sh-m-` (ש-מ-ע)
A Hebrew word : to listen with such focus that hearing and acting become one.
The Shema is the foundational declaration of Jewish faith and identity, asserting the absolute unity of God. Drawn from the biblical book of Deuteronomy, it serves as both a daily commandment and a lifelong cognitive anchor for mindfulness, traditionally recited in the morning, the evening, and right before going to sleep.
Practicing the Shema realigns our perspective daily, dissolving fragmented anxieties into a grander, interconnected unity. It bookends each day with absolute purpose, gratitude, and peace.
A Bedtime Shema Practice
Set the Intention
(Kavanah)
Pause for a brief moment in total silence before speaking to clear your mind of the day’s distractions. Focus inward and prepare your mind for the declaration of unity.Declare the Core Unity
(Deuteronomy 6:4)
Cover your eyes with your right hand to physically block out the visual world and speak these words aloud, extending the sound of the final word, “One“:
PRAY:
Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord is One (Emphasize).
Acknowledge the Sovereignty
(Traditional Rabbinic Addition)
Lower your hand and whisper this traditional response line as an act of humility:
PRAY:
Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom forever and ever.
PRO TIP
NEXT TIME: try making it personal
PRAY: Hear and Obey INSERT YOUR NAME,
The Lord your God, the Lord is one.
PRAY: Blessed be the name of YOUR glorious kingdom forever and ever.
Recite the Paragraph of Love
(Deuteronomy 6:5-9)
Speak or chant the first full paragraph of the prayer, which commands us to ground these beliefs in our daily actions, relationships, and homes:
PRAY:
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
with all your soul, and with all your might.
And these words which I command you today shall be upon your heart.
You shall teach them sharply to your children, and you shall speak of them when you sit in your house, when you walk on the way, when you lie down, and when you rise.
You shall bind them as a sign upon your hand, and they shall be as reminders between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and upon your gates.
Close with the Sleep Blessing
(Hamapil - Talmud, Berakhot 60a)
For nighttime, recite this final blessing to transition into rest. Once spoken, embrace silence and allow the prayer to carry you into sleep.
PRAY:
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe,
who casts the bonds of sleep upon my eyes and slumber upon my eyelids.
May it be Your will, Lord my God, that I lie down in peace and rise up in peace.
Let my thoughts not disturb me, nor bad dreams trouble me.
May my bed be a place of perfect rest before You.
Illuminate my eyes lest I sleep the sleep of death, for You are the One who illuminates the pupil of the eye.
Blessed are You, Lord, who illuminates the entire universe with His glory.
Resources
Citation:
Sefaria Library, Torah, Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and Talmud, Berakhot 4b and 60a.
