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Siman 65 – Interruptions / Coming in and finding the congregation reading the Shema

  1. For all mitzvos (d’oraisa and d’rabbonon) that involve recitation, you should not pause in the middle for the time it takes (you) to recite the mitzvah from beginning to end. If you pause for that amount of time for a reason beyond your control, you must go back to the beginning. (Rama 1 – MB 4)
  2. A chazzan shouldn’t sing at length thereby making the congregation pause for enough time to recite Birchos Krias Shema from beginning to end. (MB 4)
  3. During Birkas Cohanim it is best for the congregation not to recite the lengthy “Yehi ratzon…” because many times there are cohanim who aren’t singing and end up waiting for the congregation in silence for the amount of time it takes to recite Birkas Cohanim from beginning to end. (MB 4)
  4. If you enter a shul and find the congregation beginning Krias Shema, you must recite with them the first possuk including Boruch Shaym. This applies even when you are busy saying Pesukay D’zimra but does not apply when you are in the middle of Birchos Krias Shema. Since you cannot interrupt – say instead, the words of Birchos Krias Shema that you are saying anyhow, just with the tune of everyone else’s Krias Shema. (ShA 2 – MB 10,11)
  5. If you have not yet said Birkas HaTorah you should still recite the first possuk with the congregation, but no more. (MB 8)
  6. If you aren’t in the middle of anything, it’s best to recite the entire Krias Shema with the tzibbur. (ShA3)
  7. The above applies not only to saying Krias Shema with the congregation, but also to saying, for example, Ashray or Olaynu with them – because that is derech eretz. (MB 9)