These are between the sections [of the Shema and its blessings]: Between the first blessing and the second [blessing]; between the second [blessing] and [the passage of] ‘‘Shema’’ (Deuteronomy 6:4-9); and between ‘‘Shema’’ and [the passage of] ‘‘Vehayah im shamoa’’ (Deuteronomy 11:13-21); between ‘‘Vehayah im shamoa’’ and [the passage of] ‘‘Vayomer’’ (Numbers 15:37-41); between ‘‘Vayomer’’ and [the blessing of] ‘‘Emes Veyatziv.’’ R’ Yehudah says: Between ‘‘Vayomer’’ and ‘‘Emes Veyatziv’’ one may not in-terrupt. R’ Yehoshua ben Korchah said: Why does [the passage of] ‘‘Shema’’ precede [the passage of] ‘‘Vehayah im shamoa’’? Only so one will first accept upon himself the yoke of Heaven’s sovereignty, and afterward accept upon himself the yoke of [the] command-ments. And [why does] ‘‘Vehayah im shamoa’’ [precede the passage of] ‘‘Vayomer’’? Be-cause ‘‘Vehayah im shamoa’’ applies by day and by night, [whereas] ‘‘Vayomer’’ applies only by day.

[If] one recites the Shema and does not make [it] audible to his ears, he has discharged [his obligation]. R’ Yose says: He has not discharged [his obligation]. [If] he recited [the Shema] but was not meticulous in [enunciating] its letters, R’ Yose says: He has discharged [his obligation]. R’ Yehudah says: He has not discharged [his obligation]. [If] one recites [the Shema] out of sequence, he has not discharged [his obligation]. [If] one recited [the Shema] and erred, he must return to the place where he erred.