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Praying for Jerusalem
in Israel
Sh'ma Yisrael...
("Hear O Israel...")
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Sea of Galilee - The Kinneret
Jerusalem's Old City Wall
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Views of Jerusalem
from the Mount of Olives
looking west
ICEJ (International Christian Embassy Jerusalem)
- Feast of Tabernacles plate
from around 1997
hanging on the Martin's
living room wall
Light Rail Train
on Jaffa Street
in Jerusalem
- winter 2013
Jerusalem Old City neighborhood
in the Jewish Quarter
Shema Yisrael (or Sh'ma Yisrael; Hebrew: שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל; "Hear, [O] Israel") are the first two words of a section of the Torah, and is the title (sometimes shortened to simply Shema) of a prayer that serves as a centerpiece of the morning and evening Jewish prayer services. The first verse encapsulates the monotheistic essence of Judaism: "Hear, O Israel: the LORD our God, the LORD is one", found in Deuteronomy 6:4, sometime alternately translated as "The LORD is our God, the LORD alone." Observant Jews consider the Shema to be the most important part of theprayer service in Judaism, and its twice-daily recitation as a mitzvah (religious commandment). It is traditional for Jews to say the Shema as their last words, and for parents to teach their children to say it before they go to sleep at night.
The term "Shema" is used by extension to refer to the whole part of the daily prayers that commences with Shema Yisrael and comprises Deuteronomy 6:4–9, 11:13-21, and Numbers15:37–41. These sections of the Torah are read in the weekly Torah portions Va'etchanan, Eikev, and Shlach, respectively.
Contents
[hide]History
Originally, the Shema consisted of only one verse: Deuteronomy 6(see Talmud Sukkah 42a and Berachot 13b). The recitation of the Shema in the liturgy, however, consists of three portions: Deuteronomy 6:4–9, 11:13-21, and Numbers 15:37–41. The three portions relate to central issues of Jewish belief.
Additionally, the Talmud points out that subtle references to the Ten Commandments can be found in the three portions. As the Ten Commandments were removed from daily prayer in the Mishnaic period (70-200 CE), the Shema is seen as an opportunity to commemorate the Ten Commandments.
There are two larger-print letters in the first sentence ('ayin ע and daleth ד) which, when combined, spell "עד". In Hebrew this means "witness". The idea thus conveyed is that through the recitation or proclamation of the Shema one is a living witness testifying to the truth of its message. Modern Kabbalistic schools, namely that of the Ari, teach that when one recites the last letter of the word "'ecḥad'" (אחד), meaning "one", he is to intend that he is ready to "die into God".
Content
Shema Yisrael
The first, pivotal, words of the Shema are: Hebrew: :שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יהוה אֱלֹהֵינוּ יהוה אֶחָד - Sh'ma Yisra'el YHWH Eloheinu YHWH Eḥad
Rabbinic Judaism teaches that the Tetragrammaton (י-ה-ו-ה), YHWH, is the ineffable and actual name of God, and as such is not read aloud in the Shema but is traditionally replaced with אדני, Adonai ("Lord"). For this reason, the Shema is recited aloud as:
- Sh'ma Yisrael Adonai Eloheinu Adonai Eḥad - Hear, O Israel: the Lord is our God, the Lord is One
The literal word meanings are roughly as follows:
- Sh'ma — listen, or hear & do (according to the Targum, accept)
- Yisrael — Israel, in the sense of the people or congregation of Israel
- Adonai — often translated as "LORD", it is read in place of YHWH; Samaritans say Shema, which is Aramaic for "the [Divine] Name" and is the exact equivalent of the Hebrew "ha-Shem", which Rabbinic Jews substitute for "Adonai" in a non-liturgical context such as everyday speech.[citation needed]
- Eloheinu — the plural 1st person possessive of אֱלֹהִים Elohim, meaning “our God”.
