שמע ישראל ה’ א’להינו ה’ אחד The core of Jewish worship – which we recite twice daily, when we lie down and when we rise up – is Shema Israel, proclaiming that God is One, Adonai Echad. But what does that really mean after all? When Shema appears in the Torah [Deut 6.4], echad is used adverbially. Moshe is probably telling… Read more »

Although it is the center of our prayer service, Shema Israel is not a really prayer at all. For one thing, it is not addressed to God, but to our fellow Jews, as we remind each other: “Hear, O Israel.” While Shema can and should be recited with devotional intensity, actually, reciting the three biblical… Read more »

ובנו בחרת מכל עם ולשון, “And You chose us from among all nations and languages and drew us near to Your great name.” The Ahava Rabbah blessing continues by expressing gratitude for divine election – the claim that God “chose” Israel to bestow upon us this Torah lovingly and give us the opportunity to worship… Read more »

Ahavah Rabbah continues with a plea that God will: להאר עינינו בתורתך / le’ha’er eineinu be’toratekha, “to illuminate our eyes with your Torah,” or as Danny Siegel rendered it in song: “May your eyes sparkle with the light of Torah.” דבק לבנו במצוותיך / dabbek libenu bemitzvotekha, to “make our heart cleave to Your commandments,” and /יחד לבבנו לאהבה וליראה את שמך yahed levaveinu le’ahavah u’leyirah et… Read more »

The three great major themes of Jewish theology – creation, revelation, and redemption – structure the blessings before and after Shema. The first, יוצר המאורות/“who creates lights” praises God’s creation; the third, following Shema, גאל ישראל/“who redeems Israel” speaks of the One who liberates us – from Egypt specifically, but paradigmatically, from all exile and… Read more »