Jewish Unity (Shema pt3)
Seth Mandel, the father of 13-year-old Koby Mandel who was bludgeoned to death in a cave by Arab terrorists, spoke at the massive pro-Israel rally in Washington DC in April 2002. He told the following story:
In the Sbarro Pizza bombing which killed 15 people in Jerusalem, five members of a Dutch family were killed. One was a 4-year-old boy named Avraham Yitzhak. As he was lying on the ground – bleeding, burning and dying – he said to his father, "Abba, please help me. Save me."
As he was lying on the ground dying, together they said the words of Shema.
His father reached over and held his hand. Together they said the words of the Shema. Seth Mandel told the DC crowd: "My son Koby died alone. I didn't have the chance to say the Shema with him. So now I want you to help me say the Shema for the hundreds of Jews who have been killed in Mideast violence. Say the Shema with me in the merit of the boy in Sbarro's. And say the Shema with me in the merit of my son Koby." He then led the crowd of 250,000 in reciting the Shema together.
Biblical and modern history demonstrates that Jewish unity has brought security to both the Jewish people and the world as a whole. A physical and spiritual assault was launched on humanity on 9/11. The tension in Israel continues to rise. The threat of terrorism still looms large.
Who knows what is coming next? What can we do?
Now, in our turbulent times, each of us – men, women, and children – can help in a simple, yet powerful way: Every morning and evening, take a 15-second break from whatever you are doing and say the Shema.
The important thing is to understand and concentrate on the meaning of the words. If you don't understand Hebrew, you can say it in English as well. And then make it a goal to learn the pronunciation and meaning to be able to say it in Hebrew as well. Parents can say the Shema out loud with their children. It can be very comforting to children to have a nightly ritual of saying the Shema, a prayer to the Almighty to protect them. Saying the Shema is a simple, six-word formula to unite all peace-loving people and to bring more spiritual light into our world.
Text of the Shema Immediately before reciting the Shema, concentrate on fulfilling the positive commandments of reciting the Shema every morning. It is important to enunciate each word clearly and not to run words together.
When praying without a minyan, begin with the following three-word formula: Elohim , trustworthy King.
Recite the first verse aloud, with the right hand covering the eyes, and concentrate intensely upon accepting Elohim's absolute sovereignty.
Hear, O Israel: YHWH our Elohim, YHWH is One.
In an undertone: Blessed is the Name of His glorious kingdom for all eternity.
While reciting the first paragraph (Deut. 6:5-9), concentrate on accepting the commandment to love YHWH . Touch the arm-tefillin at "Bind them…" and the head-tefillin at "and let them be tefillin…", then kiss your fingertips.
You shall love YHWH your Elohim , with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your resources. Let these matters that I command you today be upon your heart. Teach them thoroughly to your children and speak of them while you sit in your home, while you walk on the way, when you retire and when you arise. Bind them as a sign upon your arm and let them be tefillin between your eyes. And write them on the doorposts of your house and upon your gates.
While reciting the second paragraph (Deut. 11:13-21) concentrate on accepting all the commandments and the concept of reward and punishment. Touch the arm-tefillin at "Bind them…" and the head-tefillin at "and let them be tefillin…", then kiss your fingertips.
And it will come to pass that if you continually hearken to My mitzvot that I command you today, to love YHWH your Elohim , and to serve Him, with all your heart and with all your soul – then I will provide rain for your land in its proper time, the early and late rains, that you may gather in your grain, your wine, and your oil. I will provide grass in your field for your cattle and you will eat and be satisfied. Beware lest your heart be seduced and you turn astray and serve g-ds of others and bow to them. Then the wrath of Elohim will blaze against you. He will restrain the heaven so there will be no rain and the ground will not yield its produce. And you will swiftly be banished from the goodly land which Elohim gives you.
Place these words of Mine upon your heart and upon your soul; bind them for a sign upon your arm and let them be tefillin between your eyes. Teach them to your children, to discuss them, while you sit in your home, while you walk on your way, when you retire and when you arise. And write them on the doorposts of your house and upon your gates.
In order to prolong your days and the days of your children upon the ground that Elohim has sworn to your ancestors to give them, like the days of the heaven on the earth. Before reciting the third paragraph (Numbers 15:37-41) the tzitzit, which have been held in the left hand, are taken in the right hand also. The tzitzit are kissed at each mention of the word "tzitzit" and at the end of the paragraph, and are passed before the eyes at "that you may see it."
And Elohim said to Moshe saying: Speak to the Children of Israel and say to them that they are to make themselves tzitzit on the corners of their garments, throughout their generations. And they are to place upon the tzitzit of each corner a thread of blue (techelet). And it shall constitute tzitzit for you, that you may see it and remember all the mitzvot of Elohim and perform them; and not explore after your heart and after your eyes after which you stray. So that you may remember and perform all My mitzvot; and be holy to your Elohim . I am YHWH , your Elohim , Who has removed you from the land of Egypt to be a Elohim to you. I am YHWH your Elohim ... it is true
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