Rif Brachot 5a

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5a

so as to juxtapose geula {the blessing after Shema} to prayer {= Shemoneh Esrei} and he will thus pray during day.

Rav Zera said: What is the source? Tehillim 72:5:

ה יִירָאוּךָ עִם-שָׁמֶשׁ; וְלִפְנֵי יָרֵחַ, דּוֹר דּוֹרִים.

5 They shall fear Thee while the sun endureth, and so long as the moon, throughout all generations.

And so it the halacha. However not every person is capable of being so exact and doing like these words. And even so, it is a mitzvah to read {Shema} a bit before sunrise so as to not pray until after sunrise, so that you pray during the day, even though {the prayer} it is not absolutely together with the sunrise.

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Rabbi Yochanan said: in the beginning {of Shemoneh Esrei} he says (Tehillim 51:17)

יז אֲדֹנָי, שְׂפָתַי תִּפְתָּח; וּפִי, יַגִּיד תְּהִלָּתֶךָ.

17 O Lord, open Thou my lips; and my mouth shall declare Thy praise.

and at the end he says Tehillim 19:15:

טו יִהְיוּ לְרָצוֹן אִמְרֵי-פִי, וְהֶגְיוֹן לִבִּי לְפָנֶיךָ: ה, צוּרִי וְגֹאֲלִי.

15 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable before Thee, {N} O LORD, my Rock, and my Redeemer. {P}

Rabbi Yossi ben Chanina cites Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov: one who prays {Shemoneh Esrei} needs to put together his legs, as it states in Yechezkel 1:7:

ז וְרַגְלֵיהֶם, רֶגֶל יְשָׁרָה; וְכַף רַגְלֵיהֶם, כְּכַף רֶגֶל עֵגֶל, וְנֹצְצִים, כְּעֵין נְחֹשֶׁת קָלָל.

7 And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot; and they sparkled like the colour of burnished brass.

{and וְרַגְלֵיהֶם = feet plural were רֶגֶל = straight foot, singular}

And Rabbi Yossi bar Chanina cited Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov: How do we know that when one prays he should not pray from a high place? Since it states in Tehillim 130:1:

א שִׁיר הַמַּעֲלוֹת: מִמַּעֲמַקִּים קְרָאתִיךָ ה.

1 A Song of Ascents. {N} Out of the depths have I called Thee, O LORD.

A brayta also says this: How do we know that one who prays should not stand on a chair or a bench and not on a high place and pray? Since there is no loftiness before Hashem. And even though there is no proof to the matter, there is a reference to the matter, as it says (in Tehillim 130:1): מִמַּעֲמַקִּים קְרָאתִיךָ ה - "Out of the depths have I called Thee, O LORD."

and it says in Tehillim 102:1:

א תְּפִלָּה, לְעָנִי כִי-יַעֲטֹף-- וְלִפְנֵי יְהוָה, יִשְׁפֹּךְ שִׂיחוֹ.

1 A Prayer of the afflicted, when he fainteth, and poureth out his complaint before the LORD.

And Rabbi Yossi bar Chanina cited Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov: what is meant by (Vayikra 19:26)?

כו לֹא תֹאכְלוּ, עַל-הַדָּם; לֹא תְנַחֲשׁוּ, וְלֹא תְעוֹנֵנוּ.

26 Ye shall not eat with the blood; neither shall ye practise divination nor soothsaying.

That you should not eat until you pray for your blood {=lives}.

Rabbi Yitzchak cited Rabbi Yochanan who cited Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov: One who eats and drinks before he prays, upon him the Scripture states (in Melachim 1 14:9):

ט וַתָּרַע לַעֲשׂוֹת, מִכֹּל אֲשֶׁר-הָיוּ לְפָנֶיךָ; וַתֵּלֶךְ וַתַּעֲשֶׂה-לְּךָ אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים וּמַסֵּכוֹת, לְהַכְעִיסֵנִי, וְאֹתִי הִשְׁלַכְתָּ, אַחֲרֵי גַוֶּךָ.

