What is Shema Yisrael?

Shema Yisrael ('Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One') from Deuteronomy 6:4 is the most central declaration of Jewish faith. It proclaims the absolute unity and oneness of God, the cornerstone of Jewish monotheism. It is the first prayer taught to children, recited twice daily (morning and evening), and is traditionally the last words spoken before death.