This week we have the amazing pleasure of reading Parshat Va-etchanan, it is incredibly rich in content containing both the Shema, V’ahavta and the Ten Commandments. What is it that makes the Shema so special and so well known? After reading the first line of the Shema I found myself wondering is the Shema even a prayer? Prayers usually address God, Blessed are you, etc. The Shema speaks to the Israelites, Hear O Israel the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Regardless if it is technically a Prayer or not it is the cornerstone of our faith and in the first couple of sentences contains the “basic theological commitments of Judaism.” (Etz Chayim 1024)
These commitments being: “there is a God; that there is only one God; that God is not only singular but also unique-no other being is like God; that the Jewish people have a special intimate relationship with God; that we are commanded as Jews to love God wholeheartedly, to study God’s word and to teach God’s word to our children.” (Etz Chayim 1024)
When we look at the first line of the Shema in the Torah and in our siddurim, we see that the last letter of the word Shema the Hebrew letter Ayn and the letter dalet in the word Echad are enlarged. These two letters spell the word eyd which means witness. When we say the Shema we are “testifying” that God is unique and one.
Finally I will conclude with a short personal story of why the Shema is special to me. During my senior year of college I took a meditation course about mindfulness and mystical experience. As part of our classwork we had to meditate for 30 minutes each day. We could either concentrate on our breath or use a mantra. I chose the Shema as my mantra and would repeat it over and over in Hebrew and English each time I meditated.
The night before graduation my grandparents and my Mom and Dad took me out to dinner. Before we finished the meal my grandmother gave me a present, as I opened it I saw it was a necklace of Jerusalem stone with the entire Shema written on it. I knew this was no coincidence but I kept that to myself. Whenever I need to relax or calm myself down I take some time and recite the Shema and after a little while I am rejuvenated and ready for my next task.
The Shema has amazing powers and I hope I have shown you just a taste of the wonders it contains. May this Shabbat bring you peace, Happiness and the ability to slow down and relax.
Shabbat Shalom, Cantor Kowitz
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