Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim Siman 61

Siman 61

Presented here for study, not as a practical ruling. The Shulchan Aruch rules by Sephardi custom, the Rema's glosses by Ashkenazi custom, and the Kitzur follows Ashkenazi custom. For a practical question, ask your rabbi.

א יִקְרָא קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע בְּכַוָּנָה, בְּאֵימָה וּבְיִרְאָה, בְּרֶתֶת וָזִיעַ.
1 Laws of how much one needs to be precise and have intention during the Recitation of the Sh'ma; contain 26 se-ifim One should recite the Sh'ma with intention, awe, fear, shaking and trembling.
ב אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ הַיּוֹם, הַיְנוּ לוֹמַר בְּכָל יוֹם יִהְיוּ בְּעֵינֶיךָ כַּחֲדָשִׁים, וְלֹא כְּמִי שֶׁכְּבָר שָׁמַע אוֹתוֹ הַרְבֵּה פְּעָמִים, שֶׁאֵינוֹ חָבִיב אֶצְלוֹ.
2 [The verse states:] "Which I have commanded you today," (Deuteronomy 6:6) - which teaches that every day it should appear in your eyes as if it was new, and not like someone who already heard it many times and is [therefore] not precious to him.
ג בִּקְרִיאַת שְׁמַע יֵשׁ רמ "ה תֵּבוֹת, וּכְדֵי לְהַשְׁלִים רמ "ח כְּנֶגֶד אֵיבָרָיו שֶׁל אָדָם, מְסַיֵּם שְׁלִיחַ צִבּוּר ה' אֱלֹהֵיכֶם אֱמֶת, וְחוֹזֵר וְאוֹמֵר בְּקוֹל רָם ה' אֱלֹהֵיכֶם אֱמֶת: הַגָּה: וּבָזֶה כָּל אָדָם יוֹצֵא, הוֹאִיל וְשׁוֹמְעִין מִפִּיו שֶׁל הַשְּׁלִיחַ צִבּוּר ג' תֵּבוֹת אֵלּוּ (בֵּית יוֹסֵף בְּשֵׁם א"ח) וְאִם הַיָּחִיד רוֹצֶה גַּם כֵּן לְאָמְרָם עִם הַשְּׁלִיחַ צִבּוּר, אֵין אִסּוּר בַּדָּבָר (דִּבְרֵי עַצְמוֹ) וְאִם הוּא קוֹרֵא בְּיָחִיד, יְכַוֵּן בְּט"ו וָוִי"ן שֶׁבֶּאֱמֶת וְיַצִּיב שֶׁעוֹלִים צ', וְהֵם כְּנֶגֶד ג' שְׁמוֹת הַהֲוָיָ"ה, שֶׁכָּל שֵׁם עוֹלָה כ"ו וְד' אוֹתִיּוֹתָיו הֵם ל': הַגָּה: וְיֵשׁ עוֹד טַעַם אַחֵר בַּדָּבָר דְּט"ו וָוִי"ן עוֹלִין צ', וְהַקְּרִיאָה נֶחְשֶׁבֶת א', הֲרֵי צ"א כְּמִנְיַן הַשֵּׁם בִּקְרִיאָתוֹ וּבִכְתִיבָתוֹ, וְהָוֵי כְּאִלּוּ אָמַר ד' אֲדֹנָ"י אֱמֶת (מַהֲרִי"ק שֹׁרֶשׁ מ"ב וְאָגוּר) וְיֵשׁ שֶׁכָּתְבוּ דְּכָל הַקּוֹרֵא קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע בְּיָחִיד, יֹאמַר אֵל מֶלֶךְ נֶאֱמָן שְׁמַע וְגו', כִּי ג' תֵּבוֹת אֵלּוּ מַשְׁלִימִים הַמִּנְיָן שֶׁל רמ"ח, וְהוּא בִּמְקוֹם אָמֵן שֶׁיֵּשׁ לַעֲנוֹת אַחַר בָּרוּךְ הַבּוֹחֵר בְּעַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּאַהֲבָה, וְכֵן נוֹהֲגִין. וְנִרְאֶה לִי מִכָּל מָקוֹם כְּשֶׁקּוֹרֵא עִם הַצִּבּוּר, לֹא יֹאמַר אֵל מֶלֶךְ נֶאֱמָן, רַק יֹאמַר אָמֵן אַחַר הַשְּׁלִיחַ צִבּוּר כְּשֶׁמְּסַיֵּם הַבְּרָכָה, וְכֵן נוֹהֲגִין, וְנָכוֹן הוּא.
