Avodat Hashem Shiur #01: Keriat Shema (I): The Fundamental Obligation and its Source Harav Baruch Gigi VBM—The Israel Koschitzky Virtual Beit Midrash of Yeshivat Har Etzion Series

From what time may the Shema' be read in the evening? From the time the priests enter [the Temple] to partake of their Terumah, until the end of the first watch. These are the words of R. Eliezer; but the Sages say: Until midnight. Rabban Gamaliel says: Until the rise of dawn. It once happened that his sons returned from a feast [after midnight] and said to him, "We have not read the Shema' !" He told them, "If the dawn has not yet risen, you are still under the obligation of reading it. And not only in this connection do they so decide; but wherever the Sages use the expression 'Until midnight,' the obligation continues until the rise of dawn." The duty of burning the fat and parts of the animal continues until the rise of dawn. Likewise with all offerings which have to be eaten the same day [they are sacrificed], the duty continues until the rise of dawn. If so, why do the Sages say "Until midnight"? In order to keep a man far from transgression. GEMARA What authority has the Tanna [that the Shema' is to be read at all] that he raises the question: From what time? Further, on what ground does he first deal with the evening ? Let him first deal with [the Shema'] of the morning ! The Tanna bases his authority on Scripture ; for it is written, "When thou liest down and when thou risest up" (Deut. vi. 7). His statement in the Mishnah is to be understood thus : When is the time for reading the Shema' which is to be recited when lying down? From the time the priests enter [the Temple] to partake of their Terumah. Or if thou wilt, I can say that he derives [his reason for commencing with the evening] from the account of the Creation ; for it is written : "It was evening and it was morning, one day" (Gen, i. 5). If this be so, in the sequel where he teaches : In the morning [the reading of the Shema'] is preceded by two benedictions and followed by one; in the evening it is preceded by two and followed by two, let him likewise treat of the evening first ! The Tanna commenced with the evening and then treats of the morning; but while on the subject of the morning, he explains matters connected with the morning, and afterwards explains matters connected with the evening.

Rab Judah said : If one is in doubt whether he has read the Shema' or not, he does not repeat it ; if he is in doubt whether he said "True and firm" or not, he does repeat it. What is the reason ? Because the reading of the Shema' is ordained by the Rabbis, but saying "True and firm" by the Torah. Rab Joseph quoted in objection : "When thou liest down and when thou risest up" (Deut. vi. 7)! Abbai answered him: That is written with reference to words of Torah. We have a teaching in our Mishnah : A Ba'al Keri meditates upon [the wording of the Shema'] in his heart and says neither the benediction before nor after. At his meal, he says the Grace after [in his heart] but not the Grace before. But if it enter thy mind that "True and firm" is ordained by the Torah, then he should say the benediction after the Shema' ! And for what reason should he say this benediction ? If because it contains a reference to the Exodus from Egypt, he has already mentioned that in the Shema' ! Then let him say this benediction and there will be no necessity for the other ! The reading of the Shema' is more important because it contains two things. R. Eleazar said : If one is in doubt whether he has read the Shema' or not, he should repeat it ; but if he is in doubt whether he has said the Tefillah or not, he need not repeat it. But R. Johanan said: Would that a man could pray all day.

(9) בין עיניך, like a precious jewel which one places on one’s forehead as a decoration.