The Shema

Reflections on The Shema - Part Echad

For the last few weeks I have been meditating on The Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4-9). This passage of Scripture is named the Shema because in Hebrew the first word of the passage begins with shema which means hear or listen. The Shema is so central to the entire message of the Bible that it's importance cannot be overstated. When Jesus was confronted by a teacher of the law concerning the greatest of the commandments, Jesus says to the teacher. "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and all you strength." The first sentence literally translates - Hear Israel! YHVH our God YHVH one. There are no linking verbs in the Hebrew, so we have to provide them in English. Here are three common translations...

1. Hear O Israel! The LORD our God, the LORD is one.
2. Hear O Israel! The LORD our God is one LORD.
3. Hear O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone.

The one thing that all three translations emphasize (maybe one more than the others but we'd be splitting hairs) is the "oneness" or the unity of God. There is only one LORD and that LORD is YHVH (the Divine Name). Lastly, the last word in this sentence translated "one" comes from ehad which can also mean unique. So, not only is the LORD our God one, He is also unique.

Stay tuned for more on the Shema