Shulchan Arukh Orach Chayim · Siman 60

Shulchan Arukh Orach Chayim 60 — English translation

Translation: Sefaria Community Translation. Section numbers match the Hebrew text above.

1. 1Laws of the blessings for the recitation of the Shema and whether it needs intention - containing 5 sections: The second blessing is 'Ahavat Olam'. Rem"a: There are those who say 'Ahavah Rabbah' (and this is in fact the custom in all [lands of] Ashkenaz). And it does not start with the word 'Baruch', since it immediately follows the 'Yotzer Ohr' blessing. As to whether it counts for the [obligation of] the blessing for [studying] Torah, see above, Siman 47.
2. 2If one recited the Shema without a blessing, one has fulfilled the obligation of reciting the Shema. [Nonetheless,] one [later] goes back and recites the blessings without the Shema; however, it seems to me that it is proper to go back and recite the [entire] Shema with the blessings.
3. 3The [wrong] order of the blessings does not hold one back [from fulfilling the commandment], therefore, if one recites the second [blessing] before the first, one has fulfilled one's obligation of [reciting the] blessings.
4. 4There are those who hold that the commandments do not require intention, and there are those who hold that they do need intention in order to fulfill the doing of that commandment - and such [i.e. the latter] is the [correct] halacha.
5. 5One who recites the Shema, but did not have the [proper] intention during the first verse, which is 'Shema Yisrael' - [in this case,] one did not fulfill one's obligation. As for the rest, if one did not have the [proper] intention, and even if one was simply reciting [the verses of the Shema] from the Torah or checking over these sections [of text - i.e. the ones used in the Shema] during the time [one is obligated in the] recitation of the Shema - in this case, one fulfilled [one's obligation], as long as one had intention during the first verse.

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