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Orthodox Conversion to Judaism |
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Kriat Shema |
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The Kriat Shema is the reading of the Shema
The Shema is one of the main parts of the daily prayers in the morning and evening that was formulated by our Sages. The Shema follows the Morning Blessings and the Pesukei d'Zimra (psalms and sections of Tanach). The Shema is introduced and concluded with a lessing. The Shema is recited four times daily: |
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-In the early part of the Morning Prayers after the Akeidah and before the passage about the sacrifices ( only the first section: Shema... v'ahavta).
-In the Morning Prayers in the blessing of the Yotzer preceding the Shemonei Esrei
-During Maariv
-Before retiring to bed
-Also, the first verse Shema is received when Mussaf is recited in the Kedushah. |
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The obligation to recite the Shema was originally only two times, once in the morning prayer and once in the evening prayer. The two additional recitals wre instituted when the Jews were persecuted and not allowed to recite the Shema during public services in the synagogue. Under the rule of Jezdegerd II, a persian king, the Jews were not allowed to proclaim their belief in one G-d in public as the king was a multitheist. The king posted guards at the synagogue to enforce the prohibition of the recital of the Shema and so the Rabbis instituted that the Shema should be recited before the regular morning prayer. |
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The Shema is a declaration of our most fundamental principle of faith, which is our belief in one G-d. The Shema is the highlight of our prayers and all of the prayers recited before the Shema are an introduction to it.
- "Hear O Israel, the L-rd is our G-d, the L-rd is One" is the Shema verse
- The first passage is a continuation of the Shema verse. It is from Deuteronomy 6:5-9 and begins with the word Vehayah. The third passage is from Numbers 15:37-41 and begins with the words vayomer Adonai. The reading of all of these passages in this order is called the Kriat Shema. |
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More about the Shema... |
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