Transcript The Shema and its Blessings

What is the Shema?
1. “the watchword of our faith”
• watchword = a slogan, rallying cry, or password
2. “a monotheistic creed”
• creed = an authoritative, formulated statement of belief
3. “an affirmation of Judaism”
• affirmation = asserting that something exists or is true
4. “a collection of biblical verses with one midrashic line added”
• Deuteronomy 6:5-9, Deuteronomy 11:13-21, and Numbers 15:37-41
Listen, Israel! Adonai is our God. Adonai is one!
Questions:
1. Why does the Shema begin with the word “listen”?
2. Why is listening important for this prayer?
3. What do some people do during the Shema to focus and/or
heighten their sense of hearing?
Listen, Israel! Adonai is our God. Adonai is one!
Questions:
1. Who is Israel? Is that Jacob? Or all of the Jewish people?
2. Do you feel like this prayer is addressing you personally when it
says Israel? Why or why not?
Listen, Israel! Adonai is our God. Adonai is one!
Question:
Why does the Shema use God’s holiest and most
personal name (YHVH, which we now pronounce as
“Adonai” out of respect for God’s holy name)?
Listen, Israel! Adonai is our God. Adonai is one!
Questions:
1. Why does it say “our” God, rather than “your” God?
2. Would it make as much sense to say “your God is one” as
to say “our God is one”? Why or why not?
Questions:
1. Why are the ayin (at the end of the word
Shema) and the dalet (at the end of the word
echad) bigger?
2. What do these letters spell when you put them
together?
First part of Islamic Shahada:
There is no God but God.
(laa ilaaha ilaa-llaah)
Shaheed = witness
First part of Jewish Shema:
Listen, Israel! Adonai is
our God. Adonai is one!
Eid = witness
What does it mean to be a witness of God?
“Blessed is the name of His glorious kingdom forever and ever.”
Where did the second line of the Shema come from?
There are three explanations:
1. A verse from Psalms plus things added on over time
2. The story of Jacob on his deathbed
3. The story of Moses and the angels
1. A Verse from Psalms Plus Things Added on Over Time
Psalm 72:19 “And blessed be His glorious name for ever”
Malchuto, meaning “His kingdom”, was added in Roman times as a way for
Jews to proclaim loyalty to the sacred kingdom of God, as opposed to the
corrupt kingdom/empire of the Romans.
Va’ed meaning “and ever”, was added during the time of the Second Temple when
different groups of Jews were arguing about the existence of an afterlife. This word
was added to show that there may be life (in a different way than we know now)
after death, and that we could have a relationship with God then, too, since God
exists in all time and space.
2. The Story of Jacob on His Deathbed
A midrash (found in Sifrei Devarim number 31) shows that
Jacob (who was also called Israel) was worried about what
would happen after he died. Would his sons stay connected to
God and live good lives?
In this story, Jacob’s sons reassure him by saying, “Listen,
Israel! Adonai is our God. Adonai is one!” And with relief,
Jacob replies, “Baruch Shem… ‘Thank God!’ Blessed be His
glorious name for ever!”
3. The Story of Moses and the Angels
A different midrash (found in Deuteronomy Rabbah 2.36) says that
Moses learned the second line of the Shema from the angels, when he
was going up to get the Torah from God. When he got back from his
trip, he taught the “Baruch Shem…” line to all of Israel.
This story is also used to explain why traditionally Jews whisper the
second line of the Shema.
Rabbi Yossi (quoted in this midrash) said that when Moses “stole” this
secret blessing from the angels, it was like a man had stolen a jewel
from the king’s palace and then given it to his wife to wear. He would
say, “Don’t wear it in public, only inside the house.”
That is why some Jews whisper this line. But on Yom Kippur, we can
say the line aloud because on Yom Kippur, we are considered like
angels, who have the right to publicly say: Baruch shem k’vod
malchuto l’olam va’ed!
Which explanation do you like best?
