(Hebrew, "Hear, O Israel!") — First words of the prayer proclaiming the oneness of God, the central creed of Judaism.

A Hebrew prayer recited three or four times daily by Orthodox Jews, and the last prayer she/he utters on her/his deathbed.

The first passage in the Mezuzah taken from Torah, the basic belief of all Jews in the unity of the One G-d: "Hear, 0 Israel, the L-rd is our G-d, the L-rd is one."

(lit., "Hear, O Israel..."): see *Kerias Shema

Shema Yisrael (or Sh'ma Yisroel or just Shema) (Hebrew: שמע ישראל; "Hear, [O] Israel") are the first two words of a section of the Torah (Hebrew Bible) that is used as a centerpiece of all morning and evening Jewish prayer services and closely echoes the monotheistic message of Judaism. It is considered the most important prayer in Judaism, and its twice-daily recitation is a mitzvah (religious commandment).