3 In the recitation of Shema there are 245 words, and in order to complete 248, which corresponds to the limbs of the human body, the prayer leader concludes "Hashem your God is true" and repeats and says aloud "Hashem your God is true." Rema: And through this every person fulfills their obligation, since they hear these three words from the mouth of the prayer leader (Beit Yosef in the name of Orchot Chaim). And if the individual wants to say them along with the prayer leader, it is not forbidden (his own words). And if he's reading alone, have in mind regarding the fifteen vavs in "Emet V'yatziv" which equal 90, and they correspond to three divine Names, where each Name equals 26 and its four letters are 30. Rema: And there's another reason for doing so, since the fifteen vavs add up to 90, and the reading counts as one, this is then 91, which is the value of the God's name as it is pronounced and written, and it's as if he said "Hashem Adonai emet" (Maharik Root 42 and Agur). And there are those who wrote that anyone who recites Shema alone should say "El melech ne'eman Shema, etc.," because these three words complete the count of 248, and this comes in place of the Amen that one is required to answer after "Blessed is He who chooses His people Israel with love," and so is the custom. And it seems to me nevertheless that when reciting with the congregation, one should not say "El melech ne'eman" but rather should say "Amen" after the prayer leader concludes the blessing, and this is our custom and it is correct.
ד נוֹהֲגִין לִקְרוֹת פָּסוּק רִאשׁוֹן בְּקוֹל רָם כְּדֵי לְעוֹרֵר הַכַּוָּנָה.
4 The custom is to recite the first verse out loud in order to awaken the intention [we need].
ה נוֹהֲגִין לִתֵּן יְדֵיהֶם עַל פְּנֵיהֶם בִּקְרִיאַת פָּסוּק רִאשׁוֹן, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִסְתַּכֵּל בְּדָבָר אַחֵר שֶׁמּוֹנְעוֹ מִלְּכַוֵּן.
5 The custom is to place one's hands over their faces during the recitation of the first verse in order that one will not look at something else that will prevent him from intending [his heart].
ו צָרִיךְ לְהַאֲרִיךְ בַּחֵי"ת שֶׁל אֶחָד כְּדֵי שֶׁיַּמְלִיךְ הַקָּבָּ"ה בַּשָּׁמַיִם וּבָאָרֶץ, שֶׁלָּזֶה רוֹמֵז חֲטֹטֶרֶת שֶׁבְּאֶמְצַע הַגַּג הַחֵי"ת, וְיַאֲרִיךְ בַּדָּלֶ"ת שֶׁל אֶחָד שִׁעוּר שֶׁיַּחֲשֹׁב שֶׁהַקָּבָּ"ה יָחִיד בְּעוֹלָמוֹ וּמוֹשֵׁל בְּד' רוּחוֹת הָעוֹלָם, וְלֹא יַאֲרִיךְ יוֹתֵר מִכְּשִׁעוּר זֶה. וְיֵשׁ נוֹהֲגִים לְהַטּוֹת הָרֹאשׁ כְּפִי הַמַּחְשָׁבָה: מַעְלָה וּמַטָּה וּלְד' רוּחוֹת.
6 It is necessary to extend [the pronunciation of] the [letter] chet of [the word] echad (one) in order to declare the Holy One, blessed be He's, sovereignty in the Heavens and the Earth (i.e. seven heavens + Earth = chet (8)), for this is alluded to by the humps in the middle of the roof of the chet. One should [also] extend [the pronunciation of] the letter dalet of [the word] echad (one) the amount [of time it takes] to contemplate that the Holy One, blessed be He, is One in His world and rules in the four directions of the world. But he should not extend more than this amount. There are those who have the custom to turn the head in accordance with the thought: up, down, and to the four directions.
