One
of the central prayers in The Book of Blessings
is a re-creation of the piece of liturgy known as the sh'ma,
the biblical declaration of faith that has become perhaps the
most honored text in all of Jewish life. The traditional declaration
begins "Hear O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord
is one." Although I do not relate to the image of the
divine as a "lord " or a "king," as a Jew
I still take the message of monotheism quite seriously. Hence
my new sh'ma, whose opening line is found on Eva's pendant, attempts
to express a new understanding of monotheism as the honoring
of diversity within the unity of creation. At the same time,
the new declaration echoes the words and rhythms of the traditional
one, thus attempting to keep alive a connection between our history
as a people and our spiritual truths today.
Excerpt from The Book of Blessings: New Jewish Prayers
for Daily Life, the Sabbath, and the New Moon Festival by
Marcia Falk, copyright © Marcia Lee Falk.
For ordering, please go to Marcia Falk's web site: http://www.marciafalk.com