Why do Jews recite the Shema just before they die?

Answer 1

Because the Shema-prayer (Deuteronomy 6:4-9) expresses our belief in One God, our love for him, and our obligation toward the Torah and its commands. It is a reiteration of our part in the covenant with God. It is in the merit of this covenant that Judaism continues to exist.

Answer 2

The Shema is the holiest prayer in Judaism, coming directly from the Torah. According to Jewish sources, when Rabbi Akiva was tortured and executed by the Romans during the Bar Kokhba revolt, and he recited the Shema as his last words. Since then, it has been Jewish tradition to say the Shema before death.

Answer 3

Traditional Jews pray 3 times a day during the week: Morning, Afternoon, and Evening. These prayer services represent the ancient animal sacrifices that were done 3 times a day.

Answer 4

It is commanded by the Torah to do so (Deuteronomy ch.6).

Answer 5

Reciting the Shema is an affirmation of faith for Jews in much the same way that some Christians say the Lord's Prayer before dying.

Answer 6

Because the first paragraph of the Shema, Deuteronomy 6, verses 4-9, includes the commandment to "bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be for frontlets between your eyes. " So, Jewish tradition is to take this literally and, during morning prayer on weekdays, wear little boxes on the arm and forehead holding little scrolls with these words on them. The boxes are called tefillin in Hebrew. Some (mostly non-Jews) use the Greek word phylacteries, on the theory that more people understand Greek than Hebrew. This might have been true among Protestant clergy a century ago.