Seeing how much horror human beings can inflict on one another, how can we not turn to God? It is in the most difficult times that the love of God can help us realize we are more than biological animals. How could we find the strength to love God when millions of fellow Jews were murdered? The answer many gave was another question. This particular interpretation took on great meaning for many Jews after the Holocaust. But when our lives take difficult and unexpected twists, when hope seems to fade and our frustrations mount, we also need to find a way to express that love.
If we are healthy and prospering, we can praise God without thinking too much about it. It’s so much easier to love God when things are good. The medieval philosopher Maimonides suggests that this teaches us that we are to love God both when we feel fortunate and when we are in despair. But in this instance there is an additional vet. Typically, it is spelled with two Hebrew letters, lamed and vet. What does it mean to love God with all your heart? We find a clue in an unusual feature of the Hebrew word for heart - lev. Understanding the deeper meaning of each of these words - heart, soul, might - enhances the power of this central Jewish prayer. The opening word of this section is Veahavta, “You shall love.” The verse continues: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”
CHABAD SHEMA TRANSLITERATION SERIES
We sometimes think of the Shema as solely the prayer’s opening line: “Hear O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One.” My childhood rabbi proclaimed this as the “watchword of our faith.”īut the Shema continues with a series of verses taken from the book of Deuteronomy. My Jewish Learning is a not-for-profit and relies on your help Donate
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