The attitude in which the shemang should be read.

M.  The (strict) School of Shammai say men ought to bow in reading the evening shemang, but to stand upright when saying shemang in the morning, their scripture warrant being Deut. vi, 7, “when thou liest down and when thou risest up.”  But according to (the more liberal) School of Hillel, people must be allowed to read the shemang in whatever attitude they choose, referring to the words in the same passage:  “When thou sittest in thy house and when thou walkest in the way.”  Why then the words “when thou liest down and when thou risest up?” Because these are the acts that men perform when the shemang would be usually read.  Rabbi Tarphon said that once when journeying of an evening, he stooped in order to read the shemang, with the result that his goods were almost taken from him by unsuspected robbers.  He was told that he would have deserved it, had he been actually robbed, for not having followed the decision of the Hillel School.  The Gemara on the above Mishnahs gives the opinions of a large number of Rabbis, reporting also discussions in which they took part.

The benedictions before and after the Shemang.

M.  Two benedictions (4) are to be said before the morning shemang, and one after it.

When the Shemang is rightly read.

M.  He who reads the shemang without hearing his own voice has yet discharged his duty if only his heart has gone with the reading.

Persons not to read the Shemang: 

Women, slaves, and minors are not commanded to read the Shemang, or to wear phylacteries.  They are, however, expected to recite the eighteen benedictions, the grace after meat, and also to see that the Mezuza is attached to the doorpost.[33].

G.  Where are we taught that the Shechinah rests upon one who studies the law?  In Exodus xx, 24, where it is written:  “In all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee.”  The Palestine Talmud paraphrases thus:  “In every place in which ye shall memorialise My holy name, My word shall be revealed unto you, and shall bless you.”  Hear, O Israel, Jehovah our God, even Jehovah is one.  Deut. vi, 4.  Whoever prolongs the utterance of the word one (Heb. ekhad), his days and years shall be prolonged.

Once, the Rabbis say, the Roman government decreed that no Israelite should be allowed to study the Law.  Immediately after, Rabbi Agiba was found teaching the Law to crowds of people who had gathered around him.  Some one passing by asked him “Fearest thou not the Roman government?” To which he said, “I will answer by a parable:  A fox was once walking by a river side when he saw the fish rushing distractedly hither and thither.  On asking them the cause of all their perturbation, they replied:  ’We are afraid of the nets which wicked men are ever setting to catch us.’  ‘Why,