ז יַדְגִּישׁ בַּדָּלֶי"ת שֶׁלֹּא תְּהֵא כְּרֵי"שׁ.
7 One should accentuate the dalet so that it does not [sound] like a resh.
ח לֹא יַחֲטֹף בַּחֵי"ת וְלֹא יַאֲרִיךְ בָּאָלֶ"ף.
8 One should not contract/rush [the pronunciation of] the chet, nor extend the aleph.
ט אָסוּר לוֹמַר שְׁמַע ב' פְּעָמִים, בֵּין שֶׁכּוֹפֵל הַתֵּבוֹת שֶׁאוֹמֵר שְׁמַע שְׁמַע, בֵּין שֶׁכּוֹפֵל הַפָּסוּק רִאשׁוֹן.
9 It is forbidden to say "Sh'ma" two times, whether doubling the words such that one says "sh'ma, sh'ma" or doubling the first verse.
י כְּשֶׁקּוֹרֵא קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע עַל מִטָּתוֹ, מֻתָּר לִקְרוֹת כָּל הַפָּרָשָׁה וְלַחֲזֹר וְלִקְרוֹתָהּ, וְיֵשׁ מִי שֶׁאוֹמֵר שֶׁגַּם בָּזֶה יֵשׁ לִזָּהֵר מִלּוֹמַר פָּסוּק רִאשׁוֹן: הַגָּה: ב' פְּעָמִים.
10 When one recites the Recitation of the Sh'ma on one's bed (ie. before going to sleep), it is permitted to recite the entire passage and to [then] repeat it. And there are those that say that also with this, one needs to be careful about saying the first verse Rema: two times.
יא הָאוֹמְרִים בְּאַשְׁמֹרֶת בִּסְלִיחוֹת וּבְיוֹם כִּפּוּר בִּתְפִלַּת נְעִילָה ב' פְּעָמִים פָּסוּק שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל, יֵשׁ לְלַמְּדָם שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמְרוּ.
11 Those who say the verse "Sh'ma Yisrael" two times in the early morning during Se'lichot or during Yom Kippur during the Ne'ilah prayer - they should be taught to not to say it.
יב ה' הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים שֶׁאוֹמְרִים אוֹתוֹ בְּיוֹם כִּפּוּר בִּתְפִלַּת נְעִילָה ז' פְּעָמִים, מִנְהָג כָּשֵׁר הוּא: הַגָּה: יֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים שֶׁיֵּשׁ לִזָּהֵר שֶׁלֹּא לַעֲנוֹת עַל שׁוּם בְּרָכָה ב' פְּעָמִים אָמֵן (בֵּית יוֹסֵף בְּשֵׁם אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד).
12 [Regarding saying] "Adon-ai hu haElo-him" seven times on Yom Kippur during the Ne'ilah prayer - this is a legitimate custom. Rema: There are those who say that one should be careful to not answer "amen" two times to any blessing (Beit Yosef in the name of Ohel Moed)
יג אַחַר פָּסוּק רִאשׁוֹן צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד בַּחֲשַׁאי.
13 After the first verse [of Shema], one needs to say, "Blessed is the Name of His glorious Kingdom forever and ever" in an undertone.
יד צָרִיךְ לְהַפְסִיק מְעַט בֵּין לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד לִוְאָהַבְתָּ כְּדֵי לְהַפְסִיק בֵּין קַבָּלַת מַלְכוּת שָׁמַיִם לִשְׁאָר מִצְוֹת: הַגָּה: וְיֵשׁ לְהַפְסִיק בְּפָסוּק רִאשׁוֹן בֵּין יִשְׂרָאֵל לַה' וּבֵין אֱלֹהֵינוּ לַה' הַשֵּׁנִי, כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּהֵא נִשְׁמָע שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל, כִּי ה' שֶׁהוּא אֱלֹהֵינוּ הוּא ה' אֶחָד (רוֹקֵחַ) וְיֵשׁ לְהַפְסִיק מְעַט בֵּין אֶחָד לְבָרוּךְ, כִּי עִקַּר קִבּוּל מַלְכוּת שָׁמַיִם הוּא פָּסוּק רִאשׁוֹן (אַבּוּדַרְהַם).
