V'etchanan
We
see several things dealt with in this Drash: Rabbenu Moshe is pleading
with G-d for the last time to allow him to see the Promised Land;
In Devarim 4:2 we are ordered not to add or to take anything away
from G-d's Word and in chapter 5 we also see a repetition of the
10 Commandments. In Chapter 6 we read our beautiful confession of
faith of the Jewish people, the "Shema". Chapter 7 continues
with the ordinances of G-d.
In this short study, I would like to bring your attention to Chapter
6: 4-9., the Shema which has been more than a simple axiomatic confession
of faith for pious Jews throughout the centuries...it has been a
way of life. They utter this prayer twice a day, morning and evening
facing Jerusalem no matter where they are in the world. It is interesting
to observe that it is mentioned in the three synoptic gospels but
it most complete in Mark 12: 28-34: "One of the Torah teachers
came up and heard them engaged in this discussion. Seeing that Yeshua
answered them well, he asked him 'which is the most important commandment
of all?' Yeshua answered, 'the most important is Shema Israel, Adonai
Elohenu, Adonai Ecnad (Hear O Israel, the LORD our G-d, the LORD
is One) and you are to love the LORD, your G-d with all your heart,
with all your soul, with all your understanding and with all your
strength. The second is this. You are to love your neighbor as yourself.
There is no other commandment greater than these. The Torah teacher
said to him 'Well said, Rabbi; you speak the truth when you say
that he is one and that there is no other besides him and that loving
him with all one's heart, understanding and strength, and loving
one's neighbor as oneself mean more than all the burnt offerings
and sacrifices'. When Yeshua saw that he responded sensibly, he
said to him. 'You are not far the Kingdom of G-d.'
Yeshua answered him in a way that left all his audience astonished
"And after that, no one dared ask him another question."
The Shema needs to be understood more than a simple confession of
faith but as belief in action. What Yeshua is saying is that believing
in G-d is not enough. As we read in Yaakov (James 2:19) even the
demons believe in G-d and tremble. It is not enough to simply pronounce
words of love for G-d without being followed by action which demonstrates
love for our neighbor. Again Yaakov is telling us that true religion
is based on helping those most in need - the widow, orphan and the
foreigner which we will read about in next week's portion.
I believe that a most important kernel of truth lies in understanding
the necessity of putting our relationship with G-d into action.
The verses which immediately follow the Shema is the V'ahavta…
you are to love the LORD, your G-d with all your heart, with all
your soul, with all your understanding and with all your strength.
This can only become a reality with you truly learn to love your
neighbor. What does that mean? Does it mean to simply be nice to
him, to say "have a good day", to be polite with many
expressions of good will. All these are certainly good but without
action they are meaningless.
Again I repeat Yaakov 's words…what good is it when you see
your brother naked and hungry and you say G-d bless you, I will
pray for you but you leave him without doing anything practical.
When questioned about who is your neighbor?, Yeshua responded with
the story about the Samaritan man who helped a stranger without
question or thought of repayment while the pious Jews walked away
without extending a finger to help. In speaking to the crowd after
he was being cornered by the religious Jews, Yeshua gave them an
answer which made them feel convicted. He was showing them that
their religiosity wouldn't get them anywhere but that the love for
G-d's creation would demonstrate a true love of G-d; that part of
that creation is our fellow man, no matter what their position is,
their doctrine, or their political views.
In
my many years of ministry, my deepest disappointment has not been
with those who are sinners but with those who are so-called "godly
people". They have demonstrated self-righteousness (human ugliness),
judgment, hypocrisy and lack of charity. On the other hand, those
supposed sinners have been more generous and loving. Usually these
"godly people", help only those who are identical to themselves,
to their own, or to those they are trying to convert.
I discovered that the worst time of separation and segregation comes
on the day when we are supposed to be worshipping the true G-d.
The Orthodox don't speak to the Conservatives who don't speak to
the Reformed who don't speak to the Reconstructionists who don't
speak to the Messianics who don't speak to the Evangelicals who
don't speak to the Protestants who don't speak to the Catholics
who don't speak to the Muslims…
Yeshua said in Yohanan 17 they will know me by the love you have
for one another. I have met many people who say that they are following
Jesus but harbor hatred in their hearts instead of love. Love is
action not words. There is a saying: that from what you say to what
you do is a very long distance.
The Shema is a way to open our eyes to see that G-d is not only
One, not only love, not only all powerful. He is in our daily lives,
from the time we awake, during every moment of our day until we
lay down to sleep at night. We are to teach this to our children
from generation to generation and to our fellow man in action. I
remember a time that I was visiting Jerusalem and suddenly I heard
a loud explosion and turned to see that a man had blown himself
up in a busy section of town. I saw a young woman whose womb lay
open and her unborn baby both now dead lay next to her. Within minutes
the ambulances arrived and I saw the Jews picking up the pieces
of flesh and bones with a reference that could only come from understanding
the love of G-d's creation. I myself felt such anger and hatred
for the perpetrator of this heinous crime that if I had a gun I
would have taken revenge. In that moment, I witnessed the true love
of G-d in action and had to go to Him to ask for his mercy and to
change my own heart.
Sometimes our actions are so loud that they can't hear what we are
saying. May the LORD give each of us the opportunity to thank Him
every day for what He has done, for what He is doing and for what
He will be doing in our lives, from the moment we arise to the moment
we go to sleep. Within that period of time, may we be able to show
love to our fellow man!
May
G-d add blessing to His Word!
Rabbi
Percy Johnson
Netanel
ben Yochanan
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©
2008 Use by Permission
Kehilat
She’ar Yashuv
