The Shema (4)

BySkip Moen, Ph.D.

And you shall love YHWH your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.  Deuteronomy 6:5   All – “You’re so intense.”  I’ve often heard this back-handed compliment.  Maybe it’s true.  When you get me wound up about Hebrew thought, it might take a long time for me…

Hayah in Action

BySkip Moen, Ph.D.

I thought we might all find something important here. Hello Skip I just read day 12 and I know just what you are talking about…If you don’t mind, I  would like to share a  “hayah” experience of mine with you. One day a few years ago, I walked down the street to a neighbor’s house….

The Shema (3)

BySkip Moen, Ph.D.

And you shall love YHWH your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.  Deuteronomy 6:5 Your God – Not just any god.  Your God. eloheikha.  How did that happen?  Well, it had nothing to do with our decision.  “You will be my people and I will be…

The Shema (2)

BySkip Moen, Ph.D.

And you shall love YHWH your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.  Deuteronomy 6:5 Love – The first action of the Shema is to listen-respond.  The second is to love.  The second verb (ahav) begins the series of demands.  YHWH demands that we love Him.  The…

The Shema (1)

BySkip Moen, Ph.D.

Hear, Israel, YHWH is our God, YHWH is one. Deuteronomy 6:4 Hear – The Hebrew verb shama means both “to hear” and “to obey, respond.”  Moses does not call the people to listen to his words.  He calls the people to do what the words say.  In Hebrew, I do not hear unless I respond. …

Faith Of Our Fathers

BySkip Moen, Ph.D.

The heavens declare the glory of the Lord Psalm 19:1 Declare – “Prior to faith are premises or prerequisites of faith, such as a sense of wonder, radical amazement, reverence, a sense of the mystery of all being.”[1] David must have read Abraham Heschel.  Or maybe it was the other way around. David says, “The…