The law of the recitation of Shema morning and evening: That we were commanded every day, morning and evening, to read one verse from the Torah in this Order, and that is “Hear Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4). And about this verse is it stated (Deuteronomy 6:7), “and you will speak in them in your sitting in your home... in your lying down and in your rising up.” And the explanation about this comes (Berakhot 10b) [that it is] at the time that people lie down and at the time that people get up. And it is established to us for the Rabbis (Berakhot 10b) that all of the night until the dawn rises is called the time that people lie down — and like the matter that is written (Leviticus 26:6), “and you will lie down and there is no one that makes [you] tremble”; and so [too], “it does not lie down until it eats prey” (Numbers 23:24) — since all the time of its lying down is implied. And also that people are divided in their attributes regarding lying down. There are those that do not lie down until half of the night, and some [not] until its end, and there are some that lie down immediately at the beginning of the night. And because of this, they said (Berakhot 10b) that the time of the recitation of Shema at night is from the time that the priests retire to eat their priestly tithe — which is the coming out of the stars — until the dawn rises. And the time that people rise up was understood [by] them [to be] from the beginning of the day — meaning to say when the morning is light [enough] that a man can recognize his fellow from the distance of four ells — until three full hours (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Reading the Shema 1:11). And rising up was not understood by them to be all of the day, like lying down; as it is not the way of any person that is healthy to rise up from his bed at the end of the day, or even its middle. And they, may their memory be blessed, said (Berakhot 9b) about the recitation of Shema of the morning that, in any case, from here onward — meaning from the end of three hours until the end of the day — he who did not read [it] did not lose [out]; however, he may not read it with its blessings.
It is from the roots of the commandment that God wanted to give merit to His people that they should accept upon them His Kingdom and His unity every day and night, all the days that they are alive. As since man is a physical being [that] is seduced by the vanities of the world and drawn by his desires, he certainly requires a constant reminder of the Kingdom of the Heavens to guard him from sin. Hence it was from His kindness to have us merit and He commanded us to remember [this at] these two times, regularly and with great intention. [The] one at the day is to help for all of our actions during the day; as when a man remembers in the morning the unity of God and His Kingdom, and that His Providence and Omnipotence is over everything, and he places to his heart that His eyes are open upon all of his ways and that all of his steps are marked — that he cannot obscure anything from Him and he cannot hide any of his thoughts — will this thought and the verbal acknowledgement of this matter not be a protection for him that whole day? And the acknowledgement of the night will also be a protection the whole night. And because the foundation of the commandment is what we mentioned, they, may their memory be blessed, obligated us about intention of the heart and said that if he did not have intention in his heart, he did not fulfill his obligation. As a man does not remember anything unless he places his intention to it. And this is what they, may their memory be blessed said in Berakhot 13b in the chapter [entitled] Haya Koreh, “The Rabbis learned, ‘“Listen Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is one” — until here, intention of the heart is required.’” And they required us to lengthen [the word,] “one.” And [it is] like it was learned over there, “Somchos ben Yosef says, ‘Anyone who lengthens [the word,] “one,” his days and years are lengthened.’ And Rav Acha bar Yaakov said, ‘But in the [letter] dalet.’ Rav Ashi said, ‘And so long as he does not cut short the [letter] chet.’” And they said there, “How much is this lengthening?” And the answer was until you crown Him in the heavens and in the earth and in the four directions of the world; meaning to say that you have intention that His governance is over all, and that there is nothing obscured from Him and that the existence of all things is through His will.
From the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Berakhot 13b) that the obligation of the first verse of the section is from Torah writ — as we have said — but [it is] the Sages that obligated us to read the three sections, which are “Shema,” “And it shall be if you listen” [and] “And He said.” And we begin with reading the section of Shema which has the command about unification of God, may He be blessed, His love and the study of His Torah, which is the great foundation that everything is dependent upon. And after it is the section of “And it shall be if you listen,” which has the command about all the other commandments. And after it is the section of fringes (tsitsit) that also has the command about the remembrance of all the commandments (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Reading the Shema 1:2). And if so, with a person remembering these [things] with intention once every day and another time every night, he will be saved from sin — in any case, if he is intelligent.
