Shema Yisrael (or Sh'ma
Yisrael or just Shema) 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 is 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. 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.
