(Mishnah): An appointed Kohen would tell them (the Kohanim of the Mishmar) to say one Berachah; they blessed.

Question: What Berachah did they say?

Answer (Rav Masneh citing Shmuel): It was Birkas ha'Torah (Ahavah Rabah).

They recited Aseres ha'Dibros, Shma, v'Hayah Im Shamo'a, and va'Yomer (Parshas Tzitzis).

Inference (R. Ami citing Reish Lakish): The Berachos [of Keri'as Shma] are not Me'akev [for we interrupt between Ahavah Rabah and Keri'as Shma]!

Rebuttal (R. Ba): You cannot learn from here at all, for Aseres ha'Dibros are the essence of Shma (they are not an interruption. We explained this like R. MEIR SIMCHAH, HA'GAON RAV C. KANIEVSKY, SHLITA.)

(Rav Masnah and R. Shmuel bar Nachman): It would have been proper to enact saying Aseres ha'Dibros every day. Why don't we recite them? It is due to claims of heretics, lest they say that only these were given to Moshe on Sinai.

(Rav Masnah and R. Shmuel bar Nachman): It would have been proper that we say Parshas Balak every day. Why don't we recite it? It is lest we burden the Tzibur (it is very long).

Note: There is an implied question - why would it be proper to say it every day? The main reason is because the Navi (Michah 6:5) says "remember what Balak plotted, and what Bil'am answered... in order to know Tzidkos Hash-m." The coming reasons are why we should say it more than other matters that we are commanded to remember.

Answer #1 (R. Chunah): It is because it is written in it lying down and rising.

Answer #2 (R. Yosi bei R. Bun): It is because it is written in it Yetzi'as Mitzrayim and [Hash-m's] kingship.

Answer #3 (R. Elazar): It is because it is written in Torah, Nevi'im and Kesuvim (this shows that it is very important).

(Mishnah): An appointed Kohen would tell them to say one Berachah; they blessed.

What Berachah did they say? Rav Masneh citing Shmuel said, it was Birkas ha'Torah (Ahavah Rabah).

Question: They did not bless Yotzer ha'Me'oros (the first Brachah before Shma. Why did they bless the second Brachah before Shma?)

Answer (R. Shmuel, the brother of R. BeraChiya): The luminaries did not yet come out. Will you say Yotzer ha'Me'oros?!

(Mishnah): On Shabbos they gave an extra Berachah to the departing Mishmar.

Question: What Berachah was this?

Answer (R. Chelbo): It was "the One who made His name dwell in this house should put among you Ahavah (love), Achvah (brotherhood), Shalom (peace), and Re'us (companionship)."

(Shmuel): One who rises to learn before Keri'as Shma, he must bless [Birkas ha'Torah. If he learns only] after Keri'as Shma, he need not bless [for he was Yotzei through Ahavah Rabah].

(R. Ba): This is if he learned immediately afterwards. (PANIM ME'IROS - Birkas ha'Torah is three Brachos, for Mikra, Mishnah and Talmud. Ahavah Rabah is one Brachah. Stam, it exempts only Mikra, unless he learns Mishnah and Talmud immediately. Then, he reveals that he intended it to exempt all of them.)

(R. Chunah): It seems that one must bless for Midrash, but he need not bless for Halachos (it does not resemble Mikra).

(R. Simon citing R. Yehoshua ben Levi): One must bless both for Midrash and Halachos.

(R. Chiya bar Ashi): We used to sit in front of Rav, and he obligated us to bless for both for Midrash and Halachos.

(Beraisa): One who recites with Anshei Ma'amad (Yisraelim who oversee the Avodah) was not Yotzei, for they delay [until the Tamid is totally offered. R. SHLOMO SIRILIYO - this is like the opinion that one must finish Keri'as Shma before sunrise.)

(R. Ze'ira citing R. Ami): In the days of R. Yochanan, we used to go out to a [Tefilas Tzibur on a] Ta'anis and we recited Keri'as Shma after three hours, and he did not protest against us.

R. Yosi and R. Acha went out to a Ta'anis. The Tzibur came and recited Shma after three hours. Rav Acha wanted to protest against them.

R. Yosi: They already recited in its time (R. SHLOMO SIRILIYO - through Keri'as Shma in Korbanos)! They recite it now only to enter Tefilah amidst Divrei Torah. (CHAREDIM, MAHARA FULDA - also R. Ami was Yotzei beforehand, and recited it again. R. Yochanan did not protest, like R. Yosi, and unlike R. Acha.)

R. Acha: [We should protest] due to commoners, lest they say that they recite it in its time (i.e. the time is even after three hours).