9. What is the time for K’riat Sh’ma at night? The Mitzva is from the time the stars come out until half the night. If he delayed and read before *Amud haShahar* (dawn), “Yatza”; since they [the Rabbis] only said “midnight” in order to keep people far from sinning.

Rambam, Copyright (c) 1999 Project Genesis, Inc.