The Shema is a key prayer in Judaism that affirms belief in one God. It gets its name from the first Hebrew word of the prayer, which means “hear” or “listen.” The Shema is found in Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and is seen as a fundamental expression of Jewish faith. Here is an overview of this important prayer:
Origin and Location of the Shema
The core of the Shema prayer is found in Deuteronomy 6:4-5:
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” (ESV)
This passage forms the opening lines of the Shema. It affirms the monotheistic belief in one God that is central to Judaism. The word “Shema” itself means listen or hear in Hebrew. The implication is that the Jewish people must listen and take these words that follow to heart.
The full Shema prayer continues in Deuteronomy 6:6-9:
“And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” (ESV)
This passage gives instructions for keeping the Shema and its truths always in mind and passing it on to the next generation. Additional passages related to the Shema are found in Deuteronomy 11:13-21 and Numbers 15:37-41.
Content of the Shema
The core message of the Shema contains three key elements:
1. Affirmation of monotheism – “The Lord our God, the Lord is one.” This declares there is one God alone, a foundational belief of Judaism.
2. A call to love God fully – “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” Loving God is described as an act of total devotion with all one’s faculties.
3. The need to remember God’s word – Passages like Deuteronomy 6:6-9 stress the importance of keeping God’s truths in mind at all times and passing them on. This includes literally binding them on one’s hand and head.
Within its short length, the Shema encapsulates core tenets of Jewish theology – the existence of one God, the requirement to love God fully, and the need to ever keep God’s word.
Reciting the Shema in Jewish Life
The Shema became a core, foundational prayer in Jewish life and liturgy. It is considered one of the most important prayers in Judaism. Here are some ways it is integrated into Jewish religious practice:
– It is recited both morning and night as part of daily prayer services.
– It is the last prayer to be said before retiring at night.
– Traditionally, it is the last words a Jewish person recites before death if possible.
– Children are taught to say it from a young age.
– It is placed in a mezuzah on doorposts of Jewish homes. Mezuzahs contain the full text of Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and portions of 11:13-21.
– Many Jews recite it upon waking in the morning and through the day. It serves as a mini-affirmation of faith.
– The first line affirming God’s oneness is said quietly by the congregation when the leader recites it in the liturgy.
– It is linked to the commandment to love God with all one’s heart, soul and might. Reciting it is considered an enactment of this mitzvah (commandment).
– Some Jewish men recite it when wrapping tefillin (phylacteries) around their arm as part of morning prayer.
So in essence, the Shema is treated as a solemn act of affirming core beliefs. Its recitation reminds Jews to devote themselves fully to one God throughout the day.
The Shema in Christianity
The Shema is rooted in the Old Testament, which Christians also embrace as Scripture. Jesus himself affirmed the eternal validity of the truths in the Shema when asked about the greatest commandment:
“And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, ‘Which commandment is the most important of all?’ Jesus answered, ‘The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.”” (Mark 12:28-30 ESV)
Here Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 6:4-5 from the Shema in response. This shows he saw the command to wholeheartedly love one God as an eternally relevant commandment.
The Shema has also been invoked in debates over Christ’s divine nature and relationship to God the Father. Passages like 1 Corinthians 8:6 put Christ in the divine identity while maintaining there is “one God, the Father.” Theologians have wrestled with how Christ can be divine while the Shema proclaims only one God. Views of Christ’s deity and the Trinity seek to harmonize these truths.
So while the Shema is not a Christian prayer, it expresses truths about God affirmed by Jesus himself. Christians canthus appreciate the simple but profound monotheistic message contained in the Shema, while understanding it in the fuller revelation of the New Testament.
The Significance of the Shema
The Shema holds a unique place in Judaism and has profound significance:
– As mentioned, it is a concise statement of Jewish belief and a long-revered prayer. It succinctly expresses monotheism.
– It encapsulates the great commandment to wholeheartedly love God as foundational to the faith.
– It prescribes constant remembrance and impartation of God’s truth.
– Its twice-daily recitation keeps thoughts of God always on the mind and heart.
– It has been treasured as a last prayer before death. Affirming God’s oneness is considered proper preparation for entering eternity.
– It is a unifying prayer for Jews worldwide. All recite the same simple Hebrew words.
– It connects present generations with past generations who recited the same prayer.
– It expresses core truths in a simple, poetic way that is easy to memorize. Short and easy to learn, even children can grasp and recite it.
– It captures Judaism’s unique monotheism in a compact statement. The God of Israel is the only God, yet demands total devotion.
So in under 25 Hebrew words, the Shema beautifully summarizes core tenets of Jewish theology. No wonder it has been recited faithfully by devout Jews worldwide for millennia. Though short, it offers much to reflect upon.
Deeper Meaning of “Hear O Israel, the Lord is One”
The first line of the Shema, “Hear O Israel, the Lord is One” warrants deeper examination. Some key insights on this simple but profound statement:
– It directly calls upon Israel, God’s covenant people, to hear and respond. It is a personal call to the Jewish nation.
– “The Lord is One” uses the Hebrew word “echad” for one. This word can mean unity as well as singleness depending on context. The Shema can imply God’s oneness but also unity and uniqueness.
– The “Lord” it refers to is the special covenant name of God in the Old Testament – Yahweh. This implies God’s personal relationship with Israel.
– It is a clear declaration that Yahweh alone is God. There is no room for believing in other deities in any shape or form.
