1Women,1 slaves,2 and children3 are exempt from Kri’at Shema.אנָשִׁים וַעֲבָדִים וּקְטַנִּים – פְּטוּרִים מִקְּרִיאַת שְׁמַע.
We should teach children to recite it at the proper time4 with the blessings before and after it, in order to educate them regarding the commandments.5וּמְלַמְּדִין אֶת הַקְּטַנִּים לִקְרוֹתָהּ בְּעוֹנָתָהּ וּמְבָרְכִין לְפָנֶיהָ וּלְאַחֲרֶיהָ, כְּדֵי לְחַנְּכָן בְּמִצְוֹת.
One who is preoccupied and in an anxious state regarding a religious duty6 is exempt from all commandments,7 including Kri’at Shema.8מִי שֶׁהָיָה לִבּוֹ טָרוּד וְנֶחְפָּז לִדְבַר מִצְוָה פָּטוּר מִכָּל הַמִּצְוֹת וּמִקְּרִיאַת שְׁמַע.
Therefore, a bridegroom whose bride is a virgin is exempt from Kri’at Shema until he has consummated the marriage,9 because he is distracted lest he not find her a virgin.10לְפִיכָךְ חָתָן שֶׁנָּשָׂא בְתוּלָה – פָּטוּר מִקְּרִיאַת שְׁמַע עַד שֶׁיָּבֹא עָלֶיהָ, לְפִי שֶׁאֵין דַּעְתּוֹ פְּנוּיָה, שֶׁמָּא לֹא יִמְצָא לָהּ בְּתוּלִים.
However, if he delays until Saturday night after the wedding11 and does not have relations with her, he is obligated to recite the Shema from that time onward, since his mind has settled and he is familiar with her even though they have not consummated the marriage.12וְאִם שָׁהָה עַד מוֹצָאֵי שַׁבָּת וְלֹא בָעַל, חַיָּב לִקְרוֹת מִמּוֹצָאֵי שַׁבָּת וְאֵילַךְ; שֶׁהֲרֵי נִתְקָרְרָה דַּעְתּוֹ וְלִבּוֹ גַּס בָּהּ, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא בָעַל.

Mishneh Torah (Moznaim)

Featuring a modern English translation and a commentary that presents a digest of the centuries of Torah scholarship which have been devoted to the study of the Mishneh Torah by Maimonides.

2However, one who marries a woman who is not a virgin is obligated to recite the Shema,13 because even though he, too, is involved in the performance of a mitzvah,14 it is not so distracting.15 The same principle applies to similar cases.באֲבָל הַנּוֹשֵׂא אֶת הַבְּעוּלָה, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁעוֹסֵק בְּמִצְוָה – חַיָּב לִקְרוֹת, הוֹאִיל וְאֵין לוֹ דָּבָר שֶׁמְּבַלְבֵּל דַּעְתּוֹ. וְכֵן כָּל כַּיּוֹצֵא בָזֶה.
3One who is bereaved of a relative for whom he is obligated to mourn16 is exempt from Kri’at Shema17 until he has buried him,18 because his attention is distracted from reciting the Shema.19גמִי שֶׁמֵּת לוֹ מֵת שֶׁהוּא חַיָּב לְהִתְאַבֵּל עָלָיו, פָּטוּר מִקְּרִיאַת שְׁמַע עַד שֶׁיִּקְבְּרֶנּוּ, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאֵין דַּעְתּוֹ פְּנוּיָה לִקְרוֹת.
A person who is watching20 a body is also exempt, even if it is not the body of a relative.21 When there are two watchmen, one should continue watching while the other withdraws and recites the Shema. When the latter returns, the other should depart and recite the Shema.22 A gravedigger is also exempt from Kri’at Shema.23וְאִם הָיָה מְשַׁמֵּר אֶת הַמֵּת, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינוֹ מֵתוֹ – פָּטוּר מִקְּרִיאַת שְׁמַע. וְאִם הָיוּ הַשּׁוֹמְרִים שְׁנַים – הָאֶחָד מְשַׁמֵּר וְהַשֵּׁנִי נִשְׁמָט לְמָקוֹם אַחֵר וְקוֹרֵא, וְחוֹזֵר וּמְשַׁמֵּר וְנִשְׁמָט הָאַחֵר וְקוֹרֵא. וְכֵן הַחוֹפֵר קֶבֶר לְמֵת, פָּטוּר מִקְּרִיאַת שְׁמַע.
