(4) Hear, O Israel! Adonai is our God, Adonai is One.
(5) You shall love Adonai your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. (6) Take to heart these instructions with which I charge you this day. (7) Impress them upon your children. Recite them when you stay at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you get up. (8) Bind them as a sign on your hand and let them serve as a symbol on your forehead; (9) inscribe them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
(40) Thus you shall be reminded to observe all My commandments and to be holy to your God. (41) I, Adonai, am your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God: I, Adonai, am your God.
The Gemara asks: What is the reason that we recite that passage: Blessed be the name of God's glorious kingdom for ever and ever, even though it does not appear in the Torah? The Gemara answers: We recite it in accordance with that which Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish interpreted homiletically. As Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said that it is written: “And Jacob called his sons and said, Gather around and I will tell you what will occur to you in the end of days” (Genesis 49:1). Jacob wanted to reveal to his sons when the complete redemption would arrive at the end of days (see Daniel 12:13), but the Divine Presence abandoned him, rendering him unable to prophesy. He said: Perhaps the Divine Presence has abandoned me because, Heaven forfend, one of my descendants is unfit, as was the case with my grandfather Abraham, from whom Ishmael emerged, and like my father Isaac, from whom Esau emerged. His sons said to him: Hear Israel, our father, Adonai is our God, Adonai is One. They said: Just as there is only one God in your heart, so too, there is only one in our hearts. At that moment Jacob our father said in praise: Blessed be the name of God's glorious kingdom for ever and ever, as all his children were righteous. The Rabbis said: What should we do? Shall we recite this verse? But Moses our teacher did not say it in the Torah as part of Shema. Shall we not recite it? But Jacob said it. In order to resolve this dilemma they established that this passage should be recited surreptitiously. Rabbi Yitzḥak said that the school of Rabbi Ami said: This is analogous to the daughter of a king who smelled the fragrance of the dried spices stuck to the bottom of the pot and craved to eat them. What can she do? If she tells her servants to give it to her, she will be disgraced, as the dried spices are a contemptible food. However, if she does not say she wants to eat them, she will endure suffering. Her servants began to bring them to her surreptitiously. One should conduct himself in that manner in similar cases of uncertainty. Rabbi Abbahu said: The Sages instituted that the people should recite it aloud due to the grievance of the heretics. It was instituted to prevent the heretics from claiming that the Jews are surreptitiously reciting inappropriate statements. The Gemara adds: In Neharde’a, where there are no heretics, they recite it surreptitiously even now.
(לה) דָּבָר אַחֵר, שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל. מֵהֵיכָן זָכוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לִקְרִיאַת שְׁמַע, מִשָּׁעָה שֶׁנָּטָה יַעֲקֹב לְמִיתָה קָרָא לְכָל הַשְּׁבָטִים וְאָמַר לָהֶן שֶׁמָּא מִשֶּׁאֲנִי נִפְטַר מִן הָעוֹלָם אַתֶּם מִשְׁתַּחֲוִים לֵאלוֹהַּ אַחֵר, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁכָּךְ כְּתִיב (בראשית מט, ב): הִקָּבְצוּ וְשִׁמְעוּ בְּנֵי יַעֲקֹב וגו', מַהוּ (בראשית מט, ב): וְשִׁמְעוּ אֶל יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲבִיכֶם, אָמַר לָהֶן, אֵל יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֲבִיכֶם הוּא. אָמְרוּ לוֹ, שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ ה' אֶחָד, וְהוּא אוֹמֵר בִּלְחִישָׁה בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד. אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי וּמַה יִּשְׂרָאֵל אוֹמְרִים עַכְשָׁו, שְׁמַע אָבִינוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹתוֹ הַדָּבָר שֶׁצִּוִּיתָנוּ נוֹהֵג בָּנוּ ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ ה' אֶחָד.
(לו) דָּבָר אַחֵר, שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל, רַבָּנָן אָמְרִין, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁעָלָה משֶׁה לַמָּרוֹם שָׁמַע לְמַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת שֶׁהָיוּ אוֹמְרִים לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד, וְהוֹרִיד אוֹתָהּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, וְלָמָּה אֵין יִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹמְרִים אוֹתוֹ בְּפַרְהֶסְיָא, אָמַר רַבִּי אַסֵּי לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה לְאֶחָד שֶׁגָּנַב קוֹזְמִין מִתּוֹךְ פָּלָטִין שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ, נְתָנָהּ לָהּ לְאִשְׁתּוֹ וְאָמַר לָהּ אַל תִּתְקַשְׁטִי בָּהּ בְּפַרְהֶסְיָא אֶלָּא בְּתוֹךְ בֵּיתֵךְ, אֲבָל בְּיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים שֶׁהֵן נְקִיִּים כְּמַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת, הֵן אוֹמְרִים אוֹתוֹ בְּפַרְהֶסְיָא, בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד.
(35) Another idea: "Listen, O Israel-" from where did Israel merit the [commandment of the] reading of Shema? From the time that Jacob spread out to die, he called to all the tribes and said to them: "Maybe once I pass away, you will bow to another power?" From where [can we learn this]? For so it is written: "Gather and listen, sons of Jacob, [and listen to your father Israel] (Genesis 49)." What is 'and listen to your father Israel (heb. V'shimu El Yisrael Avichem)'? He said to them: The G-d of Israel is your father (an alternate meaning of 'El Yisrael Avichem')." They said to him: "Listen O Israel, Hashem is our G-d, Hashem is one." And he said in a whisper: "Blessed be the glorious name of His Kingship (ie. G-d) forever." Rabbi Levi said: "And what do Israel say today? 'Listen our forefather Israel, the same thing that you commanded us still abides among us, Hashem is our G-d, Hashem is one.'"
