Ask the Rabbi
- Halacha
- Sections of the Prayers
- Reading of Shema
Question
to say most words , of ק"ש or a פסוק in English , but some words in לשון הקודש like the name of god .
can you mix ?
Answer
ב"ה
Shalom,
11th day of the Omer.
Although, the Shulchan Aruch does say that one may recite Kriat Shema in a foreign language other than Hebrew, the opinion of most later Halachic authorities is to say it in Hebrew. In Hebrew a person fulfills the mitzva even if one does not fully understand the Kriat Shema and it is most unlikely that a Jewish person would not know the meaning of the first passuk of Kriat Shema, where a person's "Kavanah" is essential. (See משנה ברורה סב:ג, פסקי תשוובת סי' קא: ה )
Furthermore, when saying Kriat Shema translated into a foreign language, the translation could never reach the proper accuracy of the original intention in Hebrew. How much more so, it seems in my opinion a mixture of Hebrew and English would take us further from the original intention.
Therefore, I would say in short, keep to the Hebrew .
All the best









