In this book, the Hebrew words Shema Israel, “Hear, O Israel” – the definitive declaration of faith, so familiar and identified with Judaism by both Jews and non-Jews – are discussed, for the first time, from the perspective of magic. Essays written by the curator and experts in the field of Jewish magic examine the significance of the Shema in amulets, ceremonies intended to grant protection, security, and health, and in objects used from antiquity to the present day. The book features magnificent photographs of the objects, with explanations that place them in context and illuminate them from a comparative-historical angle.