230. Baruch Shem

Kriyas Shema 1:3

Tzitzis are not required at night but we still recite this section at night because it also discusses the exodus from Egypt, which we are obligated to remember both by day and by night as per Deuteronomy 16:3, “So that you shall remember the day you left the land of Egypt all the days of your life.” Reading these three sections in this particular order fulfills the obligation to recite the Shema.

Kriyas Shema 1:4

After reciting the first verse of Shema, one says quietly “Blessed be the Name of He Whose glorious Kingdom endures forever.” One then continues as normal in the first section. We do this because we have a tradition that our forefather Jacob (also known as Israel) called his sons together prior to his death and commanded them regarding God’s unity and the path of God that Abraham and Isaac had followed. He asked his sons if any of them might not be on board. They replied, “Listen, Israel, Hashem is our God; Hashem is One.” i.e., listen to us, Israel, our father, Hashem is our God, Hashem is One. Jacob responded, “Blessed be the Name of He Whose glorious Kingdom endures forever.” Because of this, we recite the same praise that our forefather Jacob recited after the verse of Shema.