The Shema in Hebrew שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל — with transliteration and word-by-word meaning
The Shema in Hebrew, as it is said: the Hebrew with full vowel points, every word broken into syllables with the STRESSED syllable in capitals, the meaning of each word beneath it, and the English of every line. Hebrew reads right to left. Tap Listen to hear a line read slowly by a Hebrew voice.
The central declaration of faith, said morning and evening and at bedtime: Deuteronomy 6:4, the whispered response, and the first paragraph, Deuteronomy 6:5–9.
Traditional wording
שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ יְהוָה אֶחָד
Hear, O Israel: the LORD our God, the LORD is one.
בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד
Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom for ever and ever.
וְאָהַבְתָּ אֵת יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּכָל לְבָבְךָ וּבְכָל נַפְשְׁךָ וּבְכָל מְאֹדֶךָ
And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.
וְהָיוּ הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ הַיּוֹם עַל לְבָבֶךָ
And these words, which I command you today, shall be upon your heart.
וְשִׁנַּנְתָּם לְבָנֶיךָ וְדִבַּרְתָּ בָּם בְּשִׁבְתְּךָ בְּבֵיתֶךָ וּבְלֶכְתְּךָ בַדֶּרֶךְ וּבְשָׁכְבְּךָ וּבְקוּמֶךָ
And you shall teach them diligently to your children, and speak of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up.
וּקְשַׁרְתָּם לְאוֹת עַל יָדֶךָ וְהָיוּ לְטֹטָפֹת בֵּין עֵינֶיךָ
And you shall bind them for a sign upon your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.
וּכְתַבְתָּם עַל מְזוּזֹת בֵּיתֶךָ וּבִשְׁעָרֶיךָ
And you shall write them upon the doorposts of your house, and on your gates.
Messianic wording
Yeshua named the Shema the first commandment and joined Leviticus 19:18 to it as the second (Mark 12:29–31); Messianic congregations often say the two together.
שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ יְהוָה אֶחָד
Hear, O Israel: the LORD our God, the LORD is one.
בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד
Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom for ever and ever.
וְאָהַבְתָּ אֵת יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּכָל לְבָבְךָ וּבְכָל נַפְשְׁךָ וּבְכָל מְאֹדֶךָ
And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.
וְאָהַבְתָּ לְרֵעֲךָ כָּמוֹךָ אֲנִי יְהוָה
And you shall love your neighbour as yourself: I am the LORD.
The Shema in English
Hear, O Israel: the LORD our God, the LORD is one. Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom for ever and ever. And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. And these words, which I command you today, shall be upon your heart. And you shall teach them diligently to your children, and speak of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up. And you shall bind them for a sign upon your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. And you shall write them upon the doorposts of your house, and on your gates.
How to read the Hebrew
Each card is one word. The Hebrew on top is fully pointed (with nikkud, the vowel marks). Under it the word is spelled out syllable by syllable in English letters, with a slash between syllables; the syllable in CAPITALS carries the stress — in Biblical Hebrew that is usually the last one. The third line is what the word means, with any attached prefix spelled out (and, the, in, to…). Read the cards from right to left, as the Hebrew goes.
Open the Shema in Hebrew Blessings & Prayers →
More Hebrew blessings and prayers
- הַמּוֹצִיאBlessing over Bread HaMotzi
- קִדּוּשׁBlessing over Wine Kiddush for Shabbat evening
- אָבִינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִםThe Lord's Prayer Avinu Shebashamayim — Matthew 6:9–13
- בִּרְכַּת כֹּהֲנִיםThe Aaronic Blessing Birkat Kohanim — Numbers 6:24–26
- מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִדPsalm 23 The LORD is my shepherd
- הַלֵּל — תְּהִלִּים 113Psalm 113 Hallel — 1 of 6
- שִׁיר הַמַּעֲלוֹת — תְּהִלִּים 120Psalm 120 Shir HaMa'alot — Song of Ascents 1 of 15