Weekly D'var Torah

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How to Shema

This week’s Torah portion contains the eternal declaration of the Jewish people:
 
שְׁמַ֖ע יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ יְהֹוָ֥ה ׀ אֶחָֽד׃
Shema Yisrael, Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai Echad
“Hear”, Israel, Adonai is our G-d, Adonai is the ONE.
 
The question that arises is just how do you “Shema”- how do you listen to find Adonai?  What does that word mean?  Listening is powerful: it doesn’t just mean to give ear to something but far more.  The Torah uses the word Shema to really mean experience, heed, use mindfulness, meditate upon.  The ancient Rabbis tell us that before saying Shema, they would meditate for an hour!  That’s how long it took them to focus, get beyond distractions, purify thought, achieve tranquility and then to open their spirits to uplift and G-d consciousness.  Nowadays, we don’t seem to have that same kind of time available… but in this week’s Haftarah (the selection of the Prophets we read along with the Torah portion), the Prophet Isaiah gives us some guidance to finding a moment of spiritual refreshment and connection.  Check out the last verse of the Haftarah:
 
שְׂאוּ־מָר֨וֹם עֵינֵיכֶ֤ם וּרְאוּ֙ מִי־בָרָ֣א אֵ֔לֶּה
Se’u Marom Eynechem U’ru Me Vara Eleh
Lift up your eyes on high and look to who created all this.
 
Notice that the first three words: Lift your Eyes on High begin with the Hebrew letters
ש  מ   ע
Shema
 
Maybe in order to do “Shema” all we have to do is lift our eyes beyond the limits, obstacles, preoccupations and demands.  How often do we look up at the beauty and wonder of the sky, the stars, the vastness and glory of the world and universe?  Maybe nurturing a sense of wonder, an awareness of eternity, can help us not just find perspective and banish stress and preoccupation but help inspire us, nurture our souls for just the time it takes to say these six words with closed eyes.  And when we open them again, maybe it is to a world that is a bit brighter, more hopeful, more beautiful and more infused with the Divine.
 
Shabbat Shalom!