Kriyat Shema
From Halachipedia
Obligation
- There’s a Torah obligation to say Shema once in the morning and once at night as it says “VeDibarta Bam…BeShovkacha Uvkumecha”. [1]
- There’s a dispute about how much of Shema is Deoritta and we hold only the first pasuk is Deoritta and next three paragraphs are Derabbanan. [2]
Who's Exempt?
- Women are exempt from Kriyat Shema [3] however it is proper [4] that women say the pasuk of Shema Yisrael [5] (and Baruch Shem) [6].
How Kriyat Shema is to be Read
- One should read the first Pasuk out loud by everyone in the congregation in order to inspire Kavana. [7] The rest of Shema should preferably be said out loud individually but if the congregation wants otherwise one can say it quietly as along as it’s loud enough to be heard by oneself. [8]
- One should read Kriyat Shema with the tune of Torah reading. So is the Minhag of Sephardim and some Ashkenzim, however some Ashkenazim have the Minhag to not say it with the tune. However one should still pasue in the proper places not to mess up the meaning of the words. [9]
Kissing Tefilin and Tzitzit during Shema
- When one says “UKeshartem LeOt Al Yadecha” one should kiss the Tefilin Shel Yad. When one says “Vehayu LeTotafot Ben Eiynecha” one should kiss the Tefilin Shel Rosh. [10]
- When one says “UReetem Oto” (in the third paragraph of Shema) one should kiss the two front tzitiyot. [11]
References
- ↑ There’s a dispute in the Gemara (Brachot 21a) whether Shema is Deoritta. The Rishonim are in dispute of what we hold. Rav Amram Goan 1:21 pg 102b, Tosfot (Sukkah 11a D”H Rav Amram, Sotah 32a D”H Kriyat Shema Utefilah, 32b S”H Urebbe), Teshuvat HaRosh 4:21 hold it’s only derabanan. However Piskei HaRosh (Brachot 3:15), Rif 12a, Rambam Hilchot Kriyat Shema 2:13, Tur and S”A 67:1 all hold it’s a deoritta.
- ↑ Even among the Rishonim who hold Shema is Deoritta there are many different opinions on how much of it is deoritta. The Ramban (Milchamot Rosh Hashana 3e) says it’s just the first pasuk, Talmedei Rabbenu Yonah 7b in name of the Rif says it’s the first paragraph. However Baal Hamaor and Raavad argue that the Rif holds it’s only the first pasuk. Ohel Moed 21a quotes that Rabbenu tam holds all three paragraphs are deoritta. Pri Chadash 67 D”H Ume’atta says the Rambam holds the first two paragraphs are deoritta, while Sh”t Shagat Aryeh (Siman 2) argues Rambam only holds the first paragraph and the Sh”t Rashba 1:320 says the Rambam holds it’s just the first pasuk. The Bet Yosef 63e rules that only the first pasuk is Deoritta.
- ↑ S”A 70:1 explains that they are exempt because Kriyat Shema is a Mitzvah Aseh SheZman Grama.
- ↑ S”A 70:1 writes that it’s proper that women accept upon themselves the yoke of heaven. Even though the Bach (70) holds that women are obligated to accept the yoke of heaven daily, the Mishna Brurah 70:1 and Halacha Brurah 70:1 bring many who argue and hold like S”A that it’s only proper but not an obligation.
- ↑ The Rama 70:1 explains it to mean the pasuk of Shema Yisrael. The Nachalat Tzvi 70:1 writes that S”A holds that women should say the first paragraph and the Levush (brought by Mishna Brurah 70:5 and Halacha Brurah 70:1) implies that S”A agrees to the Rama. Halacha Brurah 70:1 rules that both for Ashkenazim and Sephardim it’s sufficient to say the first pasuk.
- ↑ Levush 70:1, Chida in Kesher Gudal 11:3, and Halacha Brurah 70:1 write that women should also say Baruch Shem along with Shema Yisrael.
- ↑ S”A 61:4 and Rama 61:26.
- ↑ Halacha Brurah 61:9 based on S”A 61:26 who says that there is a practice for everyone to say it quietly and there’s a practice to say it out loud.
- ↑ Talmidei Rabbenu Yonah 8b says that one must say Kriyat Shema with the Torah reading tune. So rules the Tur and S”A 61:24. Rama adds that the Minhag Ashkenaz is not to say it with the tune but some are strict in this regard.
- ↑ S”A 61:25
- ↑ S”A 61:25
