Jew Curious - Shema

(3) The school of Shammai says: In the evening all people should recline and recite [Shema], and in the morning they should stand, since it says [in the verse (Deut. 6:7)], “And when you lie down and when you arise.” But the school of Hillel says: Each person may recite it in his usual way (posture), since it says (ibid.), “And when you walk on the road.” If so, why does it say “and when you lie down and when you arise”? —[It means:] at the time when people are lying down, and at the time when people are arising. Said Rabbi Tarfon: “I was once traveling on the road, and I reclined to recite [Shema] in accordance with the view of the school of Shammai, and [by doing so] I put myself in danger of [attack by] bandits.” They [the other Sages] said to him: “You would have deserved to be guilty for your own fate, since you went against the view of the school of Hillel.”

(1) The Shema is recited twice every day, once in the evening and once in the morning, as it is said: Recite them when you stay at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you get up (Deut. 6: 7). The time when people customarily lie down is evening and the time when people customarily get up is morning.

(2) What does one recite? The three paragraphs beginning with the words Hear (Deut. 6:4-9); If, then, you obey (Deut. II: 13-21); and The Lord said (Num. 15:37-41). The paragraph Hear is recited first because it contains commandments concerning God's unity, the love of God, and the study of God, which is the basic principle on which all depends? After it, If, then, you obey, is recited since the passage commands obedience to all the other commandments. After that, the paragraph concerning the fringes is recited, since it also contains a command to recall all the commandments....

(4) ה' אחד; seeing that He created all phenomena in this universe, celestial or terrestrial out of a total void, it is logically impossible for there to be another phenomenon representing an existence independent of Him. It also makes him basically different, unique, for all things created by Him are by definition potentially terminal, transient existences. He is absolutely unique in the world based on four basic raw materials, water, fire, earth, air. This idea appears to be hinted at in the letter ד=4 in the word אחד which is written larger than usual and the letter ע in the word שמע which is also written in larger than normal script, suggesting that we should use our eyes to take note of these concepts, the “testimony, עד” that this is so. This is why our sages said that we must draw out the word אחד when reciting it so as to give us time to reflect on the full meaning of the verse.

1) The mitzvah of unifying God - this is that we were commanded to believe that the Holy One of Blessing is the actor of all reality, the Master of All, One without any partner, as it is written "Hear Israel, Ad-nay is our G-d Ad-nay is one, and this is a positive commandment, not a myth, but the explanation of the Shema is to say 'receive from me this ne thing, and know it, and believe in it, that the Holy Name who is our G-d is one. And the proof that this is a positive commandment is found in the fact that they, may their memory always be for a blessing, said in the midrashim 'in order to receive upon oneself the kingdom of heaven', that is to say thanks in private and with faith.

(4) Some have a custom to look at their Tzitzit when they reach the verse "And you shall see them," and to place [their Tzitzit] on their eyes. This is a beautiful custom. Addition: Some have the custom to kiss their Tzitzit when they look at them, and all of this is a way of showing love for the Mitzvah (Beit Yosef).

(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."