Kriyat Shema: Difference between revisions

# One should say Shema on time even if one will have to pray Beyachid (without a [[minyan]]). <ref> Sh”T Nodea BeYehuda (Kama O”C 3), Mishna Brurah 58:5, Sh”T Eleph Lacha Shlomo O”C 47, and Halacha Brurah 58:5. </ref>

==Who's Obligated?==

# One should be particularly careful that if the last letter of one word and the first letter of the next work, like bichol livavicha or vaavaditem miheira, to pronounce clearly that it is two different words. <ref> Shulchan Aruch 61:20 based on gemara [[berachot]] 15. Mishna Brurah 61:33 adds that one shouldn't pause for too long because there is a makaf (hyphen), meaning that it is supposed to be pronounced together. </ref> One should also be careful when the last letter of a word in mem and the first letter of the next word is an aleph like uzichartem et, that he doesn't make it sound like the mem belongs to the next word and he is saying met. <ref> Shulchan Aruch 61:21. Mishna Brurah 61:34 extends this to any situation where the mem and the alef are next to each other even when it will not sound like he is saying met, and also to whenever the aleph will get swallowed if you do not take a short pause. </ref>

# One shouldn't say Shema without wearing Tefillin.<ref>Gemara Brachot 14b, Shulchan Aruch 25:4</ref> However, if can't put them on because one is traveling and it is too difficult to put them on or because one doesn't have them, one shouldn't miss saying Kriyat Shema because of not having Tefillin on.<ref>Mishna Brurah 25:14</ref>

# There is a practice to gather all four Tzitziyot when one gets to the words “MeArbah Kanfot HaAretz”<ref> Halacha Brurah (24:6 and 60:5) writes that one should take the four corners of the [[tzitzit]] when one reaches the words “MeArbah Kanfot HaAretz”. </ref> or "Maher Vaheve Alenu"<ref> Kaf HaChaim 24:8 quotes Shaar HaKavanot who writes that at the words "Maher Vaheve Alenu" one should arrange his [[tzitzit]] so that two corners are in front and two in the back. Afterwards, one should take all four corners in one's left hand. Ben Ish Chai Parashat Shemot Halacha 5 agrees. see also [http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/5803/jewish/Sivan-22.htm chabad.org] for the Chabad minhag </ref> and hold them in your left hand. When one gets to third paragraph of Shema one transfers the strings into one’s right hand <ref> Pri Megadim Eshel Avraham 24:1, Mishna Brura 24:4 </ref>, or both hands <ref> Kaf HaChaim 24:8 </ref> while holding onto the knots with one’s left hand until “VeNemanim VeNechmadim Laad” when one kisses the [[tzitzit]] and lets go of the tzitziyot. <ref> Mishna Brura 24:4, Shulchan Aruch Harav 24:4, Magen Avraham 24:1, Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 17:7, Kaf HaChaim 24:8, 18, Halacha Brurah 24:6. According to Ben Ish Chai Shemot Halacha 8, Kaf Hachaim 24:8 one should kiss them before letting go. Tzitz Eliezer 13:3 writes that one who doesn't gather the [[tzitzit]] and kiss them during kriat shema is breaking away from the congregation. Maaseh Rav Siman 39 says that the GR"A would not kiss his [[Tzitzit]] during Keriyat Shema </ref> This is true for a blind man as well. <ref> Mishna Brura 24:7 </ref>  

* However, Sh"t Torah Lishma 39, Kaf Hachaim 24:8, Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 17:7, and Radvaz 3:571 say that one should collect all four  </ref>  

# Since the mitzva of [[tzitzit]] is a daytime mitzva, they are not held during the shema at night. <ref> Halacha Brurah 24:6 </ref>  

==Kavana one needs for Shema==