What exactly is the Shema?

[Sephania]

No, I don't mean what is it, literally, but what should it be called?

Things I have heard it called:


A statement of faith
The Jewish "Creed"
A blessing of Israel ( saying it in congregation to "bless Israel")
An Affirmation of Faith
A confirmation that there is but One G-d
An Affirmation of Judaism
A biblical prayer
A model to maintain faith
A key to abundant life
The greatest commandment

For those reading who don't know what the Shema is:

Deuteronomy 6:4-9 – "Hear O Israel: The LORD our God, the Lord is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them upon your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorposts of your houses and on your gates."

 

[Sephania]

How To Apply The Shema Daily​

Seeking ​

Him​

Enables​

My​

Abundance

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http://www.theshema.com/HowtoUse.htm

 

[Henaynei]

it is the foundation stone of Jewish Theology

 

[By Grace]

Okay, here's a question from the ignorant: Can someone point me to where I can learn about the Sh'ma, specifically, the MJ perspective on it? If I understand correctly, Jews say the Sh'ma twice a day; do MJ's do the same thing?

TIA,

 

[Sephania]

Actually three times I will let those raised Jewish answer the rest Jill.

 

[Shimshon]

Okay, here's a question from the ignorant: Can someone point me to where I can learn about the Sh'ma, specifically, the MJ perspective on it? If I understand correctly, Jews say the Sh'ma twice a day; do MJ's do the same thing?

TIA,

Yes, three times a day......morning noon and night. Both MJ's and OJ's do this. It's part of halacha. I do not believe MJ has a "perspective" on it as MJ's find nothing to differentiate between. We both agree in it's statement. Adonai is G-d, Adonai is One. It's the basis of our relationship with Elohim. There is only One G-d and Savior. Only One.


Unknown numbers of Jewish martyrs met their deaths with the words of the Shema on their lips. In the 2nd century E.E., wile being tortured to death by the Romans, Rabbi Akiva recited the first portion of the Shema. Rabbi Akiva said that he welcomed his sufferings as a way to fulfill the commandment to "love the L-rd your G-d with all your heart and with all your soul, " even if he hadto pay with his life. As his flesh was being torn from his body with iron combs, Rabbi Akiva recieted the Shama with a smile. His disciples said, "Our teacher, even to this point you are happy to recite the Shema?!" Rabbi Akiva replied, "All my life I have been troubled by the verse "with all thy soul" I said to myself, "When wil I have the opportunity of fulfilling it?" Now that I have the opportunity shall I not fulfill it?" And so Rabbi Akiva prolonged the word ECHAD...until he slipped out of consciousness, and died while saying it.

b,shalom
Shimshon

 

[Sephania]

Wasn't he born a gentile? Or am I thinking of another Sage?

 

[Shimshon]

Wasn't he born a gentile? Or am I thinking of another Sage?

Rabbi Akiba (Akiva) ben Joseph

(50-135 C.E.)

A poor, semi-literate shepherd, Akiba became one of Judaism's greatest scholars. He developed the exegetical method of the Mishnah, linking each traditional practice to a basis in the biblical text, and systematized the material that later became the Mishnah.



Rabbi Akiba was active in the Bar Kokhba rebellion against Rome, 132-135 C.E.. He believed that Bar Kokhba was the Moshiach (messiah), though some other rabbis openly ridiculed him for that belief (the Talmud records another rabbi as saying, "Akiba, grass will grow in your cheeks and still the son of David will not have come.") When the Bar Kokhba rebellion failed, Rabbi Akiba was taken by the Roman authorities and tortured to death. Source: Judaism 101



Akiva ben Yoseph was one of the greatest Rabbis who ever lived. He was born about 17 years before the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans. His father Yoseph was poor and uneducated, as his father had been before him and his grandfather before that. As a child Akiva received no education. Instead of attending school, the boy helped to support his family by taking care of their sheep.

