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Prayer
 Shema is the central and absolutely most critical prayer is Judaism. It
sums up the essence of Jewish faith in its power-packed opening verse:
Shema Yisrael, Ado-nai Elo-hay-nu, Ado-nai Echad, meaning, Listen, Israel,
G-d is our Lord, G-d is One. It is a direct quote from the Torah1 .
Mitvah

Reciting Shema is Positive Mitzvah #10. One is to recite it twice daily, once in
the morning and once at night. For more details regarding the proper timing of
this mitzvah, see When is the proper time to recite the Shema?. To make
things convenient, they incorporated Shema into the Shacharit and Maariv
services. If, however, you won’t be doing those, you can just recite Shema by
itself. Either way, cover your eyes with your right hand as you recite that first
verse.
Covenant of Love

While most folks are under the impression that Shema is a one-liner, that
eternally famous one-liner is actually just the beginning of the first of Shema’s
three paragraphs. The first paragraph (Deuteronomy 6:4-10), called Shema,
contains the mitzvahs of love of G-d, Tefillin, Jewish education, Torah study,
and Mezuzah. The second paragraph (Deuteronomy 11:13-21), called
Vehayah, discusses reward and punishment, and repeats the mitzvahs of
tefillin, torah study, Jewish education and mezuzah. The third paragraph
(Numbers 15:37-41), called Vayomer, discusses the subject of Tzitzit, and also
makes mention of the Exodus from Egypt.
Within the three paragraphs of Shema, one will find a microcosm of the most
sacred Jewish mitzvahs and principles...

What is the significance of Shema?
Principle Beliefs
1. Judaism 101
Within the three paragraphs of Shema, one will find a microcosm of the most sacred
Jewish mitzvahs and principles. Beginning with the belief in G-d Himself, and how
He is to be defined, the Jew declares the very staples of Judaism—the bonding to G-d
through tefillin, the demarcation of the Jewish home with Mezuzahs, the perpetuation
of our people through education of our youth—as he recites the Shema two times a
day.
2. The Ultimate Statement of Faith
As abovementioned, the opening verse of Shema is the most important part of this
most important prayer. It is traditionally whispered into the little ears of Jewish
newborns, so that the totality of Jewish faith impresses itself onto that tiny
consciousness, never to be erased, and is traditionally the last words uttered by a
terminally ill Jew on his or her deathbed. Thus, the Jewish life begins and ends with
the purest of faith. “Shema Yisrael, Hashem Elokeinu, Hashem Echad!” were also the
last words sung out by countless Jewish martyrs through the eons before they were
brutally killed by Jew-haters, declaring their unswerving faith in G-d in the face of
death.
It is traditionally whispered into the little ears of Jewish newborns... “Shema
Yisrael, Hashem Elokeinu, Hashem Echad!” were also the last words sung out by
countless Jewish martyrs through the eons... declaring their unswerving faith in
G-d in the face of death
2. The Deeper Meaning of Shema
Shema is a spiritual ladder with its top in Heaven and its feet planted firmly on Earth.
When you say Shema, you begin at the top, meditating on the unity of G-d and how
He is everywhere and everything. This is seen in Echad, or One, the concluding word
of Shema’s first sentence. Echad is formed of the three Hebrew letters Aleph, Chet
and Dalet, whose numerical values are 1, 8, and 4, respectively, signifying that there
is One G-d in the Seven Heavens and One Earth, Whose jurisdiction extends to all
Four Points of the compass. In Chassidic philosophy, this is called Higher Unity.
Practically speaking, this means that G-d is all over the place. Now that you know
what G-d is, you bring that idea down the ladder, from the ethereal realm of
spirituality into the reality of your life, and from your intellect into your emotions.
This is seen in the first mitzvah mentioned in the first paragraph, which instructs us to
love G-d “with all your heart, soul, and might”. What is earthier than love? And what
is more celestial than G-d? In Chassidic philosophy, this fusion is called Lower Unity,
and in Shema, these two opposite extremes come together in a wonderful fusion.
