The Profound Call to Listen
In Hebrew, this famous foundational prayer reads: "שְׁמַע, יִשְׂרָאֵל: יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ, יְהוָה אֶחָד."
The very first word, שְׁמַע (shema), is a command: listen or hear. This is no passive hearing, but an active engagement with God's Word. Notice the final letters of the first and last words in this verse—the ayin and dalet—which together form עֵד (ed), meaning "witness." When we truly hear God's Word, we become His witnesses in the world. “Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD” (Isaiah 43:10).
From Hearing to Meditation
The Scriptures call us to more than mere listening; they invite us to deep meditation. As Psalm 119:97 beautifully expresses: "O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day." And verse 11 reminds us: "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee."
Our response to hearing God's perfect revelation is comprehensive love. As we hear of God’s perfection, we understand that our duty in response is to love him with our whole being.
Deuteronomy 6:5
"And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might"
The Ancient Practice of Scripture Immersion
In Deuteronomy 6:6-9, Israel received specific instructions for dwelling in God's Word:
Deuteronomy 6:6-9
"And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates."
While many observant Jews interpret these verses literally—placing Torah passages in a mezuzah by their doors or wearing tefillin on their heads or arms—the deeper purpose remains: Scripture should permeate our entire lives. We are called not merely to possess God's Word, but to study it diligently and apply it practically, constantly advancing in our knowledge of the Lord.
Modern Ways to Immerse in Scripture
In ancient times, believers would study Scripture intensely in the morning and meditate on it throughout the day. This practice remains excellent and noble. Yet today, we have additional opportunities to engage with God's Word through modern technology.
Audio Scripture allows us to "hear" God's Word anytime, anywhere—while commuting, exercising, or completing household tasks. This constant immersion fulfills the spirit of Deuteronomy's instruction to engage with Scripture throughout all our daily activities. As Isaiah 55:3 promises, "Hear, and your soul shall live." In this way, it is possible to listen to a great deal of the Word of God, and so continually feed upon the Scriptures, growing in knowledge.
Experience the Hebrew New Testament in Audio
At Ner Leragli, we're making this immersive Scripture experience accessible to everyone through our Audio Hebrew New Testament. At the moment you can listen to the Gospel according to Matthew here, where you can see the audio player load above the text for each chapter.
God’s Perfection in the Shema
One more thing…
You may not have noticed that God is mentioned three times in the Shema: twice as יְהוָה (Jehovah) and once as אֱלֹהֵינוּ (Eloheinu). This threefold reference evokes the Triune nature of God revealed throughout Scripture as Father (Daniel 7:9), Son (Genesis 19:24, Psalm 2:7, Isaiah 7:14, 9:6), and Holy Spirit (Proverbs 30:4, Isaiah 48:16).
God is Jehovah, whose name reflects "will be" (Je), "is" (ho), and "was" (vah)—revealing His eternal nature. And He is אֶחָד (echad)—not an indivisible unity as יָחִיד (yachid) might suggest, but a composite unity of three Persons together as one God: simple, pure, holy, righteous, eternal, all-knowing, just, and all-powerful.
Experience the power of hearing God's Word in Hebrew. Visit nerleragli.org.il to access our Audio Hebrew New Testament today.
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