Why Do We Repeat the Final Words of the Shema?

The Shema contains 245 words. This is significant because it is just three words shy of 248, the number of “limbs” in the human body according to the Talmudic reckoning.1 Our sages teach that when the Shema is recited properly, each limb is “nourished” by a corresponding word.2 Accordingly, three additional words are needed to complete this number.

So where do we get those three words? When you pray in the synagogue, the chazan says the final three words (Hashem Elokeichem emet) aloud for all to hear after first saying them quietly to himself.

Hearing those three words from the chazan counts towards your total of 248.3

The Procedure: With a Minyan

The Shema ends with the words, “ani Hashem Elokeichem emet,” and the following paragraph begins with the words “emet veyatziv.” [The word emet is not technically part of the Shema; it is the first word of the blessing recited after the Shema: Emet veyatziv in the morning, Emet veEmuna in the evening. However, we don’t pause between G‑d's name and emet (truth).]

For the Congregants

Individuals praying with a minyan recite the Shema quietly, conclude with “Hashem Elokeichem emet,” then pause and wait for the chazan to repeat those words aloud. They then continue with the next paragraph, starting with the word Veyatziv, without repeating the word emet. Nevertheless, if one wishes to say the phrase together with the chazan, it is permitted.4

Note: Even those who have not yet finished the Shema may pause and listen to the chazan, thereby completing their count without needing to repeat the words later.5

For the Chazan

For the chazan himself, there are two customs:

Some recommend that the chazan should omit the word emet when concluding the Shema quietly, so that when he says it aloud, the total does not exceed 248 words.6 Others, including Chabad, include emet even in the quiet recitation, in order not to separate the words Hashem Elokeichem from emet.7

According to this second view, the repeated emet is not counted toward the total, since it is considered part of the following blessing, Emet Veyatziv.

The Procedure: Without a Minyan

There are a number of customs for making up those three extra words when praying without a minyan.

According to Chabad custom, one who is praying alone should conclude the Shema with “Hashem Elokeichem” (omitting emet), and then repeat the entire last phrase, “ani Hashem Elokeichem emet,” thereby completing the total of 248 words.8

Instead of repeating the final words, others add the words “א-ל מלך נאמן — Kel Melech Ne’eman” (“Almighty, faithful King”) to the beginning of the Shema, which likewise adds up to a total of 248 words. These words correspond to answering “amen” to the preceding blessing, as amen is understood as an acronym for Kel Melech Ne’eman.9

When praying with a minyan, however, Kel Melech Ne’eman is not said. Chabad custom is that the chazan concludes the preceding blessing quietly so that no one answers amen, thereby avoiding any interruption between the blessing and the Shema.

Why Doesn’t Chabad Say Kel Melech Ne’eman?

Following the ruling of the Alter Rebbe’s Siddur, even one who is praying alone does not say Kel Melech Ne’eman. Instead, he completes the count at the end by repeating “Ani Hashem Elokeichem.” This approach reflects the concern, cited by many authorities, that answering amen—or its equivalent—would constitute an interruption between the blessing and the Shema, which should remain uninterrupted, like any blessing recited immediately before a mitzvah.10

What If You Forget?

If you have already concluded with emet, you should repeat the words Hashem Elokeichem emet. If you have already begun the next paragraph, Veyatziv, you should not go back. Instead, you should intend that the 15 “vavs” in the paragraph Emet Veyatziv will account for the three additional words.11 Some actually suggest this, even initially, as a way for one praying alone to account for the three extra words.12

How to Complete the 248 Words of Shema