MAIMONIDES / MOSES ben MAIMON
MAIMONIDES 13 PRINCIPLES OF FAITH
[the Principles and commentary upon them are excerpted from The Complete
Artscroll Siddur, Nusach Ashkenaz (European Jewish version), published by Mesorah
Publications, Ltd., New York, New York, © 1984.]
Historically, Judaism never separated belief from performance. In the Torah, the
commandment to believe in G-d is not stated any differently than the commandment
to lend money to a fellow Jew in need, or to refrain from eating non-kosher food [ed.
note- non-kosher food is that which does not conform to the dietary laws as laid out in
the Torah, such as the commandments not to eat pork or shellfish, or to mix meat with
milk]. As the centuries rolled by, however, philosophical speculation and dogmas
became prevalent among other religions and, in time, began to influence a number of
Jews. To counteract this trend, midieval Rabbinical authorities felt the need to
respond by defining the principles of Judaism. The 'Thirteen Principles of Faith' are
based upon the formulation of Rambam [Moses Maimonides] in his Commentary to
Mishnah (Sanhedrin, ch. 10) and have achieved nearly universal acceptance.
[...]
The Thirteen Principles fall into three general categories: (a) the nature of belief in Gd; (b) the authenticity of the Torah, its validity and immutability; and (c) man's
responsibility and ultimate reward.
A) The Nature of Belief in G-d
1. G-d's Existance. There is no partnership in creation. G-d is the sole Creator and the
universe continues to exist only because He wills it so...
2. G-d is a complete and total Unity. He is not a collection of limbs and organs, as are
man and animals. He canoy be split as can a rock or divided into component elements
as can everything in Creation. This is the concept expressed in the first verse of the
Shema. [ed. note- the Shema is the prayer which expresses the core belief of Judaism:
"Hear, o Israel, the L-rd is our G-d, the L-rd is One. Blessed be the name of His
glorious Kingdom forever and ever.]
3. G-d is not physical nor can His essence be grasped by the Human imagination... [ed.
note- G-d is infinite; we are finite; it is physically impossible for a finite construction
such as the human mind to contain a concept of the infinite like G-d's essence]
4. G-d is eternal and the First Source. Everything in the created universe has a
moment when it came into existance; by definition no creature can be infinite. G-d
transcends time, however, because time itself is His creation.
5. Prayers should be directed to G-d. It is tempting to beseech the angels or such
mighty forces as the sun or constellations, because G-d has entrusted them with
carrying out His will. None of them have any power independent of what G-d assigns
them. Therefore, prayers should only be directed towards G-d Himself.
B) Authenticity of the Torah
6. G-d communicates with man. In order for man to carry out his divinely ordered
mission, he must know what it is. Prophecy is the means by which G-d communicates
His wishes to man. It is a gift that man can attain upon reaching heights of selfperfection.
7. Moses' prophecy is unique. Moses' prophecy is not only true, but of a quality
unapproached by that of any prophet before or since. It is essential that his prophecy
be unrivaled so that no later 'prophet' could ever claim that he had received a 'Torah'
that was superior to that of Moses.
8. The entire Torah is G-d-given. Every word in the Torah was dictated to Moses by
G-d... There is no difference between [the apparently trivial verses] and [the
awsomely important verses]. Moreover, the same applies to the Oral Law that
explains the Torah. All was given by G-d to Moses.
9. The Torah is unchangable. Since both the Written and Oral Law were G-d-given,
they cannot be improved upon in any way.
C) Man's Responsibility and Ultimate Reward
10. G-d knows man's thoughts and deeds. Man's individual deeds are important to G-d
and so are the hopes and thoughts that drive him. G-d is aware of everything man
thinks and does.
11. Reward and punishment. No one acts in a vacuum and no deed goes unrewarded
or unpunished. This includes that one cannot cancel out a bad deed with a good one.
