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When saying the shema in a minyan should it be said loudly or quietly? I was at the opposite side in the Synagogue and I could hear a lot of the shema someone else was saying...

Emes18
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    In some place it's said aloud and in unison – Double AA Oct 14 '22 at 15:39
  • OC 61:26 יש נוהגים לקרות קריאת שמע בקול רם ויש נוהגים לקרותו בלחש – Double AA Oct 14 '22 at 15:40
  • https://judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/7872/which-parts-of-the-prayer-service-must-be-said-clearly-out-loud – rosends Oct 14 '22 at 15:41
  • If someone is heard of hearing, the shraga hameir 7:139 says that he needs to say out loud enough for him to hear himself. R Shlomo Zalman, R Wosner and R Chaim Kanievski disagree. The Kaf Hachaim is unsure. Perhaps, this fellow couldn’t hear himself easily and said it loud so he can hear himself – Chatzkel Oct 14 '22 at 15:42

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Shir haShirim Rabba 8:12-13 praises those who say Shema together.

דָּבָר אַחֵר, הַיּוֹשֶׁבֶת בַּגַּנִּים חֲבֵרִים מַקְשִׁיבִים, כְּשֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל נִכְנָסִין לְבָתֵּי כְנֵסִיּוֹת וְקוֹרִין קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע בְּכִוּוּן הַדַּעַת בְּקוֹל אֶחָד בְּדֵעָה וְטַעַם אֶחָד, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אוֹמֵר לָהֶם: הַיּוֹשֶׁבֶת בַּגַּנִּים, כְּשֶׁאַתֶּם קוֹרִין חֲבֵרִים אֲנִי וּפַמַּלְיָא שֶׁלִּי מַקְשִׁיבִים לְקוֹלֵךְ הַשְׁמִיעִנִי, אֲבָל כְּשֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל קוֹרִין קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע בְּטֵרוּף הַדַּעַת, זֶה מַקְדִּים וְזֶה מְאַחֵר וְאֵינָם מְכַוְּנִין דַּעְתָּם בִּקְרִיאַת שְׁמַע, רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ צוֹוַחַת וְאוֹמֶרֶת.... בְּרַח דּוֹדִי וּדְמֵה לְךָ לִצְבִי, לְצָבָא שֶׁל מַעְלָה, הַדּוֹמִים לִכְבוֹדְךָ בְּקוֹל אֶחָד, בִּנְעִימָה אַחַת. עַל הָרֵי בְשָׂמִים, בִּשְׁמֵי שָׁמַיִם הָעֶלְיוֹנִים.

Another idea [explaining Shir haShirim 8:13-14], "The one who dwells in the gardens, the companions listen attentively for your voice[; let me hear it. Flee, my beloved, and be like a gazelle or a young ibex upon the mountains of spices.]" When Jews enter synagogues and recite Qeri'as Shema with directed [kivvun, c.f. kavvanah] thought in a single voice, with thought and a single cantillation, the Holy Blessed One says to them, "'The one who dwells in the gardens' -- when you recite, I and my royal court are "companions listening attentively for your voice; let Me hear it."

However, when Jews recite Qeri'as Shema while distracted, this one running ahead, and that one falling behind, and they do not direct their thoughts [mekhavvanin daatan - i.e. they do not have kavvanah] during Qeri'as Shema, the Ruach HaQodesh cries out and says, "Flee, my beloved, and be like a gazelle [tzevi]" like the hosts [tzeva] of above, who praise Your Glory in a single voice, a single melody. "Upon the mountains of spices [besamim]" -- in the upper heavens [shemei hashamayim] above.

Micha Berger
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  • It praises those who have kavvanah, which is hard when everyone is reciting out loud at a different pace. What stops the silent reciters in a group of silent reciters from having kavvanah? – magicker72 Oct 24 '22 at 20:21
  • It contrasts the minyan that sings it together with those who do not. The pasuq is about singing as one. This is the source of the minhag Gra-nik have of saying Shema together and with trop. (Sepharadim chant Shema together too, except for the tokhachah in VeHaya Im Shanoa, but they chant all of davening together, so I don't know if Shema is special for them.) – Micha Berger Oct 25 '22 at 21:06