I would like to share with you a personal take on the S’hma and the V’ahavta. A few years ago I was at Temple Beth Zion in Buffalo and the Rabbi presented the V’ahavta in a different way. I further modified it to fit my thoughts. So is it V’ahavta or V’ahavti, You shall or I will?

Moses came down from the mountain and told us God’s commandments. He got our attention and commanded that we listen.

Hear O Israel: Adonai is our God, Adonai is One.

One— a unity with all. A unity within us and between us.   A concept beyond knowing. All of Judaism’s spiritual and ethical ideals proceeded from this fundamental belief.

Life, and all reality, was imbued with God’s spirit—and consequently, had an essential unity and harmony at its core. All life had meaning and purpose, and every human being created in God’s image was the reflection of this divine unity. The ethical and social teachings of the Torah were all extensions of this underlying faith.

As a leader in the congregation and other organizations I have heard so many times: “you should” or “they should”.  Moses said, “You shall love the Lord your God etc.” I know that most of us do not like to be told what to do. However, if we personalize it, accept it, and adopt an idea as our own, we act in support of it. If we make it a personal covenant it is much stronger in our lives.

So please read your hand out with me as a personal point of view of V’ahavtha.

Shabatt Shalom.

****
Jerry Zakalik is Past President of Temple B’rith Kodesh, President of TEMPRO and Chair of the Religious and Spiritual Care Committee at Jewish Senior Life.

His D’var Torah was given on Shabbat June 15, 2018 at Temple B’rith Kodesh