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Shema: Mental Preparation

When saying the shema, focus on the idea that God is:

  • Everywhere,
  • Infinite,
  • Unique,
  • Present now and always.

Witness to God's Uniqueness

We are witnesses to the fact that God is unique, as alluded to in the word "eid"--made up of the "ayin" of shema and the "dalet" of echad.

Love God

We are required to love God with our:

  • Hearts (Good Inclination--yetzer ha'tov--and Evil Inclination--yetzer ha'ra),
  • Souls (regardless of whether we are happy with Hashem's decrees or not), and
  • "Much-ness" (interpreted to mean with all of our material belongings).
Shacharit: Shema: El Melech Ne'eman

Situation

You are not with a minyan. You begin saying the shema and you realize you had forgotten to say El melech ne'eman before beginning the shema.

What To Do

Finish the shema; do not go back to say El melech ne'eman (and your saying the shema is still valid).

Late Shema: L'Olam Yehei Adam by Third Hour
Situation
You will not have time to say the morning shema by the end of the third hour of the day, but you will say l'olam yehei adam by then.

What To Do
Instead of saying the first line of shema, say:
•          El melech ne'eman.
•          Entire shema. Then
•          Paragraph that ends in mekadeish et shimcha b'rabim.
Starting Shema before Prayer Leader Says
If you are late to shacharit or ma'ariv minyan and start the shema before the prayer leader has finished saying “emet” at the end of the shema, do not say El melech ne'eman.
 
Saying Shema after Proper Time
Even if you have not said the morning shema by the latest proper time (no later than the end of the first quarter of the daylight hours), say it as soon as you can.
 
HaMapil and Shema: Halacha, Not Custom
Saying “ha'mapil” and shema before going to sleep is halacha, not custom.
 
Amen before Shema
Some say the pre-shema blessing in shacharit or ma'ariv with the leader. Best is to finish the blessing before the leader does and then reply amen when he finishes saying the blessing. 
 
Women and Shema in Shacharit
Women are not required to say the full shema or the blessings before it.  Even if women do not say the whole shema, it is proper for them to say the first line of the shema and baruch shem kevod malchuto l'olam va'ed.
Note If women say entire shema, even though they are not required to do so, it is a mitzva.
Men and Shema in Shacharit
Men must say shema in shacharit and the blessings before and after.
 
Kissing Tzitziyot in Shema
Kiss all four tzitziyot in a talit gadol when saying the shema. Just kiss the front two tzitziyot if you only wear a talit katan. Doing either one is a non-binding custom, not a halacha.
 
Baruch Hu before Shema
Don't say baruch hu u'varuch shemo in response to a prayer leader saying the two pre-shema blessings.
 
When To Say Shema Blessings
Neither men nor women may say the blessings that precede and follow the shema after the fourth halachic hour of the day. In extreme circumstances (if compelled or forced), men (but not women) may still say the shema blessings until halachic midday.
Earliest Time for Shema (and Amida)
Earliest time to say shema and amida is 72 minutes before sunrise, b'di'avad, since the guideline is halachic “day.”
Note L'chatchila, you should say shema anytime from 3 minutes before sunrise until the end of the third halachic hour of the day.
Talit Katan: Blessings: Shema if You Wake Up Early
Situation You wake up early and want to say shema (in case you return to sleep and might miss the latest time to say morning shema). 
What To Do
  • You need to wear only a talit katan (not a talit gadol).
  • Say the blessing al mitzvat tzitzit, even if you normally would later put on a talit gadol and therefore would not normally say that blessing over a talit katan.
Tzitzit: Holding: Morning Shema
Holding all four tzitziyot when saying the shema in the morning is not required, but it is customary to do so.