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
our God, the is one" , found in , sometimes alternatively translated as "The is our God, the 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.