First Tosfos asks on Rashi that if Kerias Shema Al ha'Mitah is the Ikar, then we are paskening like Rebbi Yehoshua Ben Levi (on 4b).
However on the the bottom of 4b we see that Rebbi Yehoshua Ben Levi holds Kerias Shema b'Veis Ha'Knesses is the Ikar. How can tosfos use that to disprove Rashi?
The second question is. According to the opinions that R' Yehudah is going like Rebbi Yehoshua Ben Levi, from the first statement of Rebbi Yehoshua Ben Levi that first tefillah (after plag) and then Kerias Shema (at Zman Shechivah) that works great. Once we see that he says we say Kerisa Shema in shul (after Shemoneh Esrei) this is still before Zman Shechivah
Yitzi Niasoff, Lakewood NJ USA
Dear Yitzi,
Even according to R' Yehoshua Ben Levi there is Tefilas Arvis with Birchos Krias Shema, Krias Shema and Shmone Esrei. He just reverses the order to finish with Krias Shema. Then he adds that Krias Shema Al haMita is also important for its reason.(how else can be understood is two statements on 4b?)
Rashi says the "real " Krias Shmais at bedtime he must go with the general idea of R' Yehoshua Ben Levi that Krias Shema should be last after Shone Esrei and not like R' Yochanan who needs Krias Shma first.
All the Best, Reuven Weiner