Each is treated independently.
12. The Messiah will come. We are to conduct our lives according to the Torah and
remain faithful that the Messiah will come at the time deemed by G-d to be proper.
This faith includes the principle that only the Davidic dynasty [ed. note- decendents of
King David] will provide the Messianic King. [ed. note- the Messiah will be a human
being, not in any way divine.]
13. The dead will live again in the Messianic era, when the world will attain a new
spiritual and physical level of perfection. Those who have not been found too
unworthy to enter this exalted state will live again to enjoy it. [ed. note- Judaism holds
that the righteous of other faiths will also enjoy these rewards]
13 PRINCIPLES OF FAITH
1. Ani ma'amin... I believe with complete faith that the Creator, Blessed is His Name,
creates and guides all creatures, and that He alone made, makes, and will make
everything.
2. Ani ma'amin... I believe with complete faith that the Creator, Blessed is His Name,
is unique, and there is no uniqueness like His in any way, and that He alone is our G-d,
Who was, Who is, and Who will always be.
3. Ani ma'amin... I believe with complete faith that the Creator, Blessed is His Name,
is not physical and is not affected by any physical phenomena, and that there is no
comparison whatsoever to Him.
4. Ani ma'amin... I believe with complete faith that the Creator, Blessed is His Name.
is the very first and the very last.
5. Ani ma'amin... I believe with complete faith that the Creator, Blessed is His Nameto Him alone is it proper to pray and it is not proper to pray to any other.
6. Ani ma'amin... I believe with complete faith that all the words of the prophets are
true.
7. Ani ma'amin... I believe with complete faith that the prophecy of Moses our teacher,
peace upon him, was true, and that he was thwe father of the prophets- both those who
preceeded him and those who followed him.
8. Ani ma'amin... I believe with complete faith that the entire Torah now in our hands
is the same one that was given to Moses, our teacher, peace upon him.
9. Ani ma'amin... I believe with complete faith that this Torah will not be exchanged
nor will there be another Torah from the Creator, Blessed is His Name.
10. Ani ma'amin... I believe with complete faith that the Creator, Blessed is His Name,
knows the deeds of all human beings and their thoughts, as it is said, "He fashions
their hearts all together, He comprehends all their deeds."
11. Ani ma'amin... I believe with complete faith that the Creator, Blessed is His Name,
rewards with good all those who observe his commandments, and punishes those who
violate his commandments.
12. Ani ma'amin... I believe with complete faith in the coming of the Messiah, and
even though he may delay, nevertheless I anticipate every day that he will come.
13. Ani ma'amin... I believe with complete faith that there will be a resuscitation of
the dead whenever the wish emanates from the Creator, Blessed is His Name and
exalted is His mention, forever and for all eternity.
For Your salvation do I long, L-rd. I do long, L-rd, for your salvation. L-rd, for your
salvation do I long.
A DESCRIPTION OF MAIMONIDES THE MAN
Maimonides was born in Cordoba Spain Mar 30 1135 CE and died in Cairo Egypt
Dec 13 1204 CE. Maimonides, or Moses ben Maimon, was the outstanding Jewish
philosopher and theologian of the Middle Ages. Educated by arab scholars, he was
familiar with the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle, who persued knowledge
through the use of reason and scientific observation. Maimonides tried, particularly in
his 'Guide for the Perplexed', to prove there is no contradiction between reason and
faith in the Bible as divine revelation. As a theologian, Maimonides did much to
clarify and systemise Jewish religious and legal writings . He wrote a commentary on
the Mishnah, which includes the Thirteen Articles of Faith. His chief halachic work is
the 14 volume Mishnah Torah,which codifies Jewish law. Religious persecution (go
figure) had led Maimonides father to flee Spain in 1148 . Maimonides eventually
settled in Egypt, where he became a physician to the viceroy and Rabbi to the Jewish
communtiy in Cairo.