Berachot 9b

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{Brachot 9b}

MISHNAH.
FROM WHAT TIME MAY ONE RECITE THE SHEMA IN THE MORNING?
FROM THE TIME THAT ONE CAN DISTINGUISH BETWEEN BLUE {techelet}AND WHITE.
R. ELIEZER SAYS: BETWEEN BLUE AND GREEN {karti}.

UNTIL SUNRISE.
R. JOSHUA SAYS: UNTIL THE THIRD HOUR OF THE DAY,
FOR SUCH IS THE CUSTOM OF KINGS, TO RISE AT THE THIRD HOUR.
IF ONE RECITES THE SHEMA' LATER HE LOSES NOTHING, BEING LIKE ONE WHO READS IN THE TORAH.

Gemara:
We learnt in a brayta: Rabbi Meir says: such that one can distinguish between a wolf and a dog. Rabbi Yehuda {in our gemara, we have Rabbi Akiva} says: such that one can distinguish between a donkey and a wild donkey. Others say: such that one can see his friend from 4 cubits away and recognize him.

{Note: this would be in terms of the start time.}

Rav Huna said: the halacha is like "Others."
Abaye said: For donning tefillin, like "Others." For reading the Shema, like the Vatikin {strong in piety}.

As Rabbi Yochanan said: The Vatikin would finish it {reading the Shema} with sunrise.
A brayta also says so: the Vatikin would finish it with sunrise, so as to juxtapose geula {the bracha after Shema} with prayer {=Shemoneh Esrei}.

so as to juxtapose geula {the blessing after Shema} to prayer {= Shemoneh Esrei} and he will thus pray during day.

Rav Zera said: What is the source? Tehillim 72:5:

ה יִירָאוּךָ עִם-שָׁמֶשׁ; וְלִפְנֵי יָרֵחַ, דּוֹר דּוֹרִים.

5 They shall fear Thee while the sun endureth, and so long as the moon, throughout all generations.

And so it the halacha. However not every person is capable of being so exact and doing like these words. And even so, it is a mitzvah to read {Shema} a bit before sunrise so as to not pray until after sunrise, so that you pray during the day, even though {the prayer} it is not absolutely together with the sunrise.

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Rabbi Yochanan said: in the beginning {of Shemoneh Esrei} he says (Tehillim 51:17)

יז אֲדֹנָי, שְׂפָתַי תִּפְתָּח; וּפִי, יַגִּיד תְּהִלָּתֶךָ.

17 O Lord, open Thou my lips; and my mouth shall declare Thy praise.

and at the end he says Tehillim 19:15:

טו יִהְיוּ לְרָצוֹן אִמְרֵי-פִי, וְהֶגְיוֹן לִבִּי לְפָנֶיךָ: ה, צוּרִי וְגֹאֲלִי.

15 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable before Thee, {N} O LORD, my Rock, and my Redeemer. {P}

Rabbi Yossi ben Chanina cites Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov: one who prays {Shemoneh Esrei} needs to put together his legs, as it states in Yechezkel 1:7:

ז וְרַגְלֵיהֶם, רֶגֶל יְשָׁרָה; וְכַף רַגְלֵיהֶם, כְּכַף רֶגֶל עֵגֶל, וְנֹצְצִים, כְּעֵין נְחֹשֶׁת קָלָל.

7 And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot; and they sparkled like the colour of burnished brass.

{and וְרַגְלֵיהֶם = feet plural were רֶגֶל = straight foot, singular}

And Rabbi Yossi bar Chanina cited Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov: How do we know that when one prays he should not pray from a high place? Since it states in Tehillim 130:1:

א שִׁיר הַמַּעֲלוֹת: מִמַּעֲמַקִּים קְרָאתִיךָ ה.

1 A Song of Ascents.{N} Out of the depths have I called Thee, O LORD.

A brayta also says this: How do we know that one who prays should not stand on a chair or a bench and not on a high place and pray? Since there is no loftiness before Hashem. And even though there is no proof to the matter, there is a reference to the matter, as it says (in Tehillim 130:1): מִמַּעֲמַקִּים קְרָאתִיךָ ה - "Out of the depthshave I called Thee, O LORD."

and it says in Tehillim 102:1:

א תְּפִלָּה, לְעָנִי כִי-יַעֲטֹף-- וְלִפְנֵי יְהוָה, יִשְׁפֹּךְ שִׂיחוֹ.

1 A Prayer of the afflicted, when he fainteth, and poureth out his complaint before the LORD.

And Rabbi Yossi bar Chanina cited Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov: what is meant by (Vayikra 19:26)?

כו לֹא תֹאכְלוּ, עַל-הַדָּם; לֹא תְנַחֲשׁוּ, וְלֹא תְעוֹנֵנוּ.

26 Ye shall not eat with the blood; neither shall ye practise divination nor soothsaying.

That you should not eat until you pray for your blood {=lives}.

Rabbi Yitzchak cited Rabbi Yochanan who cited Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov: One who eats and drinks before he prays, upon him the Scripture states (in Melachim 1 14:9):

ט וַתָּרַע לַעֲשׂוֹת, מִכֹּל אֲשֶׁר-הָיוּ לְפָנֶיךָ; וַתֵּלֶךְ וַתַּעֲשֶׂה-לְּךָ אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים וּמַסֵּכוֹת, לְהַכְעִיסֵנִי,וְאֹתִי הִשְׁלַכְתָּ, אַחֲרֵי גַוֶּךָ.

9 but hast done evil above all that were before thee, and hast gone and made thee other gods, and molten images, to provoke Me, and hast cast Me behind thy back;

do not read but rather גַוֶּךָ - your back - but rather גאיך - your pride. Hashem says: after he ate and drank and made himself prideful, he is accepting upon himself the yoke of heaven?

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"Rabbi Yehoshua says: until three hours"Rav Yehuda cited Shmuel: the halacha is in accordance with Rabbi Yehoshua.

"One who reads it from then on does not lose out - like a man who reads from the Torah"

Rav Chisda cited Mar Ukva: What does it mean "he does not lose out?" He does not lose out on the blessings {of Shema}.

A brayta also says so: One who reads from then on does not lose out - like a man who reads from the Torah, but he blessses before it and after it.