The Laws of Prayer /The Blessings of the Shema (60)

1. In the Shema it says “Which I am commanding you today”, to teach us that a person must reflect about the matters each and every day as if they were new. It follows that one must understand that which one says, and not read it hurriedly through habit. Rather, he should read it to fulfil hi obligation. (Shulchan Aruch and Mishne Berurah 61)

2. In the Shema there are two hundred and forty-five words. In order to fill the full number of two hundred and forty-eight which is the number of limbs in a man, the cantor repeats the words “Hashem Elokeichem emes”, and the congregation fulfil their obligation with this. If a person wants to say these words with the cantor, he may do so. (Shulchan Aruch and Mishne Berurah ibid)