And also from the content of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, obligated us (Berakhot 11a) to bless before the recitation and after it: In the morning, he blesses two before it, “Who creates light” and “Everlasting love”; and one after it, “True and solid.” And at night, [he blesses] two before it, “Who brings the evening” and “Everlasting love”; and two after it, “True and faithful,” and “Lie us down.” And there is no need to speak about them at length, as they are known in all of Israel regarding their introductions, their endings and their wording. And Ezra and his court ordained them, with all of the blessings that are set in the mouths of all of Israel.
And also from the content of the commandment is that which they said (Berakhot 15a) that one who reads the Shema needs to make it audible to his ear, but that if he did not make it audible to his ear, yet nonetheless read the words with his lips, he has fulfilled [his obligation], ex post facto. And so [too,] that which they said (Berakhot 15a) that one needs to be exacting about the words, yet if he was not exacting about them, he has [still] fulfilled [it]. And some of the commentators said (Meiri on Berakhot 15a) that the matter is not that he did not pronounce the words and the letters. As with this, certainly is it not said that if he was not exacting, he has fulfilled [it]; as anyone who did not read the whole recitation of the Shema has not fulfilled his obligation. Rather, the matter of his fulfilling it if he was not being exacting in them is that he did not put a space between [words that] run into [each other] such as bekhol-levavecha, esev-besadecha, ve’avadetem-meheirah, bechol-levavechem [and] hakanaf-petil; and so [too,] if he did not sibilate [the letter] zayin of tizkeru, that needs sibilation; or that he did not lengthen the [letter] dalet as it is fitting to do, a priori.
And also from the content of the commandment is that which they said (Berakhot 13a) that between the paragraphs a man asks about the well-being of someone he is obligated to honor and responds to greet any person; and in their middle, he asks due to fear — meaning to the kings of the [other] nations or to [their] great ministers — and responds due to honor (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Reading the Shema 2:16). And it has been [much time] that we have not seen someone who is particular towards his fellow at all if he not interrupt [to greet him], even between the paragraphs. [These] and the rest of the many details of the commandment, and all of the matters for which we refrain from the recitation of the Shema are [all] elucidated in Berakhot in the first chapters. (See Tur, Orach Chaim 61.)
And it is practiced in every place and at all times by males, but not by females; because it is in the category of positive commandments determined by time, [from which] women are exempt. And one who transgresses it and does not read the recitation of the Shema every day and every night at its time — which the Sages fixed for it — has violated this positive commandment. And Ramban, may his memory be blessed (at the end of Sefer HaMitzvot, s.v. ve’atah, eem tavin), counted the recitation of the Shema in the day as one commandment and in the night as another commandment in his tally of the commandments; since the time of this is not the time of that, and this does not impede on that.
