Shalom LKZ,
I feel honored for your compliment. I hope I can help everyone find a way to get close to Hashem, because the world is a better place when we know him and through this, we know ourselves and each other.
I have an 'Ask muman613' thread in the 'Ask Posters' forum where people, from time to time, ask me questions about Jewish beliefs. I always try my best to provide an answer based on sources which I find and provide links to additional material supporting my explanation. If anyone has any question which you think I could answer then go ahead and post the question in my thread.
Regarding Jewish prayer. The first and foremost 'central' prayer to Judaism is called the Shema prayer. This prayer is central to several Jewish commandments including the commandments of Mezuzah, Tefillin, and Tzit-Tzits. It is these portions which are written on parchment which is inserted in the mezzuzah (case with scroll attached to door-post) and also inserted into the boxes of Tefillin (Phalactyries) and the Tzit-Tzits are the ritual fringes we wear on our four-cornered garment.
The Shema prayer asserts the ABSOLUTE ONENESS of Hashem, the Master of the Universe, and affirms our connection with him.
The first sentence reads:
SHEMA YISRAEL HASHEM ELOKAINU, HASHEM ECHAD!HEAR, O ISRAEL, THE LORD IS OUR G-D, THE LORD IS ONE!COMMENTARY:
(of course when I write the word HASHEM we actually say the word A-D-O-N-A-I (which is also not actually the pronunciation of the 'name' but means 'Our Master/Lord') The real name is called the Tetragrammaton (four letter name) which we call Yud-Kay-Vav-Kay (again I use the letter Kay, which should be read Hey). Jews do not openly use the name of Hashem as we lost the actual pronunciation after the Temple was destroyed, and as a means of preventing 'erasing of the name' which the Torah forbids. If someone should print this page and burn it, if the actual name was contained it could be considered 'CHILLUL HASHEM' or desecration of the name.
The next paragraph discusses the commandments of Tefillin and Mezuzah, and also establishes the system of reward and punishment... Here is the transliteration from Chabad
V'a-hav-ta eit A-do-nai E-lo-he-cha,
B'chawl l'va-v'cha,
u-v'chawl naf-sh'cha,
u-v'chawl m'o-de-cha.
V'ha-yu ha-d'va-rim ha-ei-leh,
A-sher a-no-chi m'tsa-v'cha ha-yom, al l'va-ve-cha.
V'shi-nan-tam l'-va-ne-cha, v'di-bar-ta bam
b'shiv-t'cha b'vei-te-cha,
uv-lech-t'cha va-de-rech,
u-v'shawch-b'cha uv-ku-me-cha.
Uk-shar-tam l'ot al ya-de-cha,
v'ha-yu l'to-ta-fot bein ei-ne-cha.
Uch-tav-tam, al m'zu-zot bei-te-cha, u-vish-a-re-cha.
You shall love the L-rd your G-d with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might. And these words which I command you today shall be upon your heart. You shall teach them thoroughly to your children, and you shall speak of them when you sit in your house and when you walk on the road, when you lie down and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign upon your hand, and they shall be for a reminder between your eyes. And you shall write them upon the doorposts of your house and upon your gates.Second Paragraph:
V'ha-ya, im sha-mo-a tish-m'u el mits-vo-tai
a-sher a-no-chi m'tsa-veh et-chem ha-yom
l'a-ha-va et A-do-nai E-lo-hei-chem
ul-awv-do b'chawl l'vav-chem, u-v'chawl naf-sh'chem,
V'na-ta-ti m'tar ar-ts'chem b'i-to, yo-reh u-mal-kosh,
v'a-saf-ta d'ga-ne-cha,
v'ti-ro-sh'cha v'yits-ha-re-cha.
V'na-ta-ti ei-sev b'sa-d'cha liv-hem-te-cha,
v'a-chal-ta v'sa-va-'ta.
Hi-sha-m'ru la-chem pen yif-te l'vav-chem, v'sar-tem,
va-a-vad-tem E-lo-him a-chei-rim, v'hish-ta-cha-vi-tem la-hem.