– Calling God “One” creates a contrast with the polytheistic mindset of ancient pagan nations surrounding Israel.
– God’s oneness in a sense “simplifies” spiritual reality for Israel. Devotion can be focused on the one true God.
– The simplicity and brevity of the statement makes it powerful and memorable.
So in this single line, we see God’s covenant relationship with Israel, His uniqueness, the call for total allegiance, and the simple but radical monotheism that distinguished Israel amid polytheism. The brevity of the Shema’s wording allows for richness of meaning to be condensed in a compact statement of faith.
The Shema and God’s Relationship with Israel
The unique relationship of God with the people of Israel is another vital backdrop to the Shema:
– It is a call specifically addressed to “Hear O Israel.” God is proclaiming His oneness to His chosen covenant nation.
– Israel is called to love Yahweh, the God who delivered them from Egypt and made His covenant at Sinai. The context is His relationship with Israel.
– Deuteronomy emphasizes Israel’s special standing as God’s treasured possession among all peoples (Deuteronomy 7:6-9, 26:18-19). The Shema reaffirms this intimate bond.
– The call to love God flows from His gracious redemption of Israel from Egypt. The Shema is situated amid recollections of God’s mighty saving deeds.
– Passages around the Shema warn against forgetting God and turning to idols. The Shema serves as a call to faithfulness to the true God.
– God is zealous for His people’s wholehearted love and devotion as the proper response to His covenant.
So the Shema illuminates the reciprocity inherent in God’s relationship with Israel. God has specially chosen them, so they must exclusively choose Him. God redeemed them, so they must deeply love Him. The Shema encapsulates this covenant bond.
Loving God in the Shema
The concept of wholeheartedly loving God in the Shema is also profound:
– The call to love God flows directly from affirming He is one and there are no other gods. This is the logical response to God’s uniqueness.
– The total devotion called for reflects how God’s oneness simplifies and focuses spiritual reality for Israel. All allegiance goes to the one true God.
– The comprehensive language of “heart, soul and might” implies loving God with all one’s faculties – emotions, intellect, strength and energies.
– This indicates both an inner affection for God as well as outward obedience and service. Both are essential aspects of biblical love.
– This command is linked in Deuteronomy to the general call for Israel to fear, serve and cling to God alone. The Shema encapsulates what this looks like – single-minded love.
– The soul represents the essence of life itself. Loving God with all one’s soul means doing so with one’s entire being and vitality.
– Heart, soul and might sum up the whole person. Loving God in the Shema entails the complete devotion of one’s whole existence.
So the directive to wholeheartedly love God in the Shema implies a rich concept of love as entailing one’s affections, service, obedience, allegiance and very life essence. This total, exclusive devotion is the only proper response to the one true God of Israel.
Implications of Loving God Wholeheartedly
The call to completely love God in the Shema carries profound implications:
– It means God must be central in one’s affections and thinking. Loving God with heart and soul precludes merely external observance of religion.
– It entails loving all that is just and good because these reflect God’s nature. Hatred of evil also flows from love of God.
– It involves walking in God’s ways and keeping His commandments out of love for Him. Love motivates obedience.
– It includes acting justly and compassionately toward others, even enemies. This reflects God’s character.
– It requires nurturing an inner passion for God through prayer, worship, meditation on His word, and communion with Him. These cultivate heartfelt love.
– It means pursuing a knowledge of God since one cannot truly love what one does not know. Studying Scripture deepens love.
– It calls for making God the top priority personally and in one’s family, above other relationships and pursuits. God alone is worthy of wholehearted devotion.
– It entails depending on and trusting in God rather than self or other sources of security. He becomes the believer’s all in all.
– It encompasses loving other believers, since loving the God who redeemed them must involve caring for others He loves.
So in calling His people to undivided love, God was demanding their total allegiance in how they think, live, relate to others, and prioritize. Truly loving God encompasses every sphere of life. This is the sacred call issued in the Shema.
Remembering and Passing on God’s Truth
A final key aspect of the Shema is God’s call to remember His word and pass it on:
– The call to remember and teach God’s commands indicates single-minded love for God expresses itself in obedience to His revealed will
– God’s people must be so steeped in Scripture that it shapes their thinking and becomes “on their hearts”
– Parents have a special duty to impress these truths on their children verbally through teaching and example
– Talking of God’s word should be part of the everyday rhythm of family life and conversation
– Binding Scriptural truths to hand and head indicates keeping them constantly in mind
– Inscribing them on doorframes and gates indicates one’s home is to be permeated by God’s truth
– In short, God’s people must live in a way that is saturated with Scripture through internalizing and outwardly displaying His truth everywhere
So the Shema teaches that loving God includes pursuing an intimate knowledge of Scripture and instilling it in the next generation. God desires His people live His truth out in practical ways until it shapes their identity.
Conclusion
The Shema has stood through millennia as one of Judaism’s foundational confessions of faith. In around 25 Hebrew words, it affirms monotheism, calls Israel to wholehearted devotion to God alone, and charges them to treasure and live out God’s revealed truth. This simple prayer voices profound theology. By internalizing and living the Shema, God’s people express total, exclusive love for the one true God. The Shema remains a pillar of Jewish spirituality today, connecting present generations with all who came before. Its call still resonates – to listen, love and live God’s truths with one’s entire being.
