Zmanim · The prayers of the day
Until what time can the morning Shema be said?
The morning Shema is recited until the end of the third proportional hour of the day — its final time, sof zman kriat Shema. Because these hours are proportional, the deadline changes every day and with your location.
A deadline measured in proportional hours
The Shema (שמע, "Hear" — the declaration of the oneness of Heaven) has a window in the morning. Its final moment, sof zman kriat Shema, is the end of the third hour of the day. But these are not clock hours: they are zmaniyot, proportional hours, formed by dividing the daylight into twelve equal parts. A long summer hour and a short winter hour are not the same length, so the deadline moves through the year and differs from place to place.
Where it is taught
The Mishnah, in tractate Berachot 1:2, sets the measure for the morning Shema, framing it by the early hours of the day. It is one of the oldest rhythms of Jewish prayer, drawn tight to the arc of the morning light.
What to do
Aim to say the Shema, with care and attention, before the third proportional hour ends. Since that hour is different today than it was last month, and different in your city than in another, rely on your local times rather than a fixed clock hour.
Source: Mishnah, Berachot 1:2.
To know today's sof zman kriat Shema where you are, let My Jewish Day (siddur, zmanim, the Hebrew calendar) hold the window for you.
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