252. Reciting Shema in the Nude

Kriyas Shema 3:17

Just as one may not recite Shema in the presence of someone else’s nudity, he may not do so when he himself is naked. Therefore, one may not recite Shema until he covers his nudity. If his crotch is covered, he may recite Shema even if the rest of his body is exposed, so long as his heel doesn’t touch his genitals. If he is lying naked under a sheet, he should create a separation between his upper and lower halves by placing his sheet below his heart; he may then recite Shema. He should not create this separation at his neck because as long as one’s heart is in line of sight of his genitals, it’s like reciting Shema without any covering at all.

Kriyas Shema 3:18

If two people are lying under the same sheet, neither one may recite Shema - even if he covers himself from the heart down - unless the sheet also separates between the two of them so that the lower halves of their bodies don’t touch. If a man is sleeping with his wife or children, their bodies are considered like his own and do not impede his ability to recite Shema. Therefore, even if his body is touching theirs, he may simply turn his face away, separate beneath his heart, and recite Shema.