אורח חיים ע׳Orach Chayim 70

Siman 70 of 697 in Orach Chayim — 5 se'ifim

הלכות קריאת שמעLaws of Reciting Shema· siman 70

Se’if 1א׳

נָשִׁים וַעֲבָדִים פְּטוּרִים מִקְּרִיאַת שְׁמַע מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה שֶׁהַזְּמַן גְּרָמָא. וְנָכוֹן הוּא לְלַמְּדָם שֶׁיְּקַבְּלוּ עֲלֵיהֶן עֹל מַלְכוּת שָׁמַיִם: הַגָּה: וְיִקְרְאוּ לְפָחוֹת פָּסוּק רִאשׁוֹן (בֵּית יוֹסֵף בְּשֵׁם אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד).

Who Are Exempt From the Recitation of the Sh'ma, Containing 5 S'ifim Women and slaves are exempt from the Recitation of the Sh'ma because it is a positive commandment that is time-dependent, and it is proper to teach them that they should accept upon themselves the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven. Rema: And they should recite at least the first verse (Beit Yosef in the name of Ohel Moed)

Se’if 2ב׳

קְטַנִּים פְּטוּרִים לְרַבֵּנוּ תָּם כְּשֶׁלֹּא הִגִּיעוּ לְחִנּוּךְ, וּלְרַשִׁ"י אֲפִלּוּ הִגִּיעוּ לְחִנּוּךְ, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאֵינוֹ מָצוּי אֶצְלוֹ בִּזְמַן קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע בָּעֶרֶב, וְיָשֵׁן הוּא בַּבֹּקֶר, וְרָאוּי לִנְהֹג כְּרַבֵּנוּ תָּם.

Minors are exempt according to Rabbeinu Tam - when they have not reached [the age of] education; and according to Rashi, even when they have reached [the age of] education because he is not usually with him (i.e. the father) at the time of the Recitation of the Sh'ma in the evening and he (i.e. the child) sleeps in the morning. And it is proper to act according to Rabbeinu Tam.

Se’if 3ג׳

הַכּוֹנֵס אֶת הַבְּתוּלָה פָּטוּר מִקְּרִיאַת שְׁמַע ג' יָמִים, אִם לֹא עָשָׂה מַעֲשֶׂה, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא טָרוּד טִרְדַּת מִצְוָה. וְהָנֵי מִלֵּי בִּזְמַן הָרִאשׁוֹנִים, אֲבָל עַכְשָׁו שֶׁגַּם שְׁאָר בְּנֵי אָדָם אֵינָם מְכַוְּנִים כָּרָאוּי, גַּם הַכּוֹנֵס אֶת הַבְּתוּלָה קוֹרֵא: הַגָּה: וע"ל סי' צ"ט אִם שִׁכּוֹר יִקְרָא קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע.

He who consummates a marriage with a virgin is exempt from the Recitation of the Sh'ma for three days if he did not do "the act" (marital relations) because he is anxious due to the anxiety of the commandment [of marital relations]. And this was the case only in the time of the early ones, but nowadays, when also the rest of the people are not able to have proper focus [for the Sh'ma], one who consummates a marriage with a virgin also recites [the Sh'ma]. Rema: See also Siman 99 [regarding] if one who is drunk should recite the Recitation of the Sh'ma.

Se’if 4ד׳

הָיָה עוֹסֵק בְּצָרְכֵי רַבִּים וְהִגִּיעַ זְמַן קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע, לֹא יַפְסִיק, אֶלָּא יִגְמֹר עִסְקֵיהֶם וְיִקְרָא, אִם נִשְׁאַר עֵת לִקְרוֹת.

If one was occupied with communal needs and the time for the Recitation of the Sh'ma arrived, they should not interrupt [what they were doing], but rather finish their affairs and recite if there is time left to recite.

Se’if 5ה׳

הָיָה עוֹסֵק בַּאֲכִילָה אוֹ שֶׁהָיָה בַּמֶּרְחָץ, אוֹ שֶׁהָיָה עוֹסֵק בְּתִסְפֹּרֶת אוֹ שֶׁהָיָה מְהַפֵּךְ בְּעוֹרוֹת, אוֹ שֶׁהָיוּ עוֹסְקִים בְּדִין, לְהָרַמְבָּ"ם גּוֹמֵר וְאַחַר כָּךְ קוֹרֵא קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע. וְאִם הָיָה מִתְיָרֵא שֶׁמָּא יַעֲבֹר זְמַן קְרִיאָה, וּפָסַק וְקָרָא, הֲרֵי זֶה מְשֻׁבָּח. וּלְהָרַאֲבָ"ד מַפְסִיק וְקוֹרֵא אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁיֵּשׁ שְׁהוּת לִקְרוֹת וע"ל סי' רל"ה:

If one was occupied with eating, or was in the bathhouse, or occupied with a haircut, or processing hides, or was occupied with a civil matter - according to the Rambam: he finishes and afterwards recites the Recitation of the Sh'ma. And if he was worried that the time to say [Sh'ma] would pass, and he stopped and read, behold, this is praiseworthy. And according to the Raavad, one stops and recites even though there would be enough time to recite (afterwards). [See below: Siman 235]

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

English: Sefaria Community Translation — CC0