מִצְוַת קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע שַׁחֲרִית וְעַרְבִית – שֶׁנִּצְטַוִּינוּ לִקְרוֹת בְּכָל יוֹם עַרְבִית וְשַׁחֲרִית פָּסוּק אֶחָד מִן הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּסֵדֶר זֶה, וְזֶהוּ (דברים ו ד) שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ יְיָ אֶחָד, וְעַל פָּסוּק זֶה נֶאֱמַר (שם) וְדִבַּרְתָּ בָּם בְּשִׁבְתְּךָ בְּבֵיתֶךָ וּבְשָׁכְבְּךָ וּבְקוּמֶךָ, וּבָא הַפֵּרוּשׁ עַל זֶה (ברכות י, ב) בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁבְּנֵי אָדָם שׁוֹכְבִים וּבְשָׁעָה שֶׁבְּנֵי אָדָם קָמִים, וְקָא מַשְׁמַע לְהוּ לְרַבָּנָן (שם), שֶׁבְּשָׁעָה שֶׁבְּנֵי אָדָם שׁוֹכְבִין יִקָּרֵא כָּל הַלַּיְלָה עַד שֶׁיַּעֲלֶה עַמּוּד הַשַּׁחַר, וּכְעִנְיָן שֶׁכָּתוּב (ויקרא כו ו) וּשְׁכַבְתֶּם וְאֵין מַחֲרִיד. וְכֵן לֹא יִשְׁכַּב עַד יֹאכַל טֶרֶף (במדבר כג כד). דְּמַשְׁמַע כָּל שְׁעַת שְׁכִיבָה. וְעוֹד שֶׁבְּנֵי אָדָם חֲלוּקִים הֵם בְּמִדּוֹתָם בְּעִנְיַן הַשְּׁכִיבָה, יֵשׁ מֵהֶם שֶׁאֵינָם שׁוֹכְבִים עַד חֲצִי הַלַּיְלָה, וְיֵשׁ עַד סוֹפָהּ, וְיֵשׁ שֶׁשּׁוֹכְבִים מִיָּד בִּתְחִלַּת הַלַּיְלָה, וּמִפְּנֵי כֵן אָמְרוּ (שם), שֶׁזְּמַן קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע בָּעֲרָבִין מִשָּׁעָה שֶׁהַכֹּהֲנִים נִכְנָסִין לֶאֱכֹל בִּתְרוּמָתָן, דְּהַיְנוּ צֵאת הַכּוֹכָבִים, עַד שֶׁיַּעֲלֶה עַמּוּד הַשַּׁחַר, וְשָׁעָה שֶׁבְּנֵי אָדָם קָמִים מַשְׁמַע לְהוּ מִתְּחִלַּת הַיּוֹם, כְּלוֹמַר, כְּשֶׁהַבֹּקֶר אוֹר כְּשֶׁאָדָם מַכִּיר אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ בְּרִחוּק אַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת, עַד שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁעוֹת שְׁלֵמוֹת (רמב"ם שם א יא). וְלָא מַשְׁמַע לְהוּ הַקִּימָה כָּל הַיּוֹם כְּמוֹ הַשְּׁכִיבָה, שֶׁאֵין דֶּרֶךְ אֶחָד מִבְּנֵי אָדָם שֶׁהוּא בָּרִיא שֶׁיָּקוּם מִמִּטָּתוֹ בְּסוֹף הַיּוֹם אוֹ אֲפִלּוּ בְּאֶמְצָעוֹ. וְאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שם ט, ב) בִּקְרִיאַת שְׁמַע דְּשַׁחֲרִית דְּמִכָּל מָקוֹם מִכָּאן וְאֵילָךְ, כְּלוֹמַר, מִסּוֹף שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁעוֹת עַד סוֹף הַיּוֹם, מִי שֶׁלֹּא קָרָא לֹא הִפְסִיד, שֶׁלֹּא יוּכַל לִקְרוֹתָהּ עִם בִּרְכוֹתֶיהָ.
The law of the recitation of Shema morning and evening: That we were commanded every day, morning and evening, to read one verse from the Torah in this Order, and that is “Hear Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4). And about this verse is it stated (Deuteronomy 6:7), “and you will speak in them in your sitting in your home... in your lying down and in your rising up.” And the explanation about this comes (Berakhot 10b) [that it is] at the time that people lie down and at the time that people get up. And it is established to us for the Rabbis (Berakhot 10b) that all of the night until the dawn rises is called the time that people lie down — and like the matter that is written (Leviticus 26:6), “and you will lie down and there is no one that makes [you] tremble”; and so [too], “it does not lie down until it eats prey” (Numbers 23:24) — since all the time of its lying down is implied. And also that people are divided in their attributes regarding lying down. There are those that do not lie down until half of the night, and some [not] until its end, and there are some that lie down immediately at the beginning of the night. And because of this, they said (Berakhot 10b) that the time of the recitation of Shema at night is from the time that the priests retire to eat their priestly tithe — which is the coming out of the stars — until the dawn rises. And the time that people rise up was understood [by] them [to be] from the beginning of the day — meaning to say when the morning is light [enough] that a man can recognize his fellow from the distance of four ells — until three full hours (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Reading the Shema 1:11). And rising up was not understood by them to be all of the day, like lying down; as it is not the way of any person that is healthy to rise up from his bed at the end of the day, or even its middle. And they, may their memory be blessed, said (Berakhot 9b) about the recitation of Shema of the morning that, in any case, from here onward — meaning from the end of three hours until the end of the day — he who did not read [it] did not lose [out]; however, he may not read it with its blessings.
