<P> Shema Yisrael ( or Sh'ma Yisrael ; Hebrew : שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל ‎ ; `` 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 LORD our God , the LORD is one '' ( Hebrew : שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ יְהוָה אֶחָֽד ׃ ‎ ) , found in Deuteronomy 6 : 4 , sometimes alternatively translated as `` The LORD is our God , the LORD is one . '' 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 . </P>
<P> Shema Yisrael ( or Sh'ma Yisrael ; Hebrew : שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל ‎ ; `` 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 LORD our God , the LORD is one '' ( Hebrew : שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ יְהוָה אֶחָֽד ׃ ‎ ) , found in Deuteronomy 6 : 4 , sometimes alternatively translated as `` The LORD is our God , the LORD is one . '' 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 . </P>
where is the shema found in the torah
where is the shema found in the torah
Deuteronomy 6 : 4
Deuteronomy 6 : 4