‹ Keyboard Songs

Shema Yisroel

sung by Yaakov ShwekeyHard

▶ Hear it & play along🖨 Print letter keys🎼 Sheet music PDF

How to read it: play the letters left to right; the word under them is the word you sing. A plain letter is a white key from Middle C up; ^C is one higher, B↓ one lower, G# the black key to the right, and – means keep singing the same word.

Verse 1

A↓ – E – E F E –He raised his hand to wave goodbye
– E – E F E –Saw the pain in mother’s eyes
– – – – C – – – – – –Who left her little precious boy of four
A↓ A↓ – E – E F E –In a citadel of ashen stone
– – E E – E F E –That preached a faith unlike his own
A↓ – C – C – – – – – –Perhaps he may just yet survive this war.

Pre-chorus 1

E E G – – G G – – – –In the shadows stood a man in black
A – G G – G G – – – –My child he said, you must not look back
– – – – G – – ^E – – ^C –Yet one image lingered, the tears on her face
A ^C ^C – – – – – –And mother’s words from their last embrace.

Chorus

– – ^C B A – –Shema, Shema Yisrael
^C ^D ^E – ^C ^C ^D ^E –Know that there is but one G-d above
^D ^F ^E – ^D ^F ^G –When you feel pain, when you rejoice
^E ^F ^E ^F – ^E ^F ^E –Know how He longs to hear your voice
A B ^C B ^C – ^C – B ^D ^C B – –Hashem Elokeinu, Hashem Echad

Verse 2

A↓ – E E – E F E –Deep within the iron gate
– E – E E E F E –Far from the stench of war and hate
C – – – – C – – – – – –He knew not of a world gone insane
A↓ A↓ – E E – E F E –You must believe us, he was told
– – E – E E F E –Our faith alone can save your soul
A↓ – C – C – – – – – –Please let us heal your wounds and ease your pain.

Pre-chorus 2

E E G – – G G – – – – –He tried not to forget his past, his home
A – G – G G – – – A A A – A –But he was so very young and all alone
– – – G – – ^E – – ^C –While visions of his shtetl, so vivid and clear
A ^C ^C – – ^C – – – – –Began to fade, and all but disappeared.

Chorus

B – – – ^C ^C B A – –Shema, Shema Yisrael
^C ^D ^E – ^C ^C ^D ^E –Know that there is but one G-d above
^D ^F ^E – ^D ^F ^G – –When you feel pain, when you rejoice
^E ^F ^E ^F – ^E ^F ^E –Know how He longs to hear your voice
A B ^C B ^C – ^C – B ^D ^C B A – – A –Hashem Elokeinu, Hashem Echad

Interlude (music)

– – ^G – – – – – – – –(music)
^F ^E ^D ^E – ^E – – ^E ^F ^E ^F – ^F – ^E –(music)

Verse 3

A↓ – E – E F E –The winds of war had finally passed
– E – E F E –One man took on a sacred task
– – – – C – – – – – –To bring the scattered Jewish children home
A↓ A↓ – E E E – E F E –He travelled far, from place to place
– – E E – E F E –A quest to reignite the faith
A↓ – C – C – – – – –Of those sent into hiding long ago.

Pre-chorus 3

E E G – – G G – – –He entered the fortress grey and cold
A – G – G G – – –Your kind is not among us, he was told
– – – G – – ^E – – ^C –Hashem above, he whispered, please don’t let me fail
A ^C ^C ^C ^C – – – – – – –As he began to sing Shema Yisrael.

Chorus

– – ^C ^C B A –Shema, Shema Yisrael
^C ^D ^E – ^C ^C ^D ^E –Know that there is but one G-d above
^D ^F ^E – ^D ^F ^G –When you feel pain, when you rejoice
^E ^F ^E ^F – ^E ^F ^E –Know how He longs to hear your voice
A B ^C B ^C – ^C – B ^D ^C B A – –Hashem Elokeinu, Hashem Echad

Chorus (again)

– ^C B A –Shema, Shema Yisrael
^C ^D ^E – ^C ^C ^D ^E –Know that there is but one G-d above
^D ^F ^E – ^D ^F ^G –When you feel pain, when you rejoice
^E ^F ^E ^F – ^E ^F ^E –Know how He longs to hear your voice
A B ^C B ^C – ^C B – B ^D ^C B – –Hashem Elokeinu, Hashem Echad

Chorus (key change, up to C minor)

– – – – – ^D ^C –Shema, Shema Yisrael
– ^F ^G – – – ^F ^G –Know that there is but one G-d above
^F – ^G – ^F – – –When you feel pain, when you rejoice
^G – ^G – – ^G – ^G –Know how He longs to hear your voice
^C ^D – ^D – – – – ^D ^F – ^D – –Hashem Elokeinu, Hashem Echad

Chorus (key change, again)

– – ^D ^C –Shema, Shema Yisrael
– ^F ^G – – – ^F ^G –Know that there is but one G-d above
^F – ^G – ^F – – –When you feel pain, when you rejoice
^G – ^G – – ^G – ^G –Know how He longs to hear your voice
^C ^D – ^D – – – – ^D ^F – ^D – –Hashem Elokeinu, Hashem Echad

The sheet

Shema Yisroel by Yaakov Shwekey – keyboard letter-key sheet page 1Shema Yisroel by Yaakov Shwekey – keyboard letter-key sheet page 2Shema Yisroel by Yaakov Shwekey – keyboard letter-key sheet page 3Shema Yisroel by Yaakov Shwekey – keyboard letter-key sheet page 4Shema Yisroel by Yaakov Shwekey – keyboard letter-key sheet page 5Shema Yisroel by Yaakov Shwekey – keyboard letter-key sheet page 6
‹ Shalom AleichemShiru Lamelech ›

All songs