מִשָּׁרְשֵׁי הַמִּצְוָה. שֶׁרָצָה הַשֵּׁם לְזַכּוֹת עִמּוֹ שֶׁיְּקַבְּלוּ עֲלֵיהֶם מַלְכוּתוֹ וְיִחוּדוֹ בְּכָל יוֹם וָלַיְלָה כָּל הַיָּמִים שֶׁהֵם חַיִּים, כִּי בִּהְיוֹת הָאָדָם בַּעַל חֹמֶר, נִפְתֶּה אַחַר הַבְלֵי הָעוֹלָם וְנִמְשָׁךְ לְתַאֲווֹתָיו צָרִיךְ עַל כָּל פָּנִים זִכָּרוֹן תְּמִידִי בְּמַלְכוּת שָׁמַיִם לְשָׁמְרוֹ מִן הַחֵטְא, עַל כֵּן הָיָה מֵחַסְדּוֹ לְזַכּוֹתֵנוּ וְצִוָּנוּ לְזָכְרוֹ שְׁנֵי הָעִתִּים הָאֵלֶּה בְּקֶבַע וּבְכַוָּנָה גְּמוּרָה, אַחַת בַּיּוֹם לְהוֹעִיל לְכָל מַעֲשֵׂינוּ שֶׁבַּיּוֹם, כִּי בִּהְיוֹת הָאָדָם זוֹכֵר בַּבֹּקֶר אַחְדוּת הַשֵּׁם וּמַלְכוּתוֹ, וְכִי הַשְׁגָּחָתוֹ וִיכָלְתּוֹ עַל הַכֹּל, וְיִתֵּן אֶל לִבּוֹ כִּי עֵינָיו פְּקוּחוֹת עַל כָּל דְּרָכָיו, וְכָל צְעָדָיו יִסְפֹּר, לֹא יִתְעַלֵּם מִמֶּנּוּ דָּבָר מִכָּל דְּבָרָיו, וְלֹא יוּכַל מִמֶּנּוּ לְהַחְבִּיא אַחַת מִכָּל מַחְשְׁבוֹתָיו הֲלֹא יִהְיֶה לוֹ לְמִשְׁמָר מַחְשַׁבְתּוֹ זֹאת וְהוֹדָאַת פִּיו בַּדָּבָר הַזֶּה כָּל הַיּוֹם הַהוּא, וְיִהְיֶה לוֹ הוֹדָאַת הַלַּיְלָה בָּזֶה גַּם כֵּן לְמִשְׁמָר כָּל הַלַּיְלָה. וּמִפְּנֵי שֶׁיְּסוֹד הַמִּצְוָה מָה שֶׁזָּכַרְנוּ חִיְּבוּנוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה בָּהּ בְּכַוָּנַת הַלֵּב, וְאָמְרוּ שֶׁאִם לֹא כִּוֵּן לִבּוֹ בָּהּ לֹא יָצָא יְדֵי חוֹבָתוֹ, שֶׁאֵין אָדָם נִזְכָּר בְּשׁוּם דָּבָר אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן יָשִׂים כַּוָּנָתוֹ בּוֹ. וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה בִּבְרָכוֹת פֶּרֶק הָיָה קוֹרֵא (ברכות יג ב) תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ יְיָ אֶחָד, עַד כָּאן צְרִיכָה כַּוָּנַת הַלֵּב. וְהִצְרִיכוּנוּ לְהַאֲרִיךְ בְּאֶחָד, וְכִדְתַנְיָא הָתָם סוּמְכוֹס בֶּן יוֹסֵף אוֹמֵר כָּל הַמַּאֲרִיךְ בְּאֶחָד מַאֲרִיכִין לוֹ יָמָיו וּשְׁנוֹתָיו, וְאָמַר רַב אַחָא בַּר יַעֲקֹב וּבַדָּלֶ"ת, אָמַר רַב אָשֵׁי וּבִלְבַד שֶׁלֹּא יַחֲטֹף בַּחֵי"ת. וְאָמְרוּ שָׁם עַד כַּמָּה יִהְיֶה אֲרִיכוּת זֶה? וְהָיְתָה הַתְּשׁוּבָה עַד כְּדֵי שֶׁתַּמְלִיכֵהוּ בַּשָּׁמַיִם וּבָאָרֶץ וּבְאַרְבַּע רוּחוֹת הָעוֹלָם, כְּלוֹמַר, שֶׁתְּכַוֵּן שֶׁמֶּמְשַׁלְתּוֹ בַּכֹּל הִיא, וְאֵין כָּל דָּבָר נֶעְלָם מִמֶּנּוּ, וּבְחֶפְצוֹ קִיּוּם כָּל הַדְּבָרִים.
