Shema

American  

[shuh-mah, shmah] / ʃəˈmɑ, ʃmɑ /

noun

Judaism.

1. a liturgical prayer, prominent in Jewish history and tradition, that is recited daily at the morning and evening services and expresses the Jewish people's ardent faith in and love of God.

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Shema British  

/ ʃəˈmɑː /

noun

1. the central statement of Jewish belief, the sentence "Hear, O Israel: the Lord is your God; the Lord is One" (Deuteronomy 6:4)

2. the section of the liturgy consisting of this and related biblical passages, Deuteronomy 6:4–9 and 11:13–21 and Numbers 15:37–41, recited in the morning and evening prayers and on retiring at night

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Etymology

Origin of Shema

From the Hebrew word shəmaʿ listen!

Example Sentences

It was Noah’s idea to do the Shema prayer for his breakdown.

From Los Angeles Times

Injured, Mr. Bitton couldn’t speak, but as we recited the Shema—“Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord Is One”—tears welled in his eyes.

From The Wall Street Journal

Jesus recites several blessings in Hebrew, and, in an innovation first introduced in 2010, the entire Jewish community — meaning hundreds of actors onstage — sings Shema Yisrael, the quintessential Jewish prayer.

From New York Times

So I do three Jewish prayers: the Shema first; then the “Mi Shebeirach,” which my dear friend Debbie Friedman made the popular version of for the reform Jewish community; then the blessing over breaking bread.

From New York Times

Or Osborn Shema, a 7-foot junior backup center, when he puts on another 20 pounds and stops being pushed around underneath the basket.

From New York Times