should recite it with its blessings (OC 67). If one is unsure if one had recited the Amida, one should recite it and intend that it should be a voluntary ...
Double AA's user avatar
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6 votes
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Women and the 248 words in Shema

In his book Shorashe Minhag Ashkenaz (vol. 2 pg. 58), R. Hamburger brings that the Minhat Elazar was asked this question and he replied (ME vol. 2 §28) that since the idea is Zoharic it follows that ...
Oliver's user avatar
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6 votes

Why does Rashi explain where yoke of Mitzvos is discussed in Parshas Tzitzis?

In the parallel passage in Yalkut Shimoni (which I cited here), no verses are given for the three that are obvious. In fact, R. Refael Nota Nosson Rabinowitz (Dikdukei Sofrim) presents this comment of ...
Alex's user avatar
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6 votes

Should you recite amen after Ahava Rabbah?

The Shulchan Aruch 59:4 says not to answer amen after Ahava Rabbah/Olam. The Rema to 61:3 says that the custom is people finish Ahava Rabbah before the Shatz, so they can answer Amen. The Mishnah ...
robev's user avatar
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6 votes

ולא תתורו: kadma veazla or azla-geresh?

All the Tiberian manuscripts (and here, here, here, and here) and the majority of the other (Ashkenazi/Sephardi) old manuscripts* have a maqef, followed by the Venice Mikraot Gedolot and other ...
magicker72's user avatar
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6 votes
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Being יוצא with the chazzan saying - ה' אלוקיכם אמת, if I am not up to Kerias Shema yet

It would seem that both questions can be answered at once. The Shaare Teshuva on that Halacha that listening to the 3 words from the Chazzan may be done even if you are in middle of krias shema ...
Chatzkel's user avatar
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6 votes
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Shema Text not consistent

The Kli Yakar asks this question and answers based on the fact that the first parsha refers to a single person and this parsha refers to the tzibbur. He then explains why all the interpretations of ...
Chatzkel's user avatar
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6 votes
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Sh’ma time on a long travel

As the OU writes "always say the prayer service based on the day and time where you are at the moment you are ready to pray" To calculate the right times, you can use tools such as The Chai ...
mbloch's user avatar
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5 votes

Why are identical words pronounced differently at certain locations of the Shema?

The two passages are from Deuteronomy 6:7 and 11:19, respectively: וְשִׁנַּנְתָּ֣ם לְבָנֶ֔יךָ וְדִבַּרְתָּ֖ בָּ֑ם בְּשִׁבְתְּךָ֤ בְּבֵיתֶ֙ךָ֙ וּבְלֶכְתְּךָ֣ בַדֶּ֔רֶךְ וּֽבְשָׁכְבְּךָ֖ וּבְקוּמֶֽךָ׃ ...
Isaac Moses's user avatar
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5 votes
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Why doesn't saying the sh'ma satisfy torah-reading requirements?

Your question is asked by no less than the P'ri M'gadim (OH Eshel Avraham: 135)! According to the Amora Sh'muel, as quoted by R. Yehudah, in Berakhot (21a), the recitation of Sh'ma is merely rabbinic....
mevaqesh's user avatar
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5 votes

Are glasses a barrier before erva for "Sh'ma"?

Berachot 25b אמר רבא צואה בעששית מותר לקרות ק"ש כנגדה ערוה בעששית אסור לקרות ק"ש כנגדה צואה בעששית מותר לקרות ק"ש כנגדה דצואה בכסוי תליא מילתא והא מיכסיא ערוה בעששית אסור לקרות קריאת שמע כנגדה (...
kouty's user avatar
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5 votes

Reciting Shema in English

Mishna Sotah 7:1 אֵלּוּ נֶאֱמָרִין בְּכָל לָשׁוֹן, פָּרָשַׁת סוֹטָה, וּוִדּוּי מַעֲשֵׂר, קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע, וּתְפִלָּה, וּבִרְכַּת הַמָּזוֹן, וּשְׁבוּעַת הָעֵדוּת, וּשְׁבוּעַת הַפִּקָּדוֹן: The ...
Double AA's user avatar
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5 votes

Reciting Shema in English

There is a beginner's guide to Shema on the aish.com website where it says: The important thing is to understand and concentrate on the meaning of the words. If you don't understand Hebrew, you ...
Avrohom Yitzchok's user avatar
5 votes

Can saying Sh'ma once satisfy two different Sh'ma obligations?

The Aruch Hashulchan in 58:8 quotes the Bet Yosef (Seif 8) that if you read Sh'ma after dawn to fulfill your nighttime obligation, you may not read it again until after sunrise to fulfill your daytime ...
Danny Schoemann's user avatar
5 votes

What constitutes the Shema?

Maimonides, Hilchot Keriat Shema 1:1-2: The Shema is read twice every day,—in the evening and in the morning, as it is said, "and when thou liest down and when thou risest up" (Deuteronomy 6:7), ...
Joel K's user avatar
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5 votes
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Why do we change the order?

The change in the order does not affect the meaning, but it does change the emphasis. In this case the emphasis would be on the first word. In the beginning of Yotzer ohr we want to talk about his ...
mmlant56's user avatar
5 votes

Is cantillation with Kriyat Shema required?

The Mishnah Berura 61:38 says clearly that one shouldn’t say with the cantillations if it will take away from his concentration בכך - ובלבד שיכוין כי הנגינה למי שלא הורגל בה מפסיד הכונה: https://www....
Chatzkel's user avatar
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5 votes
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How could the words עשב בשדך run together?

The source for the Shulchan Aruch's examples is the statement of Rava recorded in Berachot 15b. So what we really need to know is how these consonants were pronounced in fourth century Mesopotamia. R. ...
Joel K's user avatar
  • 46.6k
4 votes

Dr. Bronner's soap

Earlier on the label it mentions Jesus being a student of Hillel. That makes this label a work of a min. Even torah scrolls written by minim lack holiness and dont go into shemos. Source later.
Clint Eastwood's user avatar

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