It is from the roots of the commandment that God wanted to give merit to His people that they should accept upon them His Kingdom and His unity every day and night, all the days that they are alive. As since man is a physical being [that] is seduced by the vanities of the world and drawn by his desires, he certainly requires a constant reminder of the Kingdom of the Heavens to guard him from sin. Hence it was from His kindness to have us merit and He commanded us to remember [this at] these two times, regularly and with great intention. [The] one at the day is to help for all of our actions during the day; as when a man remembers in the morning the unity of God and His Kingdom, and that His Providence and Omnipotence is over everything, and he places to his heart that His eyes are open upon all of his ways and that all of his steps are marked — that he cannot obscure anything from Him and he cannot hide any of his thoughts — will this thought and the verbal acknowledgement of this matter not be a protection for him that whole day? And the acknowledgement of the night will also be a protection the whole night. And because the foundation of the commandment is what we mentioned, they, may their memory be blessed, obligated us about intention of the heart and said that if he did not have intention in his heart, he did not fulfill his obligation. As a man does not remember anything unless he places his intention to it. And this is what they, may their memory be blessed said in Berakhot 13b in the chapter [entitled] Haya Koreh, “The Rabbis learned, ‘“Listen Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is one” — until here, intention of the heart is required.’” And they required us to lengthen [the word,] “one.” And [it is] like it was learned over there, “Somchos ben Yosef says, ‘Anyone who lengthens [the word,] “one,” his days and years are lengthened.’ And Rav Acha bar Yaakov said, ‘But in the [letter] dalet.’ Rav Ashi said, ‘And so long as he does not cut short the [letter] chet.’” And they said there, “How much is this lengthening?” And the answer was until you crown Him in the heavens and in the earth and in the four directions of the world; meaning to say that you have intention that His governance is over all, and that there is nothing obscured from Him and that the existence of all things is through His will.
מִדִּינֵי הַמִּצְוָה. מָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שם) שֶׁחִיּוּב פָּסוּק רִאשׁוֹן מִן הַפָּרָשָׁה הוּא מִן הַתּוֹרָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ, אֲבָל חֲכָמִים חִיְּבוּנוּ לִקְרוֹת שָׁלֹשׁ פָּרָשִׁיּוֹת, שֶׁהֵן שְׁמַע וְהָיָה אִם שָׁמוֹעַ, וַיֹּאמֶר. וּמַקְדִּימִין (רמב"ם שם א, ב) לִקְרוֹת פָּרָשַׁת שְׁמַע שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהּ צִוּוּי עַל יִחוּד הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ וְאַהֲבָתוֹ וְתַלְמוּד תּוֹרָתוֹ, שֶׁהוּא הָעִקָּר הַגָּדוֹל שֶׁהַכֹּל תָּלוּי בּוֹ, וְאַחֲרֶיהָ פָּרָשַׁת וְהָיָה אִם שָׁמֹעַ, שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהּ צִוּוּי עַל שְׁאָר הַמִּצְוֹת כֻּלָּן, וְאַחֲרֶיהָ פָּרָשַׁת צִיצִית, שֶׁגַּם הִיא יֵשׁ בָּהּ צִוּוּי עַל זְכִירַת כָּל הַמִּצְוֹת, וְאִם כֵּן, בֶּאֱמֶת, בִּהְיוֹת הָאָדָם זוֹכֵר אֵלֶּה בְּכָל יוֹם פַּעַם אַחַת וּבְכָל לַיְלָה פַּעַם אַחֶרֶת בְּכַוָּנָה, יִנָּצֵל מִן הָעֲבֵרוֹת עַל כָּל פָּנִים אִם יֵשׁ דַּעַת בּוֹ.
From the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Berakhot 13b) that the obligation of the first verse of the section is from Torah writ — as we have said — but [it is] the Sages that obligated us to read the three sections, which are “Shema,” “And it shall be if you listen” [and] “And He said.” And we begin with reading the section of Shema which has the command about unification of God, may He be blessed, His love and the study of His Torah, which is the great foundation that everything is dependent upon. And after it is the section of “And it shall be if you listen,” which has the command about all the other commandments. And after it is the section of fringes (tsitsit) that also has the command about the remembrance of all the commandments (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Reading the Shema 1:2). And if so, with a person remembering these [things] with intention once every day and another time every night, he will be saved from sin — in any case, if he is intelligent.
