Ep. 80
Shalom Aleichem. It is an honor to address you today and delve, even for a brief moment, into the boundless ocean that is Judaism.
Our tradition is not simply a religion in the way the modern world often frames it. It’s a tapestry woven from history, law, ethics, philosophy, and spirituality. It’s a conversation spanning millennia, a conversation between ourselves, our ancestors, and the Divine.
At its heart, Judaism is a covenant, a binding agreement between God and the Jewish people. This covenant, forged at Sinai, obligates us to uphold God’s commandments, the mitzvot, and to be a light unto the nations, a living example of ethical monotheism.
One of the most fundamental concepts in Judaism is the oneness of God, Echad. “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is One.” (Shema Yisrael Adonai Eloheinu Adonai Echad) This declaration, recited daily, affirms our unwavering belief in a single, indivisible God, a concept revolutionary in its time and still profound today.
This belief in one God profoundly shapes our understanding of the world and our place within it. If God is one, then all of creation is interconnected and reflects God’s unity. This inspires a deep sense of responsibility for the world around us, a commitment to tikkun olam, repairing the world, making it a more just and compassionate place.