Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim Siman 63

Siman 63

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 קוֹרֵא אוֹתָהּ מְהַלֵּךְ, אוֹ עוֹמֵד, אוֹ שׁוֹכֵב, אוֹ רוֹכֵב עַל גַּבֵּי בְּהֵמָה, אוֹ יוֹשֵׁב, אֲבָל לֹא פְּרַקְדָּן, דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁפָּנָיו טוּחוֹת בַּקַּרְקַע, אוֹ מֻשְׁלָךְ עַל גַּבּוֹ וּפָנָיו לְמַעְלָה, אֲבָל קוֹרֵא וְהוּא שׁוֹכֵב עַל צִדּוֹ: הַגָּה: מֵאַחַר שֶׁכְּבָר שׁוֹכֵב וְאִכָּא טִרְחָא לַעֲמֹד (הר"י פ' מִי שֶׁמֵּתוֹ): וְאִם הָיָה בַּעַל בָּשָׂר הַרְבֵּה, וְאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְהִתְהַפֵּךְ עַל צִדּוֹ, אוֹ שֶׁהָיָה חוֹלֶה, נוֹטֶה מְעַט לְצִדּוֹ וְקוֹרֵא.
1 [The Laws regarding the requirement] to sit at the time of the recitation of the Shema and to not sleep [during it] - and it contains 9 se'ifim One may recite it [i.e. the Sh'ma] walking, standing, lying, riding on the back of an animal, or sitting, but not "p'rakdan", that is, with one's face into the ground or cast on one's back with one's face upwards, but one may recite while lying on their side. Rema: Since one was already lying and it is troublesome to stand up [Ri on the chapter "one whose dead" (B'rakhot 3)] And if one was very heavyset and not able to turn over onto their side or was sick, then they [should] incline a little towards their side and recite [the Sh'ma].
ב מִי שֶׁרוֹצֶה לְהַחְמִיר לַעֲמֹד כְּשֶׁהוּא יוֹשֵׁב, וְלִקְרוֹתָהּ מְעֻמָּד נִקְרָא עֲבַרְיָן.
2 One who wants to be stringent to stand when one is sitting [in order to] to recite it standing is called a sinner.
ג הָיָה מְהַלֵּךְ [בַּדֶּרֶךְ] וְרָצָה לִקְרוֹת קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע, צָרִיךְ לַעֲמֹד בְּפָסוּק רִאשׁוֹן.
3 If one was walking on the way and needs to recite the Recitation of the Sh'ma, they must stand [still] during the first verse.
ד עִקַּר הַכַּוָּנָה הוּא בְּפָסוּק רִאשׁוֹן, הִלְכָּךְ אִם קָרָא וְלֹא כִּוֵּן לִבּוֹ בְּפָסוּק רִאשׁוֹן, לֹא יָצָא יְדֵי חוֹבָתוֹ, וְחוֹזֵר וְקוֹרֵא. וַאֲפִלּוּ לְמָאן דְּאָמַר מִצְוֹת אֵינָן צְרִיכוֹת כַּוָּנָה, מוֹדֶה הֲכָא.
4 The main part during which one should have focus is the first verse. Therefore, if one recited [it] and did not focus one's heart during the first verse, they did not fulfill their obligation, and must go back and recite it [again]. And even according to the one whose opinion is that mitzvot do not require focus, agrees here.
ה אִם הָיָה יָשֵׁן, מְצַעֲרִים אוֹתוֹ וּמְעִירִים אוֹתוֹ, עַד שֶׁיִּקְרָא פָּסוּק רִאשׁוֹן, וְהוּא עֵר מַמָּשׁ. מִכָּאן וָאֵילָךְ אֵין מְצַעֲרִים אוֹתוֹ כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּקְרָא וְהוּא עֵר מַמָּשׁ, שֶׁאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהוּא קוֹרֵא מִתְנַמְנֵם, יָצָא: הַגָּה: וְדִין שָׁתוּי וְשִׁכּוֹר עי' לְקַמָּן סי' צ"ט סָעִיף א'.
5 If one was sleeping, we bother him and wake him up until he recites the first verse while fully awake. From here onwards, we do not bother him in order to recite while fully awake, for even though he reads it drowsy, he fulfills his obligation. Rema: And [regarding] the law of one who is drinking or is drunk, see below Siman 99, Se'if 1.
ו הַקּוֹרֵא קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע, לֹא יִרְמֹז בְּעֵינָיו, וְלֹא יִקְרֹץ בִּשְׂפָתָיו, וְלֹא יַרְאֶה בְּאֶצְבְּעוֹתָיו בְּפָרָשָׁה רִאשׁוֹנָה שֶׁהוּא עִקַּר קַבָּלַת עֹל מַלְכוּת שָׁמַיִם, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁנִּרְאֶה כְּקוֹרֵא עֲרַאי, וּכְתִיב וְדִבַּרְתָּ בָּם, וְדַרְשִׁינָן עֲשֵׂה אוֹתָם קֶבַע.
6 One who is [in the middle of] reciting the Sh'ma should not signal with one's eyes, mouth with one's lips, or gesture with one's fingers during the first paragraph which is the main acceptance of the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven because he [then] appears like he's reading it casually, and it is written "and you shall speak of them...", and we explain [this to mean]: do them permanently (ie. speak them in a formal/non-casual way).
ז הָיָה עוֹסֵק בִּמְלָאכָה וְרוֹצֶה לִקְרוֹת קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע, יִתְבַּטֵּל מִמְּלַאכְתּוֹ עַד שֶׁיִּקְרָא פָּרָשָׁה רִאשׁוֹנָה, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא כְּקוֹרֵא עֲרַאי.
7 If one is busy with work and wants to recite the Recitation of the Sh'ma, he must cease from his work until he recites the first paragraph so that it does not appear like he's reading it casually.
ח הָאֻמָּנִין וְכֵן בַּעַל הַבַּיִת שֶׁהָיוּ עוֹשִׂים מְלָאכָה בְּרֹאשׁ הָאִילָן, אוֹ בְּרֹאשׁ שׁוּרוֹת הַבִּנְיָן, קוֹרִין קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע בִּמְקוֹמָם וְאֵינָם צְרִיכִים לִירֵד.
8 Skilled craftsmen, and similarly the homeowner, that were doing work on the top of a tree or on top of the walls of the building may recite the Recitation of the Sh'ma in their place and they do not need to descend.
ט הַכַּתָּף, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁמַּשָּׂאוֹ עַל כְּתֵפָיו, קוֹרֵא קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע, אֲבָל לֹא יַתְחִיל בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁטּוֹעֵן וְלֹא בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁפּוֹרֵק, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאֵין לִבּוֹ מְיֻשָּׁב:
9 A porter, despite that his load is on his shoulders, may recite the Recitation of the Sh'ma, but may not begin [it] at the time that he loads [it] and not at the time that he puts [it] down because his heart/mind is not settled.
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