nd when thou walkest in the way." Why then
the words "when thou liest down and when thou risest up?" Because these
are the acts that men perform when the shemang would be usually read.
Rabbi Tarphon said that once when journeying of an evening, he stooped
in order to read the shemang, with the result that his goods were almost
taken from him by unsuspected robbers. He was told that he would have
deserved it, had he been actually robbed, for not having followed the
decision of the Hillel School. The Gemara on the above Mishnahs gives
the opinions of a large number of Rabbis, reporting also discussions in
which they took part.

The benedictions before and after the Shemang.

_M_. Two benedictions (4) are to be said before the morning shemang, and
one after it.

When the Shemang is rightly read.

_M_. He who reads the shemang without hearing his own voice has yet
discharged his duty if only his heart has gone with the reading.

Persons not to read the Shemang:

Women, slaves, and minors are not commanded to read the Shemang, or to
wear phylacteries. They are, however, expected to recite the eighteen
benedictions, the grace after meat, and also to see that the Mezuza is
attached to the doorpost.[33].

_G_. Where are we taught that the Shechinah rests upon _one_ who studies
the law? In Exodus xx, 24, where it is written: "In all places where I
record my name I will come unto _thee_, and I will bless _thee_." The
Palestine Talmud paraphrases thus: "In every place in which ye shall
memorialise My holy name, My word shall be revealed unto _you_, and
shall bless _you_." Hear, O Israel, Jehovah our God, even Jehovah is
one. Deut. vi, 4. Whoever prolongs the utterance of the word _one_ (Heb.
_ekhad_), his days and years shall be prolonged.

Once, the Rabbis say, the Roman government decreed that no Israelite
should be allowed to study the Law. Immediately after, Rabbi Agiba was
found teaching the Law to crowds of people who had gathered around him.
Some one passing by asked him "Fearest thou not the Roman government?"
To which he said, "I will answer by a parable: A fox was once walking by
a river side when he saw the fish rushing distractedly hither and
thither. On asking them the cause of all their perturbation, they
replied: 'We are afraid of the nets which wicked men are ever setting to
catch us.' 'Why, then,' said the fox, 'do you not leave that dangerous
element and try the dry land with me?' 'Surely,' repli