They are often the first Hebrew words learned by Jewish children, and traditionally the last ones uttered as one approaches the end of life:
שְׁמַ֖ע יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל ה׳ אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ ה׳ ׀ אֶחָֽד׃
Shema Yisrael, Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai Echad!
Hear O Israel, the ETERNAL is your God, the ETERNAL is one! (Deut. 6:4)
These words from this week’s Torah portion, Va’etchanan, begin with a not-so-obvious command. Before we can speak of God’s oneness or affirm our faith, we are asked to listen—with heart, with intention, and with humility.
The imperative to listen is a throughline in our tradition.
The prophet Elijah famously sought God in wind, earthquake, and fire—but only discovered the Divine in a “still small voice.” (1 Kings 19:12). Sometimes, it’s only in quietness—in giving another our full, undivided attention—that we encounter holiness.
The Mishnah teaches that one of the essential ways we acquire Torah–the task our sages privilege above all others–is through sh’miʿat ha’ozen (בִּשְׁמִיעַת הָאֹזֶן), attentive listening (Pirkei Avot 6:6).
Listening isn’t some casual or trivial thing. It’s not passive either—it’s intentional. It’s sacred. It’s divine service.
As Dr. Rachel Naomi Remen writes in her book Kitchen Table Wisdom:
“Perhaps the most important thing we ever give each other is our attention… A loving silence often has far more power to heal and to connect than the most well-intentioned words.”
This Shabbat, may we slow down and listen—to our loved ones, to ourselves, and perhaps even to God.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Yoshi