The Movement for Reform Judaism

It is very common for people to refer to the Shema as "the most important Jewish prayer", but although it is certainly part of the service, technically it is not a prayer but a quotation. It is lifted entirely from Deuteronomy chapter 6 verses 4-9, save that an extra line is inserted after the first sentence, namely "Blessed is His name, whose glorious kingdom is forever" (which is why that line is absent  from the version of the Shema which is to be found in a mezuzah or tefillin, as it is not part of the original biblical text).

It is the opening line that makes the Shema so significant: "Hear O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is one". For Jews, it is a declaration of faith, and also an assertion that God is one and indivisible. So much of Judaism is concerned with observing practical laws - both positive and negative, both ethical and ritual - that the Shema stands out as a cry of belief, something that cannot be simply carried out or avoided but has to be personally taken to heart.

The Shema has also acquired special symbolism because of historical circumstances. After Rome had conquered the land of Israel, destroyed the Temple and exiled thousands of Jews, there was one last attempt at freedom - a revolt led by Shimon Bar Kochba in 135 CE, with the support of one of the leading rabbis, Akiba. The revolt failed, Bar Kochba was killed in battle and Akiba arrested and tortured to death in the arena. He died saying that first line of the Shema as a final act of spiritual defiance. Ever since then it is traditional for a Jew who is about to pass away to recite the Shema as his or her final words. However, the rest of the prayer/quotation is also important, being a checklist of how to put beliefs into practice and give them concrete form.

• First, there is the general advice that love of God should permeate one's being ("all your heart..soul..and might").
• Then there is the quintessentially Jewish notion that to be good Jew it is not enough to believe and practice oneself, but one has to pass it on to the next generation and keep the faith going - hence the command to "repeat these words to your children".
• It goes on to emphasise that Judaism is not just for once a week on the Sabbath, nor reserved for a special place of worship, but for all times of the day and week, and in every place ("when you sit in your home and walk in the street, when you lie down and rise up").
• It also adds two particular rituals as reminders: wearing special prayer boxes (Hebrew "tefillin"; Greek "phylacteries") at midweek morning services, inside which is the Shema. Similarly one should mark the front door of one's house with a small container or "mezuzah", which also has the Shema in it. It is placed at eye level (on the upper third of the door, on the right hand side as you enter) which serves as a daily reminder to the occupants to adhere to Jewish values and traditions, as well as being an indicator to other Jews that a co-religionist lives there.
  

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