4A body should not be taken out for burial close to the time for reciting the Shema,24 unless the deceased was a great man.25דאֵין מוֹצִיאִין אֶת הַמֵּת לְקָבְרוֹ סָמוּךְ לִזְמַן קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע, אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן הָיָה אָדָם גָּדוֹל.
If they do begin to remove the deceased and the time for reciting the Shema arrives while they are accompanying the body, anyone required to carry the coffin—e.g., the bearers of the coffins and their replacements and those who, in turn, relieve the replacements—whether they are before the coffin26 or after it,27 are exempt from Kri’at Shema.28 The rest of those accompanying the body who are not required to carry the coffin are obligated to recite the Shema.29וְאִם הִתְחִילוּ וְהוֹצִיאוּ, וְהִגִּיעַ זְמַן הַקְּרִיאָה וְהֵן מְלַוִּין אֶת הַמֵּת – כָּל שֶׁיֵּשׁ לַמִּטָּה צֹרֶךְ בָּהֶן, כְּגוֹן נוֹשְׂאֵי הַמִּטָּה, וְחִלּוּפֵיהֶן וְחִלּוּפֵי חִלּוּפֵיהֶן בֵּין שֶׁהָיוּ לִפְנֵי הַמִּטָּה בֵּין שֶׁהָיוּ לְאַחַר הַמִּטָּה – פְּטוּרִין; וּשְׁאָר הַמְלַוִּין שֶׁאֵין לַמִּטָּה צֹרֶךְ בָּהֶן, חַיָּבִין.
5Should they be involved in eulogies when the time for Kri’at Shema arrives,30 if they are in the presence of the deceased, they should withdraw31 individually and recite it,32 and then return to the eulogy. If the deceased is not present, all the people should recite the Shema33 except the mourner, who remains silent, because he is not obligated to recite the Shema until he buries his relative.34ההָיוּ עֲסוּקִים בְּהֶסְפֵּד וְהִגִּיעַ זְמַן קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע; בִּזְמַן שֶׁהַמֵּת מֻנָּח לִפְנֵיהֶן – נִשְׁמָטִים אֶחָד אֶחָד וְקוֹרְאִין וְחוֹזְרִין לַהֶסְפֵּד, אֵין הַמֵּת מוּטָל לִפְנֵיהֶם – כָּל הָעָם קוֹרִין קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע, וְהָאָבֵל יוֹשֵׁב וְדוֹמֵם; לְפִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ חַיָּב לִקְרוֹת עַד שֶׁיִּקְבֹּר אֶת מֵתוֹ.
6After the burial, the mourners return to receive condolences and the people follow them from the gravesite to the place where they form a line to receive condolences.35 If the people are able to start and finish even one verse of Kri’at Shema before they arrive at the line,36 they should do so. If not, they should not start37 until they have consoled the mourners. After they have taken their leave they should commence reciting.38וקָבְרוּ אֶת הַמֵּת וְחָזְרוּ הָאֲבֵלִים לְקַבֵּל תַּנְחוּמִין, וְכָל הָעָם הוֹלְכִים אַחֲרֵיהֶם מִמְּקוֹם הַקֶּבֶר לַמָּקוֹם שֶׁעוֹמְדִים בּוֹ הָאֲבֵלִים לַעֲשׂוֹת שׁוּרָה לְקַבֵּל תַּנְחוּמִין: אִם יְכוֹלִין הָעָם לְהַתְחִיל וְלִגְמוֹר אֲפִלּוּ פָּסוּק אֶחָד קֹדֶם שֶׁיַּגִּיעוּ לַשּׁוּרָה – יַתְחִילוּ. וְאִם לַאו, לֹא יַתְחִילוּ; אֶלָּא יְנַחֲמוּ אֶת הָאֲבֵלִים, וְאַחַר שֶׁיִּפָּטְרוּ מֵהֶן יַתְחִילוּ לִקְרוֹת.
