Mishnayos Brachos Perek 2 Mishnah 5
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ברכות פרק ב׳ משנה ה׳
The mishna continues: A groom is exempt from the recitation of Shema on the first night of his marriage, which was generally Wednesday night, until Saturday night, if he has not taken action and consummated the marriage, as he is preoccupied by concerns related to consummation of the marriage. The mishna relates that there was an incident where Rabban Gamliel married a woman and recited Shema even the first night. His students said to him: Didn’t our teacher teach us that a groom is exempt from the recitation of Shema? He answered them: Nevertheless, I am not listening to you to refrain from reciting Shema, and in so doing preclude myself from the acceptance of the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven, for even one moment.
חָתָן פָּטוּר מִקְּרִיאַת שְׁמַע בַּלַּיְלָה הָרִאשׁוֹן עַד מוֹצָאֵי שַׁבָּת, אִם לֹא עָשָׂה מַעֲשֶׂה. מַעֲשֶׂה בְּרַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל שֶׁקָּרָא בַלַּיְלָה הָרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁנָּשָׂא. אָמְרוּ לוֹ תַּלְמִידָיו, לֹא לִמַּדְתָּנוּ, רַבֵּנוּ, שֶׁחָתָן פָּטוּר מִקְּרִיאַת שְׁמַע בַּלַּיְלָה הָרִאשׁוֹן. אָמַר לָהֶם, אֵינִי שׁוֹמֵעַ לָכֶם לְבַטֵּל מִמֶּנִּי מַלְכוּת שָׁמַיִם אֲפִלּוּ שָׁעָה אֶחָת:
Bartenura
חתן. שנשא בתולה:
פטור מקריאת שמע לילה ראשון. משום דטריד שמא לא ימצאנה בתולה. ואני שמעתי שמתירא שמא ייעשה כרות שפכה בבעילתו, וטרדא דמצוה היא, ורחמנא אמר ובלכתך בדרך, בלכת דידך הוא דמחייבת, הא דמצוה פטירת:
אם לא עשה מעשה. אם לא בעל עד מוצ״ש שהם ד׳ לילות, טריד. ומשם ואילך לבו גס בה ותו לא טריד, ואף על פי שלא עשה מעשה חייב בק״ש:
חתן – [A groom] who married a virgin
פטור מקריאת שמע לילה ראשון – is exempt from the Recitation of the Shema the first night (of his marriage) because of the grave concern that he might not find her to be a virgin. And I heard that he fears lest he might his genitals might be mutilated through his [initial] intercourse [with his wife] and it is his preoccupation with this Mitzvah. And All-Merciful One (God) said (Deuteronomy 6:7), “and when you are away” – in your “going” (the commandment for sexual intercourse with one’s [virgin] wife is tied to the command “be fertile and increase” – Genesis 1:27) – which obligates you but also commands one’s exemption [from the recitation of the Shema].
אם לא עשה מעשה – If he did not engage in sexual intercourse until Saturday night (after the conclusion of Shabbat) which is four nights that he was preoccupied [with his ability to perform his sexual obligations to his wife]. And from that point onwards, he becomes intimate with her and furthermore, is no longer preoccupied, and even though he has not yet performed his obligation [of intimacy with his wife], he is obligated to recite the Shema.