Tag

Shema

9 articles

beginner

How to Hang a Mezuzah: A Practical Guide for Every Doorpost

Which doors need a mezuzah? Which side? At what height? At what angle? This practical guide walks you through the halakha and customs of mezuzah placement — from your front door to the guest bedroom.

mezuzahjewish-homehalakha
beginner

The Shema: Judaism's Most Essential Prayer

Six Hebrew words — 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One' — form the bedrock of Jewish faith, recited morning and evening, in joy and on the deathbed.

shemaprayermonotheism
beginner

The Mezuzah: What's Inside, How to Hang It, and Why It Matters

A small scroll on the doorpost, containing the most important words in Judaism. The mezuzah marks every Jewish home as sacred space — and the rules for writing, placing, and caring for it are as precise as they are meaningful.

mezuzahshemadoorpost
beginner

Deuteronomy (Devarim): Moses's Farewell and Final Torah

Deuteronomy is Moses's farewell address to the Israelites — restating the law, proclaiming the Shema, urging them to 'choose life,' and dying within sight of the Promised Land he will never enter.

deuteronomydevarimtorah
beginner

Parashat Va'etchanan: Moses Pleads, the Ten Commandments, and the Shema

Parashat Va'etchanan contains three of Judaism's most foundational texts: Moses's plea to enter the land, the repetition of the Ten Commandments, and the Shema — 'Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One.'

parashat-vaetchanantorah-portionsdeuteronomy
beginner

Bedtime Shema: The Jewish Night Prayer Tradition

The bedtime Shema — reciting the Shema prayer before sleep along with the Hamapil blessing and protective prayers — is one of Judaism's most intimate spiritual practices. A guide for adults and children.

shemaprayerbedtime
intermediate

Tractate Berakhot: The Gateway to the Talmud

Tractate Berakhot is where Talmud study begins — covering the Shema, the Amidah, blessings over food and nature, the meaning of dreams, and some of the most beloved stories in all of Jewish literature.

talmudberakhotblessings
beginner

Jewish Prayer Texts: Key Prayers with Hebrew and Translation

The essential Jewish prayers with full Hebrew text and English translation — Shema, Amidah opening, Kaddish, Birkat Hamazon opener, Modeh Ani, and more.

prayershemaamidah
beginner

V'ahavta: And You Shall Love — The Command of the Heart

The V'ahavta — 'And you shall love the Lord your God' — is the passage that follows the Shema, commanding love of God with all one's heart, soul, and might. Explore its meaning, its role in daily prayer, and why Judaism dares to command love.

vahavtashemaprayer