The final book of the “The Five Books of Moses,” (the Torah) is titled Deuteronomy. The Hebrew name is Devarim. In Chapter 6: Verse 4, Moses tells the People of Israel the following:
“Hear, O Israel, the Lord your God, the Lord is One.” This phrase is referred to by the Hebrew word for “hear.” it is called, “The She-ma’”, a deeply meaningful beginning.
The first word is “hear.” Why only the auditory sense? Functionally, the hearing sense contains all the five senses.
The five senses are sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch. What all of these have in common is that nerve impulses transmit a message to the brain. Light registers on receptors in the eyes and is transferred down neural pathways to the brain. Skin sensors are also converted into sensory nerve information. Taste buds on the tongue and olfactory nerves in the sinuses lead into nerve cells that send a message that is processed and understood in the head. Sound waves vibrate the tympanic membrane (eardrum) which then transfers the information to nerves that allow us to perceive sound.
All of these processes involve nerve impulses from a receptor. Only sound perception includes a physical movement. That motion of the eardrum is needed to initiate the nerve component of the sense. None of the other senses have physical movement akin to the vibration of the tympanic membrane.
Thus, hearing contains the same type of nerve transmission of the sensory input as all the senses. But none of the other senses include the movement characteristic of hearing. “Hearing” is meant to include all of the senses simultaneously.
Therefore, by proclaiming that we “hear,” the Torah is telling us to concentrate on hearing, sight, taste, smell, and touch together. This is a difficult goal to achieve. People usually engage a single source of input. To be aware of all five takes effort and concentration. Being mindful of the entirety of sensory input without distraction is an awakening experience. It involves resisting the tendency to focus on just one of the senses. Development of this skill requires practice.
This assignment is not easy. It is a struggle. The word “Israel” means “to struggle.” Hence, Israel is being given this task [of “hearing”] to toil with. It is the process, not the achievement, which brings growth. The pursuit of this meditation opens the mind to seek that which is beyond the senses.
Thus, “hearing” [engaging all the physical senses] creates a hyper-awareness of your environment. This consciousness promotes the bond between the earthly and the heavenly. We become receptive to incorporating our spiritual selves into the physical world. Then we can focus on recognizing God’s Oneness. As sensory inclusiveness, this “hearing” instruction has the purpose of emphasizing that oneness itself is a focused state of being.
It’s all about being mindfully in the moment. When God first called Moses from the burning bush, Moses replied with the Hebrew word “Hee-nae’-nee.” The meaning of this declaration is “Here am I.” in both the physical and the spiritual sense,
Endeavoring to put oneself into this state of earthly-world open-mindedness promotes the connection with heavenly-world powers. It helps us know that “the Lord is One.”
Nothing in the material universe is “one.” Everything has boundaries and limitations. God does not have these characteristics. The soul is similar. Both are 100% spiritual. (I will discuss “oneness” in greater depth in a future blog.)
The road to embracing God and activating human spirituality begins with employing all the senses concomitantly. This pursuit creates a focused state of mind. Such a meditative effort enhances the bond with the soul.
The earthly combines with the heavenly to bring the ultimate value to life. These two worlds nurture, inspire, and grow symbiotically for optimal co-existence.
The Divine influence is the ingredient missing from the material world. Its impact serves to complete life. We have to incorporate the spiritual by using the physical. That is why all the senses together are called upon. As we stand atop the mountain of earthly reality, we can move to bond to the complementary heavenly power. This spiritual energy is in our nature to enlist.
Health and Spirit by Dr. Jack Zoldan 
in Milwaukee Dr. Jack, I had no idea that you were so deeply engrossed in the meaning and thought of Adonai. Believe me, I was so happy to read the words of your interpretation of our basic Judaic tenant, The SHEMA. Living down here in Mississippi where only a small number of Jews reside, I was surprised to read your views. In which congregation were you raised while being brought up in Morton Grove? I was brought up and Bar Mitzvahed in a Reconstructionist Shul in Skokie, Niles Township Jewish Congregation. I have since traveled a bit before my settling down in Old South. I had found myself traveling through Germany, stopping in England, Israel, and back to the States. Within those travels, I found myself enmeshed in the semi-Orthodox Chabad of the Lubavitch in living in both Kenosha and Milwaukee Wisconsin, and then in London, England. I bicycled more to while in Europe, where we ran into one another back to Achen, Germany, through Frankfurt, Munchen, and down to Venice. I worked my way over to Israel on Greek liner and got to Haifa where we landed.
Well, enough for now, I’ll be happy to hear from you further during your and my retirement!
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Hi Gil,
I just discovered this page of my blog. I went to Northwest Suburban Jewish Congregation in Morton Grove. My jewish journey is complex and ultimately rewarding. It eventually led to the point that I am blogging about my spiritual ideas. There are many in my blog, under the subtitle: “My Sinai.”
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