The recital of Keriat Shema <\/i>commands center stage at the beginning of the Ma\u2019ariv<\/i> prayer. It is a biblical commandment to recite Keriat Shema<\/i> at night and in the morning, as written in the paragraphs of Shema<\/i> and V\u2019Hayah Im Shamo\u2019a<\/i>, \u201cWhen you lie down and when you get up.\u201d It is also a mitzvah to remember the Exodus from Egypt during the day and at night, as it is written (Deuteronomy 16:3), \u201cTherefore you will remember the day you left Egypt all the days of your life.\u201d From the words \u201call<\/b> the days\u201d (kol<\/i><\/b> yemei chayechah<\/i>), Chazal<\/i> learn that it is a mitzvah to remember the Exodus from Egypt both at day and at night (Mishnah Berachot<\/i> 12:2). For that reason, the Vayomer<\/i> paragraph is also recited at night, since the Exodus from Egypt is mentioned at its end. The Vayomer<\/i> paragraph, which discusses the mitzvah of tzitzit<\/i>, primarily applies to the day, and although one can fulfill the nighttime mitzvah of remembering the Exodus from Egypt with other verses, it is customary to remember the Exodus by reciting Vayomer<\/i>, since these verses are familiar to all (Tosafot Yom Tov<\/i> there). In addition, combined with the first two paragraphs of Shema<\/i>, it contains 248 words (paralleling the 248 organs in the body as explained earlier in this book 15:12), and by reciting all three paragraphs, one completely accepts upon himself the yoke of Heaven (see 15:3-4 in this book. The detailed laws of Keriat Shema<\/i> are clarified in chapter 15).<\/p>\n
Anshei Knesset HaGedolah<\/i> added the recital of two berachot<\/i> before Keriat Shema<\/i> and two berachot<\/i> after it. The first, \u201cMa\u2019ariv Aravim<\/i>,\u201d is a blessing of praise concerning the passage of time from day to night, and parallels Birkat<\/i> Yotzer Or<\/i> in Shacharit<\/i>. The second, \u201cAhavat Olam<\/i>,\u201d is praise that refers to Hashem\u2019s love for Israel and the giving of the Torah. The third, \u201cEmet V\u2019Emunah<\/i>,\u201d is praise about the redemption. In the fourth, \u201cHashkiveinu,\u201d we ask Hashem to protect us at night and watch over us when we sleep (see also earlier in this book 16:1). Hence, Birkot Keriat Shema<\/i> are comprised of seven blessings, three in Shacharit<\/i> and four in Ma\u2019ariv<\/i>; and the Yerushalmi<\/i> (Berachot<\/i>, chapter 1, halachah 5) states that they were instituted based on the verse (Psalms, 119:164), \u201cSheva bayom hillalticha<\/i>\u201d (\u201cI praise You seven times daily.\u201d)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The recital of Keriat Shema commands center stage at the beginning of the Ma\u2019ariv prayer. It is a biblical commandment to recite Keriat Shema at night and in the morning, as written in the paragraphs of Shema and V\u2019Hayah Im Shamo\u2019a, \u201cWhen you lie down and when you get up.\u201d It is also a mitzvah […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[49],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6511","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-25-the-maariv-prayer"],"yoast_head":"\n