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The Shulchan Aruch · Orach Chayim

אורח חיים נ״חOrach Chayim 58

Siman 58 of 697 in Orach Chayim — 7 se'ifim

הלכות קריאת שמעLaws of Reciting Shema· siman 58

Se’if 1א׳

זְמַן קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע שֶׁל שַׁחֲרִית, מִשֶּׁיִּרְאֶה אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ הָרָגִיל עִמּוֹ קְצָת בְּרִחוּק ד' אַמּוֹת, וְיַכִּירֶנּוּ, וְנִמְשָׁךְ זְמַנָּהּ עַד סוֹף ג' שָׁעוֹת שֶׁהוּא רְבִיעַ הַיּוֹם. וּמִצְוָה מִן הַמֻּבְחָר לִקְרוֹתָהּ כְּוָתִיקִים (פי' תַּלְמִידִים וְרַשִׁ"י פי' אֲנָשִׁים עֲנָוִים וּמְחַבְּבִים הַמִּצְוֹת), שֶׁהָיוּ מְכַוְּנִים לִקְרוֹתָהּ מְעַט קֹדֶם הָנֵץ הַחַמָּה (פי' יְצִיאַת הַחַמָּה כְּמוֹ הֵנֵצוּ הָרִמּוֹנִים), כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּסַיֵּם קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע וּבִרְכוֹתֶיהָ עִם הָנֵץ הַחַמָּה, וְיִסְמֹךְ לָהּ הַתְּפִלָּה מִיָּד בְּהָנֵץ הַחַמָּה. וּמִי שֶׁיּוּכַל לְכַוֵּן לַעֲשׂוֹת, כֵּן שְׂכָרוֹ מְרֻבֶּה מְאֹד: הַגָּה: שִׁעוּר הָנֵץ הַחַמָּה הוּא כְּמוֹ שִׁעוּר שָׁעָה אַחַת קֹדֶם שֶׁיַּעֲלֶה כָּל גּוּף הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ עַל הָאָרֶץ (מַיְמוֹנִי פֶּרֶק א').

The time of reciting the morning Shema is from when one can see a slightly familiar friend at a distance of four amos and can recognize him. It continues until the end of three [halachic] hours, which is a fourth of the day[light]. The most ideal fulfillment of the mitzvah is to read it like the "vatikim" (students; and Rashi: people who are humble and love the commandments) who would prepare to recite it a little before the "budding of the sun" (the coming out of the sun like pomegranates bud) in order that one should finish the recitation of the Shema and its blessings with the budding of the sun and to adjoin the Prayer [Amidah] to it immediately to the budding of the sun. Whoever is able to prepare to do this, his reward will be very great. Gloss: The measurement of the budding of the sun is about one hour before the entire body [disk] of the sun has ascended above the land.

Se’if 2ב׳

אִם לֹא קָרָא אוֹתָהּ קֹדֶם הָנֵץ הַחַמָּה, יֵשׁ לוֹ לְהַקְדִּים לִקְרוֹתָהּ בִּמְהֵרָה כָּל מַה שֶּׁיּוּכַל.

If one didn't recite it before the budding of the sun, one should recite it as soon as possible.

Se’if 3ג׳

מִי שֶׁהוּא אָנוּס, כְּגוֹן שֶׁהָיָה מַשְׁכִּים לָצֵאת לַדֶּרֶךְ בִּמְקוֹם גְּדוּדֵי חַיָּה וְלִסְטִים, שֶׁלֹּא יוּכַל לַעֲמֹד וְלֹא לְכַוֵּן אֲפִלּוּ פָּרָשָׁה רִאשׁוֹנָה וַאֲפִלּוּ עַד [עַל] לְבָבֶךָ, אוֹ שֶׁבְּנֵי הַשַּׁיָּרָא (קאראוואני בְּלַעַ"ז) הוֹלְכִים מְהֵרָה וְלֹא יַמְתִּינוּ לוֹ כְּלָל, יָכוֹל לִקְרוֹתָהּ עִם בִּרְכוֹתֶיהָ מִשֶּׁעָלָה עַמּוּד הַשַּׁחַר, דְּכֵיוָן שֶׁעָלָה עַמּוּד הַשַּׁחַר שַׁפִּיר קָרִינָן בֵּיהּ וּבְקוּמֶךָ, וְגַם שַׁפִּיר מִקְרֵי יוֹצֵר אוֹר. אֲבָל אִם אֵינוֹ בִּמְקוֹם גְּדוּדֵי חַיָּה וְלִסְטִים, וְגַם אֵין בְּנֵי הַשַּׁיָּרָא נֶחְפָּזִים כָּל כָּךְ, אֲפִלּוּ יוֹצֵא לַדֶּרֶךְ אַחַר שֶׁעָלָה עַמּוּד הַשַּׁחַר, אֵינוֹ קוֹרֵא עַד שֶׁיַּגִּיעַ זְמַנָּהּ.

And whoever is unavoidably prevented, such as one who got up early to travel and in a place where there are bands of wild animals and bandits such that one is not able to concentrate, even for the first section until "(upon) your heart," or members of the caravan are going quickly and won't wait for one at all, then one can recite it with its blessings from daybreak, because it's still fitting that we call daybreak "when you rise up" and it's also fitting to call it "creation of light." But, if one is not in a place that has bands of wild animals or bandits and the members of the caravan are not so rushed, even if one left to travel after daybreak, one shouldn't recite until the proper time arrives.

…and 2 more se'ifim in this siman.

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Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim — Torat Emet 363 edition, via Sefaria — public domain

English: Sefaria Community Translation — CC0