It is one of the two most important prayers in Judaism. It is the daily declaration of faith, to be recited twice each day, in the morning and evening prayers. The first verse relates to the kingship of God. The second verse relates to the mitzvot, the commandments, and the third verse relates to our relationship with history. The text of the Shema is inscribed on the parchment inside the mezuzah, fixed on the doorpost of Jewish homes and inside the tefillin, a set of small black leather boxes containing scrolls of parchment