Source:

http://www.bjeny.org/images/Judaic_Curricula_/Rabbi_Akiva__From_Shepherd_to_/rabbi_akiva__from_shepherd_to_.htm

 

[Henaynei]

I'm confused - "born 17 years before the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans" - was this refering to the 70AD destruction?? If so how could he, still unlearned at that time and laboring to earn his family's income, help lead the BarKokhba revolt that percipitated the razing by the Romans?

 

[Shimshon]

Well, as I read it. He was only about 17 when the Temple was detroyed in 70 CE. And during the Bar Kochba revolt (132-135 CE) he would have been 82-85 yrs old. Quite enough time to learn between 20 and 80 yrs of age.

 

[Henaynei]

thanks - my mistake

 

[By Grace]

Thanks for all the info. So does everyone here recite the Sh'ma 3x a day? Can someone give me a history lesson on why the Jews recite this passage 3x a day?

TIA,

 

[Henaynei]

The Sh'ma is the heart , soul and core of Jewish faith, doctrine, prayers and theology.

The 3 times a day comes from the three sacrifices that are commanded by HaShem for Israel to make - with the Temple gone, and thus sacrifices ceased, there arose a traditon of prayers at the times of the sacrifices: morning - shakrit; afternoon - minkha; and evening - ma'ariv.

Thus a pious Jewish or Messianic man prays at least the Sh'ma at at least these times, plus the Bedtime Sh'ma. Most pious women pray at least the Bedtime Sh'ma, as they are not obligated to pray the "timed" prayers, since raising a g-dly family and keeping a g-dly and kosher home is seen as a higher mitzvah than such activities as timed prayers and the like.

 

[Sephania]

Hmm, I was under the impression that it had to do with the Mezuzah scriptures, "when you lay down and when you rise up" so I say it twice a day, upon arising ( and a few other blessings when I put my feet on the ground, see the daylight, cover my hair, dress and put shoes on my feet) and when I go to bed.

I also say it on Erev Shabbat as part of our home service and truly feel the L-RD acceptance when I say it. Sometimes its overwhelming and goes from my head down to my toes.

Baruch HaShem

 

[Sephania]

What do you all think of it being called a way to Bless Israel?

 

[By Grace]

Thank you, Ladies. Is the bedtime Sh'ma the same passage?

 

[Henaynei]

Thank you, Ladies. Is the bedtime Sh'ma the same passage?

the BedTime Sh'ma is a group of prayers of which the Sh'ma is one...

here is an abbrevated version of these prayers, however they can be found in any standard Jewish Siddur...

Hebrew Bedtime Blessings

Giving thanks to the LORD when retiring for the day

​

http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Blessings/Bedtime_Blessings/Bedtime_Shema/bedtime_shema.html

 

[By Grace]

Thanks for the links, Henny!

 

[Sephania]

Rabbi Akiba (Akiva) ben Joseph

(50-135 C.E.)

A poor, semi-literate shepherd, Akiba became one of Judaism's greatest scholars. He developed the exegetical method of the Mishnah, linking each traditional practice to a basis in the biblical text, and systematized the material that later became the Mishnah.



Rabbi Akiba was active in the Bar Kokhba rebellion against Rome, 132-135 C.E.. He believed that Bar Kokhba was the Moshiach (messiah), though some other rabbis openly ridiculed him for that belief (the Talmud records another rabbi as saying, "Akiba, grass will grow in your cheeks and still the son of David will not have come.") When the Bar Kokhba rebellion failed, Rabbi Akiba was taken by the Roman authorities and tortured to death. Source: Judaism 101



Akiva ben Yoseph was one of the greatest Rabbis who ever lived. He was born about 17 years before the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans. His father Yoseph was poor and uneducated, as his father had been before him and his grandfather before that. As a child Akiva received no education. Instead of attending school, the boy helped to support his family by taking care of their sheep.

Source:

http://www.bjeny.org/images/Judaic_Curricula_/Rabbi_Akiva__From_Shepherd_to_/rabbi_akiva__from_shepherd_to_.htm

Yes, I have read all those bios, but I did go a hunting and am happy to say I am not losing my mind, ........yet.

