Shema

Shema Yisrael (or Sh'ma Yisrael or just Shema ) ( ; "Hear, [O] Israel") are the first two words of a section of the Torah ( Hebrew Bible ) that is a centerpiece of the morning and evening Jewish prayer services . The first verse encapsulates the monotheistic essence of Judaism : "Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one," found in Deuteronomy 6:4 . Observant Jews consider the Shema to be the most important part of the prayer service in Judaism, and its twice-daily recitation as a mitzvah (religious commandment). It is traditional for Jews to say the Shema as their last words , and mother's teach it to their children before they go to sleep at night. The words are "shema yisrael adonai eloheinu adonai echad (silently) baruch shem kavod malchuto le'olam vaed". The term "Shema" is used by extension to refer to the whole part of the daily prayers that commence with Shema Yisrael and comprise Deuteronomy 6:4–9 , 11:13–21 , and Numbers 15:37–41 . These sections of the Torah are read in the weekly Torah portions Va'etchanan , Eikev , and Shlach , respectively.

Shema Yisrael at the Knesset Menorah in Jerusalem Shema Yisrael (or Sh'ma Yisrael ; ; "Hear, [O] Israel") are the first two words of a section of the Torah , and is the title (sometimes shortened to simply Shema ) of a prayer that serves as a centerpiece of the morning and evening Jewish prayer services . The first verse encapsulates the monotheistic essence of Judaism : "Hear, O Israel: the L ORD our God, the L ORD is one" ( ), found in Deuteronomy 6:4 , sometime alternately translated as "The L ORD is our God, the L ORD alone." Observant Jews consider the Shema to be the most important part of the prayer service in Judaism, and its twice-daily recitation as a mitzvah (religious commandment). It is traditional for Jews to say the Shema as their last words , and for parents to teach their children to say it before they go to sleep at night. The term "Shema" is used by extension to refer to the whole part of the daily prayers that commences with Shema Yisrael and comprises Deuteronomy 6:4–9 , 11:13–21 , and Numbers 15:37–41 . These sections of the Torah are read in the weekly Torah portions Va'etchanan , Eikev , and Shlach , respectively.

Jewish prayer For other uses, see Shema (disambiguation) . Shema Yisrael ( Shema Israel or Sh'ma Yisrael ; ; "Hear, O Israel") is a Jewish prayer, and is also the first two words of a section of the Torah , and is the title (better known as The Shema ) of a prayer that serves as a centerpiece of the morning and evening Jewish prayer services . The first verse encapsulates the monotheistic essence of Judaism : "Hear, O Israel: the L ORD our God, the L ORD is one" ( ), found in Deuteronomy 6:4 . Observant Jews consider the Shema to be the most important part of the prayer service in Judaism, and its twice-daily recitation as a mitzvah (religious commandment). Also, it is traditional for Jews to say the Shema as their last words , and for parents to teach their children to say it before they go to sleep at night. The verse is sometimes alternatively translated as "The L ORD is our God; the L ORD is one" or "The L ORD is our God, the L ORD alone." (Biblical Hebrew rarely used a copula in the present tense, so it has to be inferred; in the Shema, the syntax behind this inference is ambiguous.) The word used for "the L ORD " is the tetragrammaton YHWH. The term "Shema" is used by extension to refer to the whole part of the daily prayers that commences with Shema Yisrael and comprises Deuteronomy 6:4–9 , 11:13–21 , and Numbers 15:37–41 . These sections of the Torah are read in the weekly Torah portions Va'etchanan , Eikev , and Shlach , respectively.

Jewish prayer For other uses, see Shema (disambiguation) . Indian Jews praying "Shema Yisrael", illustration on a book cover Shema Yisrael ( Shema Israel or Sh'ma Yisrael ; Šəmaʿ Yīsrāʾēl , "Hear, O Israel") is a Jewish prayer (known as the Shema ) that serves as a centerpiece of the morning and evening Jewish prayer services . Its first verse encapsulates the monotheistic essence of Judaism : "Hear, O Israel: YHWH is our God, YHWH is one" ( ), found in Deuteronomy 6:4 . The first part can be translated as either "The L ORD our God" or "The L ORD is our God", and the second part as either "the L ORD is one" or as "the one L ORD " (in the sense of "the L ORD alone"), since Hebrew does not normally use a copula in the present tense, so translators must decide by inference whether one is appropriate in English. The word used for "the L ORD " is the tetragrammaton YHWH. Observant Jews consider the Shema to be the most important part of the prayer service in Judaism, and its twice-daily recitation as a mitzvah (religious commandment). Also, it is traditional for Jews to say the Shema as their last words , and for parents to teach their children to say it before they go to sleep at night. The term Shema is used by extension to refer to the whole part of the daily prayers that commences with Shema Yisrael and comprises Deuteronomy 6:4–9 , 11:13–21 , and Numbers 15:37–41 . These sections of the Torah are read in the weekly Torah portions Va'etchanan , Eikev , and Shlach , respectively. " "Yahweh is One": The Translation of the Shema" . Studies in the Pentateuch .

Jewish prayer For other uses, see Shema (disambiguation) . Indian Jews praying "Shema Yisrael", illustration on a book cover Shema Yisrael ( Shema Israel or Sh'ma Yisrael ; Hebrew : שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל , romanized : Šəmaʿ Yīsrāʾēl , “Hear, O Israel”) is a Jewish prayer (known as the Shema ) that serves as a centerpiece of the morning and evening Jewish prayer services . Its first verse encapsulates the monotheistic essence of Judaism : "Hear, O Israel: YHWH our God, YHWH is one" ( שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ יְהוָה אֶחָֽד׃ ), found in Deuteronomy 6:4 . The first part can be translated as either "The L ORD our God" or "The L ORD is our God", and the second part as either "the L ORD is one" or as "the one L ORD " (in the sense of "the L ORD alone"), since Hebrew does not normally use a copula in the present tense, so translators must decide by inference whether one is appropriate in English. The word used for "the L ORD " is the tetragrammaton YHWH. Observant Jews consider the Shema to be the most important part of the prayer service in Judaism, and its twice-daily recitation as a mitzvah (religious commandment). Also, it is traditional for Jews to say the Shema as their last words , and for parents to teach their children to say it before they go to sleep at night. The term Shema is used by extension to refer to the whole part of the daily prayers that commences with Shema Yisrael and comprises Deuteronomy 6:4–9 , 11:13–21 , and Numbers 15:37–41 . These sections of the Torah are read in the weekly Torah portions Va'etchanan , Eikev , and Shlach , respectively. " "Yahweh is One": The Translation of the Shema" . Studies in the Pentateuch .