14 One needs to pause a little between “forever and ever” and “and you shall love” in order to pause between acceptance of the kingship of Heaven to other commandments. Rema: and one should pause in the first verse between "Israel" and "The LORD" and between "our God" and the second "The LORD" so that it should sound as [if one is saying] "Hear O Israel because the LORD who is our God, He is the LORD who is One (Rokeach). And one should pause a little between "one" and "blessed" because the main acceptance of the kingdom of Heaven is the first verse (Abudarham).
טו צָרִיךְ לְהַפְסִיק בֵּין הַיּוֹם לְעַל לְבָבְךָ, וּבֵין הַיּוֹם לְאַהֲבָה, שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא נִרְאֶה הַיּוֹם וְלֹא לְמָחָר.
15 One should pause between "today" and "upon your heart" and between "today" and "to love" so it should not appear [as if he is saying] "today, but not tomorrow"
טז צָרִיךְ לְהַפְסִיק בֵּין נִשְׁבָּע לַה' כְּדֵי לְהַטְעִים יָפֶה הָעַיִ"ן, שֶׁלֹּא תְּהֵא נִרְאֵית כְּהֵ " א.
16 One should pause between "was sworn" and "The LORD" in order to pronounce the ayin well so that it does not sound like a hey.
יז צָרִיךְ לְהַתִּיז זַיִ"ן שֶׁל תִּזְכְּרוּ דְּלֹא לִשְׁתְּמַע תִּשְׁקְרוּ אוֹ תִּשְׂכְּרוּ, וְהָוֵי כַּעֲבָדִים הַמְשַׁמְּשִׁים עַל מְנַת לְקַבֵּל פְּרָס, וְכֵן צָרִיךְ לְהַתִּיז זַיִ"ן שֶׁל וּזְכַרְתֶּם.
17 One should distinctly pronounce the zayin in "tizkeru" so that it does not sound like "tishkeru" (lying) or "tiskeru" (reward) and then he would be [considered] like slaves working only for reward. Similarly, one should distinctly pronounce the zayin in "u'zchartem."
יח יַדְגִּישׁ יוֹ"ד שֶׁל שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁלֹּא תִּבָּלַע וְשֶׁלֹּא תֵּרָאֶה אָלֶ"ף, וְכֵן יוֹ"ד דִּוְהָיוּ, דְּלֹא לִשְׁתְּמַע וְהָאוּ.
18 One should accentuate the yud of "Sh'ma Y israel" so that it is not swallowed up and it does not seem like an aleph. And similarly the yud of "v'ha y u" so that it does not sound like "v'ha-oo"
יט צָרִיךְ לִתֵּן רֶוַח בֵּין וְחָרָה לְאַף, דְּלֹא לִשְׁתְּמַע וְחָרָף.
19 One should put a gap between "charah" and "af" so that it does not sound like "charaf"
כ צָרִיךְ לִתֵּן רֶוַח בֵּין תֵּבָה שֶׁתְּחִלָּתוֹ כְּסוֹף תֵּבָה שֶׁלְּפָנֶיהָ, כְּגוֹן בְּכָל לְבָבְךָ [עַל לְבָבְךָ], עַל לְבַבְכֶם, בְּכָל לְבַבְכֶם, עֶשֶׂב בְּשָׂדְךָ, וַאֲבַדְתֶּם מְהֵרָה, הַכָּנָף פְּתִיל, אֶתְכֶם מֵאֶרֶץ.
20 One should put a gap between a word whose beginning [letter] is like the end [letter] of its predecessor, for example: "b'chol l'vav'kha", "al l'vav'khem", "eisev b'sad'kha", "v'avdem m'heira", "hakanaf p'til", "etkhem meieretz"
כא צָרִיךְ בְּכָל אָלֶ"ף שֶׁאַחַר מֵ "ם לְהַפְסִיק בֵּינֵיהֶם, כְּגוֹן וְלִמַּדְתֶּם אֹתָם, וּקְשַׁרְתֶּם אוֹתָם, וְשַׂמְתֶּם אֶת, וּרְאִיתֶם אֹתוֹ (וּזְכַרְתֶּם אֶת וַעֲשִׂיתֶם אֶת), שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא נִרְאֶה כְּקוֹרֵא מוֹתָם (מֵת).
