The Shema Essay
The shema is a very important prayer in Judaism that provides us with personal knowledge on where we see ourselves as a Jew. We say the shema four times a day, (Shacharit, Mincha, Maariv and before bed.) As well we say it five times on shabbat (Shacharit, Mincha, Maariv Mussaf and before bed.) The shema entered jewish prayer as a way to bring torah into our daily experience and closer to our hearts. Parts of the shema are mentioned in the sixth chapter of the book deuteronomy. There are three paragraphs in the shema that each have an important theme that relates to our everyday lives and our connection to G-d. The themes that are mainly expressed in the Shema are unity of G-d, cause and consequence and redemption.

The first …show more content…
V’ahavta is all about unity of G-d. It talks about certain themes such as accepting the fact that G-d is the creator of the world and is very powerful, that you should be devoted to G-d and that G-d is truly everywhere. This meaningful passage opens up with the line “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” In my own words this means that you should love god with all your heart and might, because he is the creator of this whole world. The Shema then continues by saying “And these words that I command you today shall be in your heart” meaning that G-d has expectations and you shall always remember in your heart what's wrong and what's right. “And you shall teach them diligently to your children, and you shall speak of them when you sit at home, and when you walk along the way, and when you lie down and when you rise up.” This means you should teach and discuss with your children/generations to come all the mitzvot and torah that has been taught to you from our parents and their parents and you should especially teach them in your house because that is supposed to be your own beit hamikdash. The next line says “And you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be for frontlets between your eyes” talking about t’fillin because it is one of the most important mitzvot. T’fillin also have the shema in …show more content…
The paragraph starts off by saying “And it will be, if you will diligently obey My commandments which I enjoin upon you this day, to love the Lord your G-d and to serve G-d with all your heart and with all your soul, I will give rain for your land at the proper time, the early rain and the late rain, and you will gather in your grain, your wine and your oil. And I will give grass in your fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be sated.” In my own words this says If you obey the commandments of G-d you will love your G-d and have a connection with him. This quotation is also saying If you love G-d and observe all of his commandments, he will reward you with a great prize. Great prize meaning a reward for all the positive work that you have done and with this reward you will have good use of it. This shows cause and consequence. The cause is what you put in and the consequence is what you get out of it. A consequence is not always a bad thing though. The next line is about cause and consequence negatively. Saying if you were ever to turn your back against him bad things will happen. the direct quote from the text is “Take care lest your heart be lured away, and you turn astray and worship alien gods and bow down to them. For then the Lord's wrath will flare up against you,and He will close the heavens so that there will be