(36) Another idea: "Hear O Israel" The rabbis said: When Moshe went up to the heavens, he heard the ministering angels saying to the Holy Blessed One, "Blessed is the name of the glory of God's sovereignty for all time" and brought it down to Israel. And why doesn't Israel say it in public (aloud)? Rabbi Asi said: To what is it similar? To one who stole jewelry from the King's palace and gave it to his wife and said to her, "Don't adorn yourself with it in public, rather (wear it) in your house." However, on Yom Kippur when they are as clean as the ministering angels, they say it publicly, "Blessed is the name of the glory of God's sovereignty for all time."
(א) פַּעֲמַיִם בְּכָל יוֹם קוֹרְאִין קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע, בָּעֶרֶב וּבַבֹּקֶר. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים ו ז) ״וּבְשָׁכְבְּךָ וּבְקוּמֶךָ״ בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁדֶּרֶךְ בְּנֵי אָדָם שׁוֹכְבִין וְזֶה הוּא לַיְלָה. וּבְשָׁעָה שֶׁדֶּרֶךְ בְּנֵי אָדָם עוֹמְדִין וְזֶה הוּא יוֹם:
(ב) וּמַה הוּא קוֹרֵא, שְׁלֹשָׁה פָּרָשִׁיּוֹת. אֵלּוּ הֵן (דברים ו ד) ״שְׁמַע״ (דברים יא יג) ״וְהָיָה אִם שָׁמֹעַ״ (במדבר טו לז) ״וַיֹּאמֶר״. וּמַקְדִּימִין לִקְרוֹת פָּרָשַׁת שְׁמַע מִפְּנֵי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהּ יִחוּד הַשֵּׁם וְאַהֲבָתוֹ וְתַלְמוּדוֹ שֶׁהוּא הָעִקָּר הַגָּדוֹל שֶׁהַכּל תָּלוּי בּוֹ. וְאַחֲרֶיהָ וְהָיָה אִם שָׁמֹעַ שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהּ צִוּוּי עַל (זְכִירַת) שְׁאָר כָּל הַמִּצְוֹת. וְאַחַר כָּךְ פָּרָשַׁת (במדבר טו לח) ״צִיצִית״ שֶׁגַּם הִיא יֵשׁ בָּהּ צִוּוּי זְכִירַת כָּל הַמִּצְוֹת:
(1) 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), the phrases in this text meaning at the time when men are lying down, that is, at night, and at the time when they have risen, that is, by day.
(2) What does one read? Three sections as follows: the section beginning, "Hear, O Israel" (Deuteronomy 6:4-9); that commencing, "And it shall come to pass" (Deuteronomy 11:13-21); and that commencing, "And Adonai spoke" (Numbers 15:37-41). The section beginning, "Hear, O Israel" is recited first, because it sets forth the duties of acknowledging the Unity of God, loving God, and studying God's words. This is the great and essential matter on which all depends. Then, the passage beginning, "And it shall come to pass" is read, this containing a charge to fulfill all the other commandments. Finally the section concerning Fringes is read, as it also contains a charge to remember all the commandments.
Rabbi Eliezer says: From when one can distinguish between sky-blue and leek-green.
And one must finish reciting Shema until the end of the period when you rise, i.e., sunrise, when the sun begins to shine.
Rabbi Yehoshua says: One may recite the morning Shema until three hours of the day, which this is still considered when you rise, as that is the habit of kings to rise from their sleep at three hours of the day. While there is a set time frame for the recitation of Shema, one who recites Shema from that time onward loses nothing. Although he does not fulfill the mitzva of reciting of Shema at its appointed time, he is nevertheless considered like one who reads the Torah, and is rewarded accordingly. GEMARA: The mishna stated that the time for the recitation of the morning Shema begins when one can distinguish between sky-blue and white. The Gemara asks: To what is between sky-blue and white referring? If you say that it means distinguishing between a pile of white wool and a pile of sky-blue wool, wouldn’t one know the difference at night, as well? Rather, it must be a reference to ritual fringes made with sky-blue strings (see Numbers 15:38) along with white strings, and one must be able to distinguish between the sky-blue strings in the ritual fringes and the white strings in the ritual fringes.
With regard to the beginning of the time for the recitation of the morning Shema, a baraita cites additional opinions not cited in the mishna. It was taught in a baraita:
Rabbi Meir says that the day begins when one can distinguish between two similar animals, e.g., a wolf and a dog.
Rabbi Akiva provides a different sign, and says that the day begins when there is sufficient light to distinguish between a donkey and a wild donkey.
And Aḥerim say: When one can see another person, who is merely an acquaintance (Jerusalem Talmud) from a distance of four cubits and recognize him. Rav Huna said: The halakha is in accordance with Aḥerim. Abaye said: Regarding the time from which one may don phylacteries, a mitzva incumbent only by day, the halakha is in accordance with Aḥerim. But with regard to the recitation of Shema, one should conduct himself in accordance with the custom of the vatikin, pious individuals who were scrupulous in their performance of mitzvot. As Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The vatikin would conclude the recitation of Shema with sunrise, and one should act accordingly. It was also taught in a baraita: The vatikin would conclude the recitation of Shema with sunrise in order to juxtapose the blessing of redemption, which immediately follows the recitation of Shema, with prayer, and pray during the day.