21 One must, with every aleph [that comes] after a mem, break between them. For example: "v'limad'tem otam", "ukshartem otam", "v'samtem et", "uritem oto", ("uzkhartem et", "v'asitem et") so that it does not seem like one is reading "motam" [or] "meit" (death)
כב אַף בִּפְסוּקֵי דְּזִמְרָה וּבַתְּפִלָּה צָרִיךְ לְדַקְדֵּק בְּכָךְ: הַגָּה: וְה"ה הַקּוֹרֵא בַּתּוֹרָה וּבַנְּבִיאִים וּבַכְּתוּבִים יֵשׁ לִזָּהֵר (בֵּית יוֹסֵף בְּשֵׁם הרד"ק).
22 Even in P'sukei D'zimrah (Verses of Song) and the Prayer ("Amidah"), one needs to be exact with this. Rema: and similarly, the one who reads from the Torah, Prophets, and Writings needs to be careful [Beit Yosef in the name of Radak]
כג צָרִיךְ לְדַקְדֵּק שֶׁלֹּא יַרְפֶּה הֶחָזָק וְלֹא יְחַזֵּק הָרָפֶה, וְלֹא יַנִּיחַ הַנָּד וְלֹא יָנִיד הַנָּח.
23 One needs to be precise not to weaken the strong [letters with a dagesh] or strengthen the weak [letters without a dagesh] and not rest the moving [sh'va] and move the resting [sh'va].
כד צָרִיךְ לִקְרוֹת קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע בִּטְעָמִים כְּמוֹ שֶׁהֵם בַּתּוֹרָה: הַגָּה: אֲבָל לֹא נָהֲגוּ כֵן בִּמְדִינוֹת אֵלּוּ, וּמִכָּל מָקוֹם הַמְדַקְדְּקִים מַחְמִירִים בְּכָךְ.
24 One needs to recite Sh'ma with the cantillation (trop/ta'amim), just like they are [written when reading] in the Torah. Rema: But the custom is not like this in these lands. And in any case, those who are precise [in general regarding mitzvot] are strict about this.
כה כְּשֶׁיֹּאמַר וּקְשַׁרְתָּם לְאוֹת עַל יָדֶךָ, יְמַשְׁמֵשׁ בִּתְפִלִּין שֶׁל יָד. וּכְשֶׁיֹּאמַר וְהָיוּ לְטֹטָפֹת בֵּין עֵינֶיךָ, יְמַשְׁמֵשׁ בְּשֶׁל רֹאשׁ, וּכְשֶׁיֹּאמַר וּרְאִיתֶם אֹתוֹ יְמַשְׁמֵשׁ בִּשְׁנֵי צִיצִיּוֹת שֶׁלְּפָנָיו וְעַיֵּן לְעֵיל סִימָן כ"ד סָעִיף ה'.
25 When one says "ukshartam l'ot al yadekha" ("and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand"), one should touch the arm tefillin. When one says "v'hayu l'totafot bein einekha" ("and they shall be frontlets between your eyes"), one should touch the head tefillin. When one says "uritem oto" ("and you shall look at it"), one should touch the two tzitzit that are in front of one (See above: Siman 24, S'if 5).
כו יֵשׁ נוֹהֲגִים לִקְרוֹת קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע בְּקוֹל רָם, וְיֵשׁ נוֹהֲגִים לִקְרוֹתוֹ בְּלַחַשׁ: הַגָּה: וּמִכָּל מָקוֹם יֹאמְרוּ פָּסוּק רִאשׁוֹן בְּקוֹל רָם וְכֵן נוֹהֲגִין (כָּל בּוֹ):
26 There are those who practice to recite the Recitation of the Sh'ma in a loud voice and there are those who apractice to recite it in a whisper. Rema: And in any case, they say the first verse in a loud voice, and this [is what we] how we practice (Kol Bo).
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