I know that I have read somewhere that he was a convert, but this site says that he was the son of a convert, thus explaining his not being schooled in Torah nor his father or father's father. They were not Jewish, that is why.

Nevertheless, the Arizal teaches that the gentile background of a convert may continue to exert influence over a period of one or two generations. In such a case, even second or third generation Jews may be born with the Nefesh of a convert. The example of this is none other than Rebbe Akiva whose father was a convert; this explains why he did not study Torah and was an enemy of those that did for the first forty years of his life.

http://www.kabbalaonline.org/MajorConcepts/thesoul/Soul_of_the_Convert.asp

And if anyone still doubts, another Talmudic quote should serve as final proof. In Mechilta, Mishpatim, 18 : " The convert is to be exalted above the Children of Israel, since the latter would never have heard the Word of the Law at Sinai were it not for the signs and wonders and the terrible rumblings of the mountain, but the convert came of his own free will to accept the Torah, and of all those gathered at Sinai, he is the most beloved." The convert is lauded, and Jewish thought considers him to be an integral-perhaps even the most exemplary-member of the People of Israel. This may be why much popular Jewish tradition claimed that such outstanding teachers as Rabbi Akiva were really the descendants of converts. It is widely accepted, by the way, that Onkelos, the second century translator who edited the definitive version of the Torah in Aramaic, was himself a convert.

http://www.wujs.org.il/activist/features/articles/conversion2.shtml

The tradition that former Amalekites studied Torah in B'nai Brak has a fascinating post-script. Who is referred to in this passage?

The Ein Ya'akov cites a tradition that the person referred to was Rav Shumel bar Shilat. Other sources identify the descendant with B'nai Brak's most famous citizen, none other than Rabbi Akiva! We know that Rabbi Akiva lived in B'nai Brak from a celebrated passage in the Haggada of Pesach. The Talmud also tells us that B'nei Brak was the home of Rabbi Akiva:

Justice, justice shalt you pursue. This means: "Follow the scholars to their academies. For example, Rabbi Eliezer to Lydda, Rabbi Johanan b. Zakkai to Beror Hail, Rabbi Yehoshua to Peki'in, Rabban Gamaliel [II] to Yavneh, Rabbi Akiva to B'nai Brak." (Sanhedrin 32b)





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We also know that Rabbi Akiva was either himself a convert or a child of converts:

We can hardly appoint Rabbi Akiva because perhaps Rabban Gamaliel will bring a curse on him because he has no ancestral merit. (Brachot 27b. See comments of Rav Nissim Gaon.)





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Based on the combination of these sources, there are many that understand that the descendant of Haman who learned and taught Torah in B'nai Brak was, in fact, Rabbi Akiva. http://www.aish.com/torahportion/moray/A_Question_of_Race$.asp



Interesting, a descendant of Haman? How ironic.

 

[Shimshon]

Interesting, a descendant of Haman? How ironic.

Yes, definitly.......

And notice the character and position given to the "convert" in this talmudic quote;

Mishpatim, 18 : " The convert is to be exalted above the Children of Israel, since the latter would never have heard the Word of the Law at Sinai were it not for the signs and wonders and the terrible rumblings of the mountain, but the convert came of his own free will to accept the Torah, and of all those gathered at Sinai, he is the most beloved." The convert is lauded, and Jewish thought considers him to be an integral-perhaps even the most exemplary-member of the People of Israel.

Seems to me like a parallel to what Rav Shaul's ketuvim to the Romans implied. What makes a Jew a Jew. Birth or Ruach? The one merely born, or the one born of Ruach HaKodesh. Be he Jew by blood or Goy.

And if this "tradition" is correct regarding the "conversion" of Rabbi Akiva then look just how much a goy can devote his heart to Adonai.....even to a martyrs death.

And to bring this back around to the OP question, in my opinion the Shema is the Yehudi Creed as compared to the Niccean Creed. It's our statement of faith. It comes from an understanding of who Elohim is and who we are in relation to him.