Reciting Shema is of great importance, because one thereby accepts upon himself the rule of Heaven. While reciting the verse “Hear, Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord is one,” the worshipper must concentrate on the words and have in mind that he is accepting the yoke of Heaven.

The Shema consists of three passages from the Torah: the passages beginning “Hear, Israel [Shema Yisrael]” (Deuteronomy 6:4–9) and “It shall be if you will heed [Vehaya im shamo’a]” (Deuteronomy 11:13–21), and the passage dealing with tzitzit, ritual fringes (Numbers 15:37–41). The text is as follows:

“Hear, Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord is one.

“Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom for ever and ever.

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. These matters that I command you today shall be upon your heart. You shall inculcate them in your children, and you shall speak of them while you are sitting in your house, and while you are walking on the way, and while you are lying down, and while you are rising. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be for ornaments between your eyes.

“It shall be if you will heed My commandments that I command you today, to love the Lord your God, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, I will provide the rain of your land at its appointed time, the early rain and the late rain, and you will gather your grain, and your wine, and your oil. I will provide grass in your field for your animals, and you will eat and you will be satisfied. Beware, lest your heart be seduced, and you stray and serve other gods, and prostrate yourself to them. The wrath of the Lord will be enflamed against you, and He will curb the heavens and there will be no rain, and the ground will not yield its produce and you will be quickly eradicated from upon the good land that the Lord is giving you. You shall place these words of Mine upon your heart and upon your soul and you shall bind them as a sign upon your arm, and they shall be as ornaments between your eyes. You shall teach them to your children to speak of them, while you are sitting in your house, and while you are walking on the way, and while you are lying, and while you are arising. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house, and on your gates; so that your days will be increased, and the days of your children, on the land with regard to which the Lord took an oath to your forefathers to give them, like the days of the heavens above the earth.

“The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them, and they shall make for themselves a fringe on the corners of their garments for their generations, and they shall put on the fringe of the corner a sky-blue thread. It shall be for you a fringe, and you shall see it, and remember all the commandments of the Lord and perform them; and you shall not rove after your heart and after your eyes, after which you stray; so that you shall remember, and perform all My commandments, and be holy to your God. I am the Lord your God, who took you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the Lord your God; true.”

To ensure that nothing will distract his attention while reciting the first verse of Shema, one should cover his eyes with his hand and say the words out loud. Then, while his hand is still covering his eyes, he should whisper the second line, beginning Barukh shem, “Blessed be the name.” This sentence is also part of one’s acceptance of the yoke of Heaven, and its recitation likewise requires one’s full concentration on the words and their significance.

Further reading: Shema is linked to devotion to God, see A Concise Guide to Mahshava, p. 199.

Likewise, in all the subsequent verses of Shema (from “You shall love the Lord your God” until “the Lord your God; true”), one must strive to think carefully about what he is saying. These verses should be said slowly and measuredly, with particular attention to the proper pronunciation of words and to not slurring words together or “swallowing” letters.

During the recitation of Shema, one may not perform any action that is unrelated to the recitation itself. It is prohibited not only to speak, but even to signal, whether with the movement of a hand or head, or by winking.

The blessing recited after Shema concludes with the words Ga’al Yisrael, “Blessed are You, who redeemed Israel.” The Amida prayer immediately follows this blessing, and one must continue with the Amida without interruption after reciting Ga’al Yisrael.