If you follow the commandments that I set before you this day, to love and serve Adonai your God with all your heart and with all your soul, I will send rain to your land in its season: the fall rain and the spring rain. You will gather your grain, wine and oil, and I will give you grass in your field for your cattle, and you shall eat and be satisfied. Take care that your heart is not deceived and led astray to serve other gods in worship. For the wrath of Adonai will be upon you: the heavens will close and there will be no rain, and the earth will not yield its produce. You will cease to thrive on the good land that God is giving you. Impress these words upon your heart and upon your soul. Bind them as a sign upon your hand and as symbols between your eyes. Teach them to your children, speaking of them while at home and while away, when you lie down and when you rise up. Inscribe them on the doorposts of your house and upon your gates. Then your days, and the days of your children, will be multiplied upon the land which Adonai your God has sworn to give to your ancestors, as the days of the heavens above the earth. – D’varim / Deuteronomy 11:13–21
In thinking about these words I wrestled with what they mean and how I could relate. So often I just enjoy the rhythm and feeling of the prayers that I do not think about the meaning. This gave me and opportunity to revisit the V’ahav’ta. I played with the words and tried rephrasing them in a modern context. Some of the words I keep the same meaning, others I take and interpret the metaphor.
In our prayers we stop and close eyes to gather focus and attention and with a long breath we sing Sh’ma Israel, Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai Echad. And with a hushed tone we say Baruch sheim k’vod malchutoh l’olam vaed. Then we follow the Sh’ma with the V’ahav’ta.
We remind each other that G-d is one then we bless his name and kingdom forever. I see the Sh’ma as a prayer of love and defiance. It is fitting that the prayer is then followed by the V’ahav’ta, instructions on how to satisfy your needs, what to teach your children and how to help the Jewish people flourish.
We start with personal responsibility. If you follow all of the mitzvot given to you in the Torah and if you put all of your heart and soul into the mitzvot and loving G-d then success will spring forth. You will be able to earn enough to afford a nice home, cars and plenty of food and wine to satisfy. But, if you do not perform the mitzvot and you make poor choices antithetical to G-d, this success will evade you.
Internalize the mitzvot and hold them in your heart and soul. When you are out working in the world, do it in a Jewish manner. Have the mitzvot in your hands to help repair the world. Have the mitzvot in front of your eyes to guide your way.
Then you have responsibility for your family and community. When you talk to your children, teach them about the mitzvot at home and when you are living your daily lives. Teach them to your children when getting ready for bed and when they are engaging the world. Show your children that you are proud of being Jewish and make a Jewish home that demonstrates the mitzvot for everyone to see.
This will impact the future of the Jewish people. The Jewish children will multiply and be around as long as days the heavens are over the earth.
Rewriting the prayer in modern terms and removing the metaphors makes it all seem straight forward. Love G-d. Do, live, and teach mitzvot to have a fulfilling life and to ensure the future of the Jewish people.