Question: When we take Shabbos in early during the summer, should we recite kerias shema before birkas hamazon on Friday night, or wait until after the meal?
Answer: The Shulchan Aruch (OC 235:2) writes that one must not sit down for a meal within half an hour of tzeis hakochavim, nightfall. If one did so, they must stop to recite kerias shema, though one can wait to say the rest of maariv. The Mishna Berura (235:21) explains that one would only need to stop eating for mitzvos mideoraisa. As the berachos of Shema are miderabbanan, one can wait to recite them.
Thus, the Rema (OC
489:4) writes that one who started the meal within half an hour of nacht
must also interrupt to count the omer as there are rishonim who
maintain that it is a mitzva mideoraisa even nowadays (See Mishna Berura
489:25).
Rambam (Kerias
Shema 2:6) writes that it is praiseworthy to recite the shema in the
middle of their meal if one is concerned that it will be too late to recite it
afterwards (See Shulchan Aruch Harav OC 70:5).
However, the
Shaagas Aryeh (21) argues that one must always interrupt a meal to recite kerias
shema following the rule of tadir ve’sheino tadir, tadir kodam, the
mitzva that we do most often takes precedence. One only needs to bentch
after bread on Shabbos, though one is obligated to recite the shema
every morning and night. He writes that this rule applies equally whether the mitzvos
are mideoraisa or miderabannan. Therefore, it makes no difference
as to whether counting the omer nowadays is mideoraisa or miderabannan;
as it is less frequent than bentching on Shabbos, one should count
after the meal.
In conclusion, if
one mistakenly began their meal within half an hour of tzeis, they must
interrupt their meal to recite kerias shema when it is nacht. One
who started eating earlier may interrupt their meal if they are concerned that
they may forget to say the shema. Otherwise, they can wait until after
they have benchted.
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