What Is the Meaning of the Verse Shema Yisrael?

Let us begin by explaining the words of the verse: "Shema Yisrael, Hashem Elokeinu, Hashem Echad." "Shema Yisrael" means: Hear and believe, O Israel, that "Hashem Elokeinu" -- Hashem, the Creator, is the One who supervises and directs the entire world, and "Hashem Echad" -- He is unique throughout all existence, and there is none besides Him. This verse includes the first two mitzvot of the Ten Commandments: the mitzvah to believe in Hashem, and the obligation to declare Him One, meaning to believe with complete faith that He is the only Creator, and that there is no spiritual force or influence in the world besides Him.

In view of the great importance of these passages written in the Torah, we were commanded to recite them with great intent twice each day, in the evening and in the morning. In this way, these truths will enter deeply into our hearts, and we will live by their light. Jews throughout the generations have laid down their lives in times of fury and distress with the cry of "Shema Yisrael" on their lips. In doing so, they emphasized that now, as they leave the land of the living, they believe with complete faith that life also exists beyond the present life here.

They believe in the Creator, who exists beyond the concepts of time and place, and therefore they continue to take refuge in His shade, and He will never abandon them. This declaration also contained a message to the nations of the world, who rose up against us to destroy us, and to every person who sought to restrict the steps of our people, that their victory over us is temporary and limited.

Even if, in this material world, they succeeded in achieving their goals, the final victory will belong to the people of Israel. In the end, justice and truth will prevail and will be the portion of all who inhabit the world. The world is moving toward its redemption. True, the road is long, and at times unbearably difficult, but the people of Israel remain steadfast in their faith, and the good end awaits them somewhere in the future. There is a famous Jewish saying that it is easier to die al kiddush Hashem than to live al kiddush Hashem. A martyr's death, which is a noble act, of great value and of the deepest significance, is a one-time act.

However, there are Jews who merit, while still alive, to sanctify Hashem's Name throughout all their years. They live in devotion to Hashem and to His Torah, and those who see them recognize that their deeds are done justly and uprightly. This sanctification of Hashem's Name is the practical expression of the verse "Shema Yisrael." Belief in Hashem and walking in His ways are precisely the steps required by the verses of "Shema Yisrael," which include accepting the yoke of the kingdom of Heaven and accepting the yoke of the mitzvot in a complete way.