Parshat Va'etchanan: Our Pledge of Allegiance

📖 Parshat Va'etchanan This Week: We recite the Shema daily, wear it in tefillin on our arms, and affix it to our mezuzot on our doorposts. It's the most well-known Jewish declaration, but here's what most people don't realize: it's not a prayer. Prayer involves requesting, praising, or thanking God. The Shema does none of those. So what is it? It's our 'shematra,' our pledge of allegiance. It's the declaration we make to the world and to ourselves about what matters most: There is one God. His sovereignty rules all. Our lives have meaning. There is reward and punishment. Consequences matter. We matter. It's not asking God for anything; it's affirming our belief and commitment. When you recite the Shema, you're not praying. You're pledging. You're declaring who you are and what you stand for.Shabbat Shalom. 📜CONNECT WITH US:🎧 Listen to all our podcasts: [www.joidenver.com/podcasts]Follow us for more: Website - https://www.joidenver.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenverFacebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenver YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenverPinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiySubscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.