Reflections on the Shema and the Word Echad

On Wednesday evening, Charlie and I went to a meeting sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Omaha to review a survey being developed to look at the Jewish population of Omaha and of Lincoln.  As we went through 129 questions with a fine toothed comb, so to speak, one jumped out at me.  It was question 30 which asks, “Do you consider yourself: Orthodox, Conservative, Reconstructionist, Reform, or Just Jewish. Those 5 choices are then followed by the descriptors of agnostic, atheist, Chabad, Chasidic, Jewish humanist, Jewish Renewal, secular humanist, traditional, and ultra-orthodox.  The one descriptor that struck me as not belonging was atheist.  Yet, when the question was posed to the social scientist working with us on the survey, the statement was made that the recent Pew survey taken in 2013, showed that 28% of Jews said they did not believe in G-d and as such it was a pertinent question.  Many Jews are no longer feeling Jewish by religion, only by culture.

That leads me to today’s Torah portion, in which we see the Shema, the declaration of faith in the oneness of G-d. Think about how often we encounter the Shema other than in this parasha.  It is found in our Torah service, in the musaf Amidah, in our mezzuzot on the doorposts of our houses, in our tefillin, it is recited on our deathbed, at the end of Yom Kippur, every morning and evening, and at bed time.  It is not a declaration of faith stated by Jews just in case there might be a G-d who created the universe, it is a declaration of faith that says there is only one G-d who is unique in the universe.  It is a declaration that commands us to love G-d, but that does not mean via emotions.  Our love is to be shown through our actions.  If you truly believe that there is one G-d who created the entire universe, then it follows that you must treat all of G-d’s creations with respect and caring.  It is not enough to say you have a feeling in your heart for G-d and then treat animals and the environment with disregard.  It is not enough to say you have a feeling in your heart for G-d and then treat those who are less fortunate than you with a sense that you have no responsibility to try to help them in their time of need.  Loving G-d also means teaching our children how to behave morally and ethically. 

Not being able to see G-d is problematic from some.  Obviously we do not create visual symbols for G-d, but we do have conceptual symbols for G-d.  Rabbi Neil Gilman, lists these conceptual symbols for G-d.  G-d is our shepherd, our king, parent, judge, healer.  The key to using these conceptual symbols is to realize that they are merely a way of speaking about G-d in ways that human beings can understand.  G-d is not “really ….any of these.”  Otherwise, these images turn into idols.

Gilman also writes about the meaning of the word ECHAD found in the Shema.  He suggests that the word is not a matter of counting, of expressing that G-d is one. Instead, ECHAD is a matter of being “absolutely unique, which coincides with most modern translations of Adonai Echad as ‘the Lord alone.’” In other words, G-d is the only Lord.

Another translation has been proposed by Dr. Sherry Blumberg who identifies echad with G-d being lonely.  According to her translation, that is why G-d created the world and human beings in the first place, so as not to be alone.  Shir Ha Shirim has G-d knocking on the door of his beloved Israel, trying to form a relationship and being very frustrated by the non-recognition given to G-d’s attempts. 

The term ECHAD is also used in the Bible, in the book of Chronicles, in relationship to the nation of Israel.  Israel is portrayed as being unique among all the nations.  This could be interpreted to mean that Israel is lonely among all the nations.  In the words of Gilman, “So both G-d and Israel are unique, G-d among the gods and Israel among the nations.  And if both are unique, both are alone and lonely.  That is the subtext of G-d’s relationship with Israel.  These two solitudes meet, engage with each other and understand each other precisely because we know what it means to be lonely.”

Obviously in just a short passage like the Shema which is found in today’s parasha, some of Judaism’s most profound and difficult theological underpinnings are found.  Yes, we are permitted to wrestle with the ways in which we understand the oneness of G-d.  Yes we are permitted to identify with various images of G-d that make sense to us.  But as Jews those processes are also part of maintaining a belief in G-d, not part of identifying as an atheist. Each of us will see different patterns in our lives and in the Torah that help us interpret and experience G-d.