Shema

Shema (שְׁמַע) — The Hebrew imperative meaning “Hear!” or “Listen!” In ancient Hebrew thought, shema carries more than auditory reception — it implies deep intellectual engagement that immediately issues in faithful, responsive action. To shema is to hear in a way that moves you. Liturgically, the Shema refers to the central confession of the Jewish faith in Deuteronomy 6:4: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.” This declaration of radical monotheism is not merely a statement of arithmetic — it is a pledge of allegiance to the absolute, undivided nature of God, the same oneness John invokes when he introduces Jesus as the singular Logos in John 1:1.

See also: The Word That Isn’t Just a Word