Reply To: Chidushim on Daf Yomi

When a man is saying krias shma, the upper body and lower body must be separated such that the heart should not see, get influenced by the lower body. A belt or rubber band in the underware satisfies this requirement. A gartel is not used for this purpose, but for hikon, as a preparation for davenen. My Rebbi, the Mattersdorfer Rav, Rav Shmuel Ehrenfeld ztz’l wore his gartel under his kapote. Only a pasul sefer torah has the gartel outside.