V'cha-rah af A-do-nai ba-chem, v'a-tsar et ha-sha-ma-yim,
v'lo yi-h'yeh ma-tar, v'ha-a-da-ma lo ti-tein et y'vu-la,
va-a-vad-tem m'hei-ra mei-al ha-a-rets ha-to-va
a-sher A-do-nai no-tein la-chem.
V'sam-tem et d'vara ei-leh, al l'vav-chem v'al naf-sh'chem,
uk-shar-tem o-tam l'ot al yed-chem,
v'ha-yu l'to-ta-fot bein ei-nei-chem.
V'li-mad-tem o-tam et b'nei-chem, l'da-beir bam
b'shiv-t'cha b'vei-te-cha, uv-lech-t'cha va-de-rech
u-v'shawch-b'cha uv-ku-me-cha.
Uch-tav-tam, al m'zu-zot bei-te-cha, u-vish-a-re-cha.
L'ma-an yir-bu y'mei-chem, vi-mei v'nei-chem, al ha-a-da-ma
a-sher nish-ba A-do-nai la-a-vo-tei-chem, la-teit la-hem
ki-mei ha-sha-ma-yim al ha-a-rets.And it will be, if you will diligently obey My commandments which I enjoin upon you this day, to love the L-rd your G-d and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, I will give rain for your land at the proper time, the early rain and the late rain, and you will gather in your grain, your wine and your oil. And I will give grass in your fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be sated. Take care lest your heart be lured away, and you turn astray and worship alien gods and bow down to them. For then the L-rd's wrath will flare up against you, and He will close the heavens so that there will be no rain and the earth will not yield its produce, and you will swiftly perish from the good land which the L-rd gives you. Therefore, place these words of Mine upon your heart and upon your soul, and bind them for a sign on your hand, and they shall be for a reminder between your eyes. You shall teach them to your children, to speak of them when you sit in your house and when you walk on the road, when you lie down and when you rise. And you shall inscribe them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates - so that your days and the days of your children may be prolonged on the land which the L-rd swore to your fathers to give to them for as long as the heavens are above the earth.Third Paragraph:
Va-yo-meir A-do-nai el Mo-she lei-mor:
Da-beir el b'nei Yis-ra-eil, v'a-mar-ta a-lei-hem
v'a-su la-hem tsi-tsit, al kan-fei vig-dei-hem l'do-ro-tam,
v'na-t'nu al tsi-tsit ha-ka-naf p'til t'chei-let.
V'ha-ya la-chem l'tsi-tsit, ur-i-tem o-to
uz-char-tem et kawl mits-vot A-do-nai, va-a-si-tem o-tam,
v'lo ta-tu-ru a-cha-rei l'vav-chem,
v'a-cha-rei ei-nei-chem
a-sher a-tem zo-nim a-cha-rei-hem,
L'ma-an tiz-k'ru, va-a-si-tem et kawl mits-vo-tai
vi-h'yi-tem k'do-shim lei-lo-hei-chem.
A-ni A-do-nai E-lo-hei-chem,
a-sher ho-tsei-ti et-chem mei-e-rets Mits-ra-yim
li-h'yot la-chem lei-lo-him;
A-ni A-do-nai E-lo-hei-chem… EmetThe L-rd spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to the children of Israel and tell them to make for themselves fringes on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to attach a thread of blue on the fringe of each corner. They shall be to you as tzizit, and you shall look upon them and remember all the commandments of the L-rd and fulfill them, and you will not follow after your heart and after your eyes by which you go astray - so that you may remember and fulfill all My commandments and be holy to your G-d. I am the L-rd your G-d who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your G-d; I, the L-rd, am your G-d. True.
http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/706163/jewish/In-Hebrew.htmhttp://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/706162/jewish/Translation.htmhttp://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/282822/jewish/Transliteration.htmMy first attempt at transliterating the second paragraph
Veyahavta Et Hashem Elokecha, Bechol Levavecha, U'Bechol Nafshecha U'Bechol Meodecha.
V'Hayu HaDevarim HaEleh Asher Anachi Mitzecha HaYom Al Levavecha. Veshnetam Livaneycha
Vidibarta Bam, Bishvitecha, Baderech, UBishcivecha UBikomecha U'Kishritam Laot Al Yidecha, VaHu L'Taphot Bein Anecha, UCetavatam Al Mezuzot Beitecha, Uvshiurecha.