A Declaration of the Heart

“And you have placed these my words on your heart, and on your soul, and have bound them for a sign on your hand, and they have been for frontlets between your eyes, and you have taught them to your children, by speaking of them in your sitting in your house, and in your going in the way, and in your lying down, and in your rising up ...” Devarim (Deut) 11 v 18 – 19




Prior to my learning to walk in Torah Observance ... this was just another verse in the ‘Old Testament’ that was beautiful but sadly had no relevance to me or how I lived my life. I am so very glad to say that by the grace of YHVH this has certainly and most definitely changed!

Now when I recite these words it is not only so that I can hear them and remind myself ... but more importantly that YHVH my King will hear this declaration from my heart, that He may know that my heart’s desire is to know and love Him above all else and to honour Him with my life. When I recite these ... His words ... my heart aches with a longing and desire I have never known before. Is this the desire that has defined the hearts and lives of our Jewish brothers and sisters for Millenia? I now understand and believe it to be so :o)

The Shema is not just an idle string of words (although to some they may be – just like they once were to me) but instead it is truly a declaration of the heart.

The Shema is often the very first words that a Jewish son or daughter will hear for the very first time. How often do our children hear these words? Are they being taught that YHVH is the beginning and end of all life, that their sole purpose for being is to love, honour, obey and worship Him?

I want to share this story and this video with you today ...

This is a story about the Ponevitcher Rav, Rabbi Yosef Kahaneman zt”l. Legend tells us that after the Holocaust, Rabbi Kahaneman was looking for Jewish children who were hidden away during the war and had survived. As some of the children were believed to have been tucked away in church orphanages, Rabbi Kahaneman went searching for them in these individual churches. He was granted permission to enter the children’s section, but was told there were no Jewish children to be found there. As he entered he began calling out “Shema Yisroel”. Instinctively many of the children raised their hands to cover their eyes and started calling out “Mama! ... Mama!”

Hallelu-Yah .... What an awesome God we serve!!

Blessings and Shalom!!