וְכֵן מֵעִנְיַן הַמִּצְוָה מָה שֶׁחִיְּבוּנוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שם יא א) לְבָרֵךְ קֹדֶם הַקְּרִיאָה וְאַחֲרֶיהָ בַּשַּׁחַר מְבָרֵךְ שְׁתַּיִם לְפָנֶיהָ יוֹצֵר אוֹר וְאַהֲבַת עוֹלָם, וְאַחַת לְאַחֲרֶיהָ, אֱמֶת וְיַצִּיב, וּבָעֶרֶב שְׁתַּיִם לְפָנֶיהָ, מַעֲרִיב עֲרָבִים וְאַהֲבַת עוֹלָם, וּשְׁתַּיִם לְאַחֲרֶיהָ אֱמֶת וֶאֱמוּנָה וְהַשְׁכִּיבֵנוּ, וְאֵין צֹרֶךְ לְהַאֲרִיךְ בָּהֶן שֶׁיְּדוּעוֹת הֵן בְּכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּפְתִיחָתָן וּבַחֲתִימָתָן וּבַנֹּסַח שֶׁלָּהֶן, וְעֶזְרָא (רמב"ם שם ה"ז) וּבֵית דִּינוֹ תִּקְּנוּם עִם שְׁאָר כָּל הַבְּרָכוֹת הָעֲרוּכוֹת בְּפִי כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל.
And also from the content of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, obligated us (Berakhot 11a) to bless before the recitation and after it: In the morning, he blesses two before it, “Who creates light” and “Everlasting love”; and one after it, “True and solid.” And at night, [he blesses] two before it, “Who brings the evening” and “Everlasting love”; and two after it, “True and faithful,” and “Lie us down.” And there is no need to speak about them at length, as they are known in all of Israel regarding their introductions, their endings and their wording. And Ezra and his court ordained them, with all of the blessings that are set in the mouths of all of Israel.
וְכֵן מֵעִנְיַן הַמִּצְוָה מָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ (שם טו א) שֶׁהַקּוֹרֵא אֶת שְׁמַע צָרִיךְ לְהַשְׁמִיעַ לְאָזְנוֹ, וְאִם לֹא הִשְׁמִיעַ לְאָזְנוֹ אֲבָל מִכָּל מָקוֹם קָרָא הַדְּבָרִים בִּשְׂפָתָיו יָצָא דִּיעֲבַד. וְכֵן מָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ (שם) שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לְדַקְדֵּק בְּאוֹתִיּוֹתֶיהָ, וְאִם לֹא דִּקְדֵּק בָּהֶן יָצָא. וְאָמְרוּ מִן הַמְּפָרְשִׁים (מאירי שם) שֶׁאֵין הָעִנְיָן שֶׁלֹּא יַזְכִּיר הַתֵּבוֹת וְהָאוֹתִיּוֹת שֶׁבָּזֶה וַדַּאי לֹא נֹאמַר שֶׁאִם לֹא דִּקְדֵּק יָצָא, שֶׁכָּל שֶׁלֹּא קָרָא קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע כֻּלּוֹ לֹא יָצָא יְדֵי חוֹבָתוֹ. אֲבָל עִנְיַן אִם לֹא דִּקְדֵּק בָּהֶם יָצָא הוּא שֶׁלֹּא נָתַן רֶוַח בֵּין הַדְּבֵקִים, כְּגוֹן בְּכָל לְבָבְךָ עֵשֶׂב בְּשָׂדְךָ, וַאֲבַדְתֶּם מְהֵרָה, בְּכָל לְבַבְכֶם, הַכָּנָף פְּתִיל, וְכֵן שֶׁלֹּא הִתִּיז זַיִ"ן דְּתִזְכְּרוּ שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לְהַתִּיזָהּ, אוֹ שֶׁלֹּא הֶאֱרִיךְ בַּדָּלֶ"ת כְּפִי הָרָאוּי לְכַתְּחִלָּה לַעֲשׂוֹת.
