A baal keri contemplates [the text of the Shema] in his mind, but he does not recite the blessings [of the Shema], neither [the blessings] preceding it nor [those] following it. And with re-gard to food, he recites the blessings that follow [a meal], but he does not recite the blessings preceding [a meal]. R’ Yehudah says: He recites the blessings before them and following them.

[If] one was standing in prayer and he remembered that he is a baal keri, he should not stop [praying]; rather, he should shorten [his prayer]. [If] he went down to immerse [in a mikveh]: If he is able to go up [from the mik-veh], cover himself, and recite [the Shema] before sunrise, he should go up, cover himself, and recite [it]. But if not, he should cover himself with the water and recite [the Shema]. But he may not cover himself with foul water, nor with water used for soaking [flax], un-less he pours [clean] water into [it]. And how far must he distance himself from [it] and from excrement? Four amos.