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

"Every day I pray for a better future, so today I came to thank Lord Muruga," Shema said.

From Barron's • Feb. 1, 2026

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

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 8, 2026

"My GP briefly mentioned contraception to me after he was born - but we both laughed and agreed that it wasn't relevant," Shema says.

From BBC • Jun. 20, 2023

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 • Mar. 15, 2022

He was halfway through the first line of the Shema, our holiest prayer, and my head stopped hurting.

From "The Inquisitor's Tale" by Adam Gidwitz