And also from the content of the commandment is that which they said (Berakhot 15a) that one who reads the Shema needs to make it audible to his ear, but that if he did not make it audible to his ear, yet nonetheless read the words with his lips, he has fulfilled [his obligation], ex post facto. And so [too,] that which they said (Berakhot 15a) that one needs to be exacting about the words, yet if he was not exacting about them, he has [still] fulfilled [it]. And some of the commentators said (Meiri on Berakhot 15a) that the matter is not that he did not pronounce the words and the letters. As with this, certainly is it not said that if he was not exacting, he has fulfilled [it]; as anyone who did not read the whole recitation of the Shema has not fulfilled his obligation. Rather, the matter of his fulfilling it if he was not being exacting in them is that he did not put a space between [words that] run into [each other] such as bekhol-levavecha, esev-besadecha, ve’avadetem-meheirah, bechol-levavechem [and] hakanaf-petil; and so [too,] if he did not sibilate [the letter] zayin of tizkeru, that needs sibilation; or that he did not lengthen the [letter] dalet as it is fitting to do, a priori.
וְכֵן מֵעִנְיַן הַמִּצְוָה מָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ (שם יג א) שֶׁאָדָם שׁוֹאֵל בִּשְׁלוֹם מִי שֶׁהוּא חַיָּב לְכַבְּדוֹ, וּמֵשִׁיב שָׁלוֹם לְכָל אָדָם בֵּין הַפְּרָקִים, וּבְאֶמְצָעָן שׁוֹאֵל מִפְּנֵי הַיִּרְאָה, כְּלוֹמַר לְמַלְכֵי הָאֻמּוֹת אוֹ לַשָּׂרִים הַגְּדוֹלִים (רמב"ם שם פ"ב הט"ז), וּמֵשִׁיב מִפְּנֵי הַכָּבוֹד. וְזֶה כַּמָּה, שֶׁלֹּא רָאִינוּ מִי שֶׁיַּקְפִּיד עַל חֲבֵרוֹ כְּלָל אִם לֹא יַפְסִיק, וַאֲפִלּוּ בֵּין הַפְּרָקִים. וְיֶתֶר רֻבֵּי דִּינֵי הַמִּצְוָה וְכָל הָעִנְיָנִים שֶׁמְּבַטְּלִין בִּשְׁבִילָן קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע, יִתְבָּאֲרוּ בִּבְרָכוֹת בִּפְרָקִים רִאשׁוֹנִים [או"ח סימן סא].
And also from the content of the commandment is that which they said (Berakhot 13a) that between the paragraphs a man asks about the well-being of someone he is obligated to honor and responds to greet any person; and in their middle, he asks due to fear — meaning to the kings of the [other] nations or to [their] great ministers — and responds due to honor (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Reading the Shema 2:16). And it has been [much time] that we have not seen someone who is particular towards his fellow at all if he not interrupt [to greet him], even between the paragraphs. [These] and the rest of the many details of the commandment, and all of the matters for which we refrain from the recitation of the Shema are [all] elucidated in Berakhot in the first chapters. (See Tur, Orach Chaim 61.)
וְנוֹהֶגֶת בְּכָל מָקוֹם וּבְכָל זְמַן בִּזְכָרִים אֲבָל לֹא בִּנְקֵבוֹת, לְפִי שֶׁהִיא מִכְּלַל מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה שֶׁהַזְּמַן גְּרָמָא, שֶׁהַנָּשִׁים פְּטוּרוֹת. וְהָעוֹבֵר עַל זֶה וְלֹא קָרָא קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע בְּכָל יוֹם וּבְכָל לַיְלָה בִּזְמַנָּהּ שֶׁקָּבְעוּ לָהּ חֲכָמִים בִּטֵּל עֲשֵׂה זֶה. וְהָרַמְבַּ"ן זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה (בסוף ספר המצוות ד"ה ואתה אם תבין) מָנָה בְּחֶשְׁבּוֹן הַמִּצְוֹת קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע בַּיּוֹם מִצְוָה אַחַת, וּבַלַּיְלָה מִצְוָה אַחֶרֶת, לְפִי שֶׁזְּמַנָּהּ שֶׁל זוֹ לֹא זְמַנָּהּ שֶׁל זוֹ, וְזוֹ אֵינָהּ מְעַכֶּבֶת זוֹ.
And it is practiced in every place and at all times by males, but not by females; because it is in the category of positive commandments determined by time, [from which] women are exempt. And one who transgresses it and does not read the recitation of the Shema every day and every night at its time — which the Sages fixed for it — has violated this positive commandment. And Ramban, may his memory be blessed (at the end of Sefer HaMitzvot, s.v. ve’atah, eem tavin), counted the recitation of the Shema in the day as one commandment and in the night as another commandment in his tally of the commandments; since the time of this is not the time of that, and this does not impede on that.