Quick Thoughts on the Parsha

In the sixth aliyah of Parshat Vaetchanan, we read the opening words of the Shema, שמע ישראל ה’ אלקינו ה’ אחד, “Hear O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One” (6:4). We normally think of אחד as referring to God’s Oneness, as this it the pshat, the clear reading of the verse. The Shema is our anthem as Jews because it calls us to fulfill our purpose of making God’s holy name one in this world. But what does it look like, practically, to make God’s name one? Rashi comments that it means all nations will  recognize God as their God. Rashi then cites a verse from Zephaniah 3:9, “כי אז אהפוך אל עמים שפה ברורה לקרוא כולם בשם השם”, “For then I will convert the peoples to a pure language that all of them call in the name of the Lord”. What is striking about this verse is that it connects God’s oneness with our oneness. When God is One, we will communicate clearly with each other. We will be united enough to call out to God together. With this interpretation, we can say the Shema with new kavanah. For in it, we learn that prayer for God’s oneness includes our efforts to bring about oneness with each other in His world. Today reflect on how you can better communicate with those in your life as a way of uniting God’s name. May we actively create oneness so that His Oneness is realized speedily in our days.

--Rabbanit Alissa