Related for Berakhot 4:8

ורמינהו מאימתי מתחילין לקרות קריאת שמע בערבית משעה שבני אדם נכנסין לאכול פתן בערבי שבתות דברי רבי מאיר וחכמים אומרים משעה שהכהנים זכאין לאכול בתרומתן סימן לדבר צאת הכוכבים. ואף על פי שאין ראיה לדבר זכר לדבר שנאמר ואנחנו עושים במלאכה וחצים מחזיקים ברמחים מעלות השחר עד צאת הכוכבים ואומר והיו לנו הלילה משמר והיום מלאכה

I quote the following against our Mishnah : From what time may we begin to read the Shema' in the evening? From the time that people go home to eat their bread on the Sabbath-eve. These are the words of R. Meir ; but the Sages say : From the time the priests are entitled to partake of their Terumah. A sign for the matter is the appearance of the stars, and although there is no proof of this, yet is there some indication ; as it is said, "So we wrought in the work : and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning till the stars appeared" (Neh. iv. 15), and it continues "That in the night they may be a guard to us, and may labour in the day" (ibid. v. 16).

Tosefta Berakhot

From when do we read Shema in the evenings? “From the time when people come [home] to eat their bread on Shabbat (Sabbath) nights,” [these are] the words of Rebbi Meir. And the Chachamim (Sages) say from the time when the Kohanim (priests) are able to eat their Terumah (heave offering). A sign for this is the coming out of the stars. And even though there is no explicit proof for this matter, there is an indirect reference: “… and half of them were holding spears from the morning twilight until the coming out of the stars.” (Nehemiah 4:15)

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