- Echad — the unified and cardinal number one אֶחָד
Another possibility is the Samaritan reading:
- Sh'ma Yisrael Shema Eloheinu Shema Eḥad. (Hear, O Israel, the Name is our God, the Name is One.)[citation needed]
The connective "is" is implied rather than stated as it would be in modern English.
This first verse of the Shema relates to the kingship of God. The first verse, "Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God is one Lord," has ever been regarded as the confession of belief in the One God. Due to the ambiguities of the Hebrew language there are multiple ways of translating the Shema:
- "Hear, O Israel! Adonai is our God! Adonai is One!" and,
- "Hear, O Israel! Adonai is our God – Adonai alone."
Many commentaries have been written about the subtle differences between the translations. There is an emphasis on the oneness of God and on the sole worship of God by Israel. There are other translations, though most retain one or the other emphases.
Baruch Shem
בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד - "Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom for ever and ever”
The second line is a rabbinic addition and is recited silently during congregational worship (except on Yom Kippur, when it is recited aloud). It was originally a liturgical response in use in the Temple when the name of God was pronounced and took the form of "Baruch shem k’vodo l’olam", "Blessed be His glorious name" (Psalm 72:19). However, in time the words, "malchuto" ("His kingdom") and "va’ed" ("for ever and ever") were added. "Malchuto" was introduced by the rabbis during Roman rule as a counter to the claim of divine honors by Roman emperors. "Va’ed" was introduced at the time of the Second Temple to contrast the view of the "minim" (sectarians) that there is no life after death.[1]
V'ahavta
The following verses, commonly referred to by the first word of the verse immediately following the Shema as the V'ahavta, or in Classical Hebrew W'ahav'ta meaning "And you shall love...", contain the commands to love God (the Talmud emphasizes that you will, at some point, whether you choose to or not therefore "shall" future tense, love God), with all one's heart, soul, and might; then the verse goes on to remind you to remember all commandments and "teach them diligently to your children and speak of them when you sit down and when you walk, when you lie down and when you rise" (Deut 6:7); to recite the words of God when retiring or rising; to bind those words "on thy arm and thy head" (classically Jewish oral tradition interprets as tefillin), and to inscribe them on the door-posts of your house and on your gates (referring to mezuzah).
V'haya im shamoa
The passage following the "Shema" and "V'ahavta" relates to the issue of reward and punishment. It contains the promise of reward for serving God with all one's heart, soul, and might (Deut 11:13) and for the fulfillment of the laws. It also contains punishment for transgression. It also contains a repetition of the contents of the first portion -but this time spoken to the second person plural, (Whereas the first portion is directed to the individual Jew, this time it is directed to the whole community, all the Jews).
Vayomer
The third portion relates to the issue of redemption. Specifically, it contains the law concerning the tzitzit as a reminder that all laws of God are obeyed, as a warning against following evil inclinations and in remembrance of the exodus from Egypt. For the prophets and rabbis, the exodus from Egypt is paradigmatic of Jewish faith that God redeems from all forms of foreign domination. It can be found in the portion "Shlach Lecha" in the book of Numbers.
Summary
In summary, the content flows from the assertion of the oneness of God's kingship. Thus, in the first portion, there is a command to love God with all one's heart, soul and might and to remember and teach these very important words to the children throughout the day. Obeying these commands, says the second portion, will lead to rewards, and disobeying them will lead to punishment. To ensure fulfillment of these key commands, God also commands in the third portion a practical reminder, wearing the tzitzit, "that ye may remember and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God."
The full content verse by verse, in Hebrew, English transliteration and English translation, can be found here.
The second line quoted, "Blessed be the Name of His glorious kingdom for ever and ever", was originally a congregational response to the declaration of the Oneness of God; it is therefore often printed in small font and recited in an undertone, as recognition that it is not, itself, a part of the cited Biblical verses. The third section of the Shema formally ends at Numbers 15:41, but in fact traditionally Jews end the recitation of the Shema with the following word from the next verse, Emet, or "Truth", as the end of the prayer.
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Amen and Amen!
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