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    Chapter 1 · Me'eimatai

    Posture and Time in Shema

    Lesson 10 of 64 26 min

    The dispute concerns “when you lie down and when you rise”: Beit Shammai emphasize posture, Beit Hillel the times of lying down and rising. The list shows that no single posture is mandatory for Beit Hillel. It does not eliminate attention requirements, discussed later.

    Lesson goals
    • 01List the postures allowed in the excerpt.
    • 02Separate posture from attention.
    01

    Source and decoding

    Berakhot 11a
    תנו רבנן, בית הלל אומרים: עומדין וקורין, יושבין וקורין, ומטין וקורין, הולכין בדרך וקורין, עושין במלאכתן וקורין.

    Beit Hillel say one may recite standing, sitting, reclining, walking on the road, or while working.

    The dispute concerns “when you lie down and when you rise”: Beit Shammai emphasize posture, Beit Hillel the times of lying down and rising. The list shows that no single posture is mandatory for Beit Hillel. It does not eliminate attention requirements, discussed later.

    02

    Building the reasoning

    1. 1List the postures allowed in the excerpt.
    2. 2Separate posture from attention.
    Practice

    Return to the source and list the postures allowed in the excerpt. Then explain how the central distinction follows from the excerpt. Mark what is explicit and what is explained by the surrounding discussion.

    Lesson wrap-up

    The dispute concerns “when you lie down and when you rise”: Beit Shammai emphasize posture, Beit Hillel the times of lying down and rising. The list shows that no single posture is mandatory for Beit Hillel. It does not eliminate attention requirements, discussed later.

    Check your understanding

    Test yourself before marking the lesson complete.

    Question 1 of 1

    What does Beit Hillel’s list show?

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