Those standing in the inner line—i.e., they can see the faces of the mourners—are exempt from Kri’at Shema. Those at the outside, since they cannot see the mourner, are obligated to recite the Shema where they are.39בְּנֵי אָדָם הָעוֹמְדִין בְּשׁוּרָה – הַפְּנִימִיִּים שֶׁהֵן רוֹאִין פְּנֵי הָאֲבֵלִים, פְּטוּרִין מִקְּרִיאַת שְׁמַע; וְהַחִיצוֹנִים, הוֹאִיל וְאֵינָן רוֹאִין אֶת הָאֲבֵלִים - חַיָּבִין בִּקְרִיאַת שְׁמַע בִּמְקוֹמָן.
7Anyone who has an exemption from Kri’at Shema, but nevertheless desires to be strict with himself and recite, may do so.40 This is conditional upon the fact that his mind is not distracted.41 However, if this exempted person is in a confused state, he is not permitted to recite the Shema until he composes himself.42זכָּל מִי שֶׁהוּא פָּטוּר מִלִּקְרוֹת קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע – אִם רָצָה לְהַחֲמִיר עַל עַצְמוֹ לִקְרוֹת, קוֹרֵא. וְהוּא, שֶׁתְּהֵא דַעְתּוֹ פְּנוּיָה עָלָיו; אֲבָל אִם הָיָה זֶה הַפָּטוּר מִלִּקְרוֹת מְבֹהָל – אֵינוֹ רַשַּׁאי לִקְרוֹת, עַד שֶׁתִּתְיַשֵּׁב דַּעְתּוֹ עָלָיו.
8All those who are ritually impure are obligated to read the Shema and recite the blessings before and after it in their impure state.חכָּל הַטְּמֵאִין חַיָּבִין בִּקְרִיאַת שְׁמַע וּמְבָרְכִין לְפָנֶיהָ וּלְאַחֲרֶיהָ וְהֵן בְּטֻמְאָתָן.
This applies even when it is possible for them to purify themselves43 that day44—e.g., one who has touched the carcass of a crawling animal,45 a woman in the nidah state,46 a zavah,47 or the couch on which these people have lain,48 and the like.49אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֶפְשָׁר לָהֶן לַעֲלוֹת מִטֻּמְאָתָן בּוֹ בַיּוֹם, כְּגוֹן הַנּוֹגְעִין בְּשֶׁרֶץ אוֹ בְּנִדָּה וְזָבָה וּמִשְׁכָּבָהּ וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָהֶן.
Ezra and his colleagues decreed that a man who had a seminal emission50 was forbidden to read the words of the Torah.51 Thus, they separated him from the other ritually impure until he immersed himself in a mikveh.52 This ordinance was not universally accepted among the Jewish people. Most were unable to observe it53 and it was therefore negated.54וְעֶזְרָא וּבֵית דִּינוֹ תִּקְּנוּ, שֶׁלֹּא יִקְרָא בְּדִבְרֵי תוֹרָה בַּעַל קֶרִי לְבַדּוֹ, וְהוֹצִיאוּהוּ מִכְּלַל שְׁאָר הַטְּמֵאִין עַד שֶׁיִּטְבֹּל. וְלֹא פָשְׁטָה תַּקָנָה זוֹ בְּכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְלֹא הָיָה כֹּחַ בְּרֹב הַצִּבּוּר לַעֲמֹד בָּהּ, לְפִיכָךְ בָּטְלָה.
The Jewish people accepted the custom of reading the Torah55 and reciting the Shema even after a seminal emission, because the words of Torah cannot contract ritual impurity.56 Rather, they stand in their state of purity forever, as Jeremiah 23:29 states: “Are not my words like fire, declares the Lord.”57 Just as fire is incapable of becoming ritually impure, so, too, the words of Torah are never defiled.58וּכְבָר נָהֲגוּ כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל לִקְרוֹת בַּתּוֹרָה וְלִקְרוֹת קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע וְהֵן בַּעֲלֵי קְרָיִין. לְפִי שֶׁאֵין דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה מְקַבְּלִין טֻמְאָה אֶלָּא עוֹמְדִין בְּטָהֳרָתָן לְעוֹלָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: "הֲלֹא כֹה דְבָרִי כָּאֵשׁ נְאֻם יְיָ" (ירמיה כג, כט), מָה אֵשׁ אֵינָהּ מְקַבֶּלֶת טֻמְאָה, אַף דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה אֵינָם מְקַבְּלִין טֻמְאָה.
Blessed be God who grants assistance.בְּרִיךְ רַחֲמָנָא דְסַיְּעָן.