Time for Reciting Shema and Prayer for Women

Greetings, 1. It is permitted to recite the morning blessings until sunset (see Shut Yechaveh Da'at, part 4, section 4, and Halacha Brura, section 46, paragraph 19). 2. Sephardic women are obligated to pray only one prayer daily, and they may choose which prayer to pray, although it is preferable for them to choose Shacharit (Shut Yabia Omer, part 6; part Orach Chayim, section 17). A woman who chooses to pray Shacharit must be careful to pray before the end of the prayer time, which is 4 proportional hours from the start of the day. One should check a local calendar to know the exact time in her area (since it varies by location and by day). If she did not pray by then, she may still pray until midday; however, this is considered praying outside the proper time. 3. Women are exempt from reciting Shema, but it is appropriate for them to recite it to accept the yoke of Heaven's sovereignty (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim, section 61, paragraph 1). They should read at least the first verse with the phrase Baruch Shem etc. (Rema there; Levush there). However, they do not need to be stringent about the exact time for reciting the Shema (Esh Al Avraham of Butshetsh there). Blessings, Hillel Meirs