The holiest of all Hebraic prayers is the Shema. Gentiles often call this the SHEE-ma, but it is correctly pronounced 'sh-MAW'. For devout Jews, it is a religious commandment that the Shema be recited twice daily. It is customary for the beautiful words of the Shema to be the last spoken by dying Jews. Devout Jewish parents teach the Shema as the first words that their children will speak, and the last words they say before going to sleep at night. It is required that one must be "in decent surroundings" when reciting this prayer (one wouldn't want to pray this prayer in a bathroom for instance). It may be recited while standing or sitting, but it is not the custom for Jews to pray on their knees, since idol worshippers fall on their knees before idols. When reciting the Shema people commonly close their eyes or cover them with the palm of their hand while reciting it to eliminate every distraction and help them concentrate on the meaning of the words.
The word Shema literally means "to listen". Each day in Orthodox Jewish homes, usually in the morning and evening the Shema is recited. It's used as a morning blessing, and a bedtime prayer. The Shema is so important that most Bible scholars believe it is the first Scripture Jesus learned as a child. Before He could speak or walk He would have heard it everyday in His home. The Shema is central to all the teachings in the Bible.
In Mark 12, when a teacher of the Torah asked Jesus (Yeshua - [yea-SHOO-ah])' what is the greatest commandment?' Jesus quoted the Shema. And, in I Corinthians 8, Paul refers to the Shema. I submit that the Shema is not "just some Jewish thing", but is appropriate for me today. As a Christian have I not been added to the commonwealth of Israel? .... " Therefore remember that you (Gentiles), …. were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus youhave been brought near by the blood of Christ".( Ephesians 2:11). Have I not been grafted into the olive tree along with the Jewish branches? "......you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root..."(Romans 11:17)
In our culture, we have "outsourced" the spiritual discipleship of our children to the church. We send them to the "professional disciple-makers" ( the youth pastor and the Sunday school teacher) and we think we are doing our part, but that is not the command of Scripture. While the church plays a vital role in the life of Christians, the first layer of spiritual influence is the parent, not the church! We can see this command in the Shema.
Here are the beautiful words of this holiest of prayers, which the Messiah Himself said is the greatest commandment. This prayer would have been recited by Yeshua Messiah and the apostles every day. It follows in English and is found in Deuteronomy 6:4---
Hear,O Israel, Yahweh (YAW-way) is our God, Yahweh is One.
And you shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
And these words that I command you today shall be in your heart.
And you shall teach them diligently to your children, and you shall speak of them
when you sit at home, and when you go on a journey, and when you lie down and when you rise up.
And you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be jewels between your eyes.
And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