1. A verse from Psalms plus things added on over time
2. The story of Jacob on his deathbed
3. The story of Moses and the angels
Did you know there were originally 3 sections of the Shema?
1. Deuteronomy 6:5-9
• Still there (first part of the V’ahavta)
2. Deuteronomy 11:13-21
• Early Reform Jews removed it like a banned book
• Because it is all about the Land of Israel and the early
Reform Jews didn’t want others to think they were more
loyal to Israel than to the countries they actually lived in.
• Also because it suggests that suffering is a result of your
sins (i.e. that if something bad happens to you, it’s because
you deserved it… which we know isn’t always true.)
3. Numbers 15:37-41
• Still there, but we took out the first part which talks about
tzitzit (fringes) and our eyes leading us astray
• But now the part we took out is back in the Reform prayer
book (Mishkan Tefilah) as an option
Traditionally, Jews say the Shema
at least twice a day.
1. In the morning
2. In the evening
Why?
Because the Shema itself says to
say these words “when you lie
down and when you rise up”
(Deuteronomy 6:7)
Did you know…?
There are even websites that
will tell you the exact time to
say the Shema each morning
and evening.
The Shema is also written on a small scroll called a klaf,
which goes inside the mezuzah and tefillin boxes.
Why?
Because the Shema itself says
to write these words on the
doorposts of your house
(Deuteronomy 6:9) and to bind
them as a sign upon your hand
and as a symbol between your
eyes (Deuteronomy 6:8)
Did you know…?
The Talmud
says (in Brachot
16a) that you
can recite the
Shema on the
top of a tree or
scaffolding.
The Shema is the last thing
a Jew is supposed to say
before death.
It is the main part of the
viddui prayer, which is a
special confession that
Jews recite before dying.
The Story of Rabbi Akiva
Background: The Roman Emperor Hadrian forbid a number of Jewish practices
(including Torah study) in order to promote Roman religious practices. But the
rabbis of the time continued to study and teach Torah in order to keep Judaism
alive.
The Talmud tells us (in Brachot 61b) about a very famous rabbi named Akiva,
who was arrested, imprisoned, and then brutally killed just for studying Torah.
On his execution day, the Romans brought Akiva out at the time when he would
normally say the morning Shema. Rabbi Akiva’s students watched in horror as
the Romans used hot iron combs to rip off Akiva’s skin. They also noticed that
Akiva was still reciting the Shema, despite all the pain he was going through.
They were like, “Really, Akiva? You are worrying about doing a mitzvah at a
time like this?!” But Akiva answered them that now he finally understood what it
means to love God with all of one’s nefesh (soul/life energy). And they say that
Akiva’s final word was “echad,” the last word of the Shema.
The Importance of the Shema During the Holocaust
Many Jews also tried to say the
Shema with their last breath in the
gas chambers, to affirm that no
matter how much evil seemed to be
winning at the time, goodness would
ultimately prevail and Judaism
would continue to exist, long after
Hitler was gone.
Question:
What was the most interesting thing
you learned about the Shema today?
Franz Rosenzweig Skit
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Group Project
4 people per group maximum
Group A. Creation
• Compare Yotzer Ohr on page
Step 1.
Make a chart like this with your group:
60 with Ma’ariv Aravim
on page 6.
Group B. Revelation
• Compare Ahava Rabba on page 62 with Ahavat Olam
on page 8.
Group C. Redemption
• Compare Emet V’yatziv on 70-72 page with Emet
Ve’emunah (Redemption) on page 14-16.
• Focus on the different lines in Mi Chamocha
(Page numbers based on Mishkan Tefilah)
Step 2:
Talk about how both prayers relate
to the larger theme of creation,
revelation, or redemption.
Closing Reflection:
1.
What is the most interesting thing you learned
today about the blessings surrounding the Shema?
2.
Why do you think the Shema is surrounded by
prayers about creation, revelation, and
redemption?
3.
If you were making a prayer book that had to
include the Shema, would you put the same
prayers around the Shema? Why or why not?