9 but hast done evil above all that were before thee, and hast gone and made thee other gods, and molten images, to provoke Me, and hast cast Me behind thy back;

do not read but rather גַוֶּךָ - your back - but rather גאיך - your pride. Hashem says: after he ate and drank and made himself prideful, he is accepting upon himself the yoke of heaven?

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"Rabbi Yehoshua says: until three hours"
Rav Yehuda cited Shmuel: the halacha is in accordance with Rabbi Yehoshua.

"One who reads it from then on does not lose out - like a man who reads from the Torah"

Rav Chisda cited Mar Ukva: What does it mean "he does not lose out?" He does not lose out on the blessings {of Shema}.

A brayta also says so: One who reads from then on does not lose out - like a man who reads from the Torah, but he blessses before it and after it.

{Brachot 10a}
MISHNAH.
BETH SHAMMAI SAY: IN THE EVENING EVERY MAN SHOULD RECLINE AND RECITE [THE SHEMA'], AND IN THE MORNING HE SHOULD STAND, AS IT SAYS, (in Devarim 6:7)

ז וְשִׁנַּנְתָּם לְבָנֶיךָ, וְדִבַּרְתָּ בָּם, בְּשִׁבְתְּךָ בְּבֵיתֶךָ וּבְלֶכְתְּךָ בַדֶּרֶךְ, וּבְשָׁכְבְּךָ וּבְקוּמֶךָ.

7 and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thy house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

BETH HILLEL, HOWEVER, SAY THAT EVERY MAN SHOULD RECITE IN HIS OWN WAY, AS IT SAYS (in Devarim 6:7)

ז וְשִׁנַּנְתָּם לְבָנֶיךָ, וְדִבַּרְתָּ בָּם, בְּשִׁבְתְּךָ בְּבֵיתֶךָ וּבְלֶכְתְּךָ בַדֶּרֶךְ, וּבְשָׁכְבְּךָ וּבְקוּמֶךָ.

7 and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thy house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

WHY THEN IS IT SAID וּבְשָׁכְבְּךָ וּבְקוּמֶךָ - and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up?"
[THIS MEANS], AT THE TIME WHEN PEOPLE LIE DOWN AND AT THE TIME WHEN PEOPLE RISE UP.
R. TARFON SAID: I WAS ONCE WALKING BY THE WAY AND I RECLINED TO RECITE THE SHEMA' IN THE MANNER PRESCRIBED BY BETH SHAMMAI, AND I INCURRED DANGER FROM ROBBERS.
THEY SAID TO HIM: YOU DESERVED TO COME TO HARM, BECAUSE YOU ACTED AGAINST THE OPINION OF BETH HILLEL.

{Brachot 11a}
Gemara:
The Sages learnt: Bet Hillel says: You may stand and read; sit and read; lay down and read; being involved in their work and read;

and these words {of Bet Hillel about doing work} are as regards the second perek {of Shema}, but in terms of the first perek he may not read and involve himself in his work, like they wanted to say before.

Rami bar Yechezkel {we have just Rabbi Yechezkel} learnt: One who does like Bet Shammai has done {well}, and one who does like Bet Hillel has done.
And Rav Yosef said: One who does like Bet Shammai has not accomplished anything.
Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak said: One who does like Bet Shammai is liable the death penalty, as we learn in the Mishna:

R. TARFON SAID: I WAS ONCE WALKING BY THE WAY AND I RECLINED TO RECITE THE SHEMA' IN THE MANNER PRESCRIBED BY BETH SHAMMAI, AND I INCURRED DANGER FROM ROBBERS. THEY SAID TO HIM: YOU DESERVED TO COME TO HARM, BECAUSE YOU ACTED AGAINST THE OPINION OF BETH HILLEL.

MISHNA:
IN THE MORNING TWO BLESSINGS ARE TO BE SAID BEFORE IT AND ONE AFTER IT. IN THE EVENING TWO ARE SAID BEFORE IT AND TWO AFTER IT, ONE LONG AND ONE SHORT ...