By “Rich” Richardson

The Sh’ma is such an integral part of the Hebrew’s life that it is hard to separate the two. This command to “listen up” is found in the fifth book of Moses, at the sixth chapter, and the forth verse.

In the previous verse, Israel was commanded to Hear and Obey all that Adonai had spoken to them concerning the Commandments, and the Land, which HE is giving to them. But now Adonai says; ‘Pay attention, I AM God, and I AM the ONLY ONE. There is no one else you can turn to. If I AM not God, then you have no promise’

Israel means, Prince with God. If He is not the only one there is, then Israel is not a prince, because God would be a liar. If HE is a liar, HE cannot be God, and we can have no promise, or hope. There is no surety of promise with a liar. God cannot be God, and a liar at the same time. The term God implies perfection in all things. It also implies that there can be only one God, or HE would not be perfect.

The idea of many gods must be Satanic in origin because it implies that ONE is not sufficient. If we do not love HIM with all of our heart, soul, and might we imply that HE is not sufficient, and therefore not God. Thus, we set ourselves in agreement with Satan and establish his kingdom in the place of the Kingdom of God. The word of God says that if two shall agree upon anything, it shall be established.

We have been blinded to the weight of this. It is heavy with meaning. In the Hebrew language, Heavy is good, and lightweight is bad. Now we see why ‘Lite’ has become so popular in our time. Satan’s kingdom is not divided, and his plan is to blur meanings until good becomes bad, and bad becomes good. If he can get us to speak his kingdom into being, he wins. But he was already destroyed at Calvary, and before the foundations of the earth.

When we read in the word of God that HE Created a thing, it is always through the agency of speech. It says that HE spoke it, and it was. We were given the power to speak things that be not, as though they are, and they shall come to pass. We have whatsoever we say with belief. For good or bad. We speak either blessing or cursing. When two or three of us agree upon a thing, it is established, or built up. The word of God says that we were given dominion over all things in the earth. Yeshua has returned this dominion to us in HIS NAME!

Hitherto, you have asked nothing in his name, but I tell you that whatsoever you shall ask in his name, the Father shall do it for his name’s sake. All power in heaven and earth is his. He gives you power above all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means harm you. (Jn 16, Mt 28, Lk 10)

“Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Yeshua, every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Yeshua Ha Maschiach is Lord, to the Glory of God the Father.” (Ph 2: 9-11)

In whom have you believed? Whose kingdom are you establishing?

Hear O Israel, JHWH is your God, JHWH is the only ONE.

According to the book, “To Pray As A Jew”, the above prayer has some similarities to Psalm 72:19, which says; “and blessed be his glorious name forever,” This response was first used by the Jewish people upon hearing the Tetragrammaton (JHWH) uttered by the High Priest in the Temple on Yom Kippur.

This became the response to all blessings recited by the priests in the Temple. It was used in lieu of “Amen.” It then became the response to the saying of the Shema.

RECITING THE SHEMA

For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Messiah Yeshua, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony that took place at the proper time. For even if there are so-called gods, whether in Heaven or on Earth, yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things, and we exist for Him; and there is one Lord, Messiah Yeshua, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him. When He was asked by an expert in the Torah, “Which is the most important commandment of them all?”, Yeshua answered that the most important commandment is:

Shema Yisrael Adonai Elohaynu Adonai echad.

Baruch shem kivod malchuto l’olam va-ed!

Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One.

Blessed be His glorious Majesty forever and ever!

V’ah-hav-ta et Adonai Elohecha b’chol l’vav-cha u’v’chol naf-sh’cha u’v’chol me’oh-de-cha. V’ah-hav-ta l’reh-ah-cha ka-mo-cha.

And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. And you shall love your neighbor as yourself. Yeshua taught us that all of the Torah and the Prophets depend on these two commandments.

Portions of above were received from Congregation Shema Yisrael, Rabbi Loren Jacobs. Pages one and three are my midrash.

D’varim 6 (Hebrew)

4 Sh’ma, Yisrael! Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai echad

5 V’ah-hav-ta et Adonai Elohecha b’chol l’vav-cha u’v’chol naf-sh’cha u’v’chol me’oh-de-cha.

Deuteronomy 6 (English, KJV)

4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:

5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

5 Mose 6 (Deutsch)

4 Höre, Israel: Der HERR ist unser Gott, der HERR allein!

5 Und du sollst den HERRN, deinen Gott, lieben mit deinem ganzen Herzen und mit deiner ganzen Seele und mit deiner ganzen Kraft.

Deuteronomy 6 (Latin)

4 audi Israhel Dominus Deus noster Dominus unus est

5 diliges Dominum Deum tuum ex toto corde tuo et ex tota anima tua et ex tota fortitudine tua

Deuteronomio 6 (Italiano)

4 Ascolta, Israele: il Signore è il nostro Dio, il Signore è uno solo.

5 Tu amerai il Signore tuo Dio con tutto il cuore, con tutta l'anima e con tutte le forze.

Deuteronomio 6 (Español)

4 Oye, Israel: Jehová nuestro Dios, Jehová uno es:

5 Y Amarás á Jehová tu Dios de todo tu corazón, y de toda tu alma, y con todo tu poder.

Deutéronome 6 (Français)

4 Écoute, Israël! l'Éternel, notre Dieu, est le seul Éternel.

5 Tu aimeras l'Éternel, ton Dieu, de tout ton coeur, de toute ton âme et de toute ta force.