Studies on the Shema, Pt. 3
by Rob Vanhoff
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“And you shall love the Lord your God … with all your nefesh (soul)…”

Nefesh… Ever wonder about that word? What exactly is a nefesh, and where’s mine?

According to rabbinic lore, Rabbi Akiva struggled with this command his whole life. “How will I ever fulfill this mitzvah?” he pondered. Tradition tells us that even as Roman soldiers pulled the flesh from his body with iron combs he was faithful to recite the Shema. “Even if He takes your nefesh,” he taught his talmidim. Certainly this story has strengthened Jewish resolve to be willing to die for the sanctification of God's name. In spite of the Roman prohibition, this rabbi would not for a moment refrain from the study or teaching of the holy Torah. Akiva understood “your nefesh” in the Shema to be referring to his physical life.

However, the Torah itself teaches us that there’s more to the word nefesh, and hence this command. “That nefesh shall be cut off from its people” is a recurring phrase in the Torah (Gen 17:14; Ex 12:15; Lev 17:14; Num 19:20; etc.). A nefesh can be ‘cut off’? And if ‘cut off,’ what is the thing it is ‘cut off’ from? Its people. If a nefesh being cut off from its people is a punishment, how much more does it flourish when living properly among them? Thus the Torah teaches that the rightful place of a nefesh is among its community. As a matter of fact, in ancient Semitic languages the root nun, peh, shin has the sense of flourishing or fruitfulness. This connotation helps us understand why the verb “cut off” makes sense here. Phrases like “the axe is at the root of the trees” (Matt 3:10; Lk 3:9) start to pack a bigger punch.

Therefore, when I read “with all your nefesh,” I am thinking about my life in the context of serving others. My God-given capacities to act are to be channeled for service within the social settings that Hashem has placed me. To live with integrity, I am to be consistent with a servant-hearted attitude in all spheres of life; whether fellowshipping with other believers or conducting a business transaction. Not only is it contrary to our design to “forsake the assembly (Greek: episynagogue)” (Heb 10:25), but Paul exhorts us to “walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt…” (Col 4:5-6). My nefesh is to be sincerely engaged in the lives of others. Serving others is the essence of loving God with your soul.

As Yeshua said, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life (Greek: psyche; Hebrew: nefesh) a ransom for many." (Mk 10:45)

to be continued…

As I approach the coming Fall Festivals, and prepare for these appointed days, a number of thoughts have been impressed upon my heart and mind, some of which I would like to share with you here. First, I am reminded again that Yom Teruah, “a day for sounding the shofar,” is a divinely ordained time for renewal—for starting over. The cry of the shofar was used in ancient times to announce the coming of the king, and its ancient sounds call us to reconsider what it means that the God of Israel is our King. It is time to renew our own dedication to Him as His loyal and loving subjects, and to take an assessment of how faithfully we have honored Him in our thoughts, words, and deeds. He calls us to “begin again,” willingly erasing our sins as we repent and accept the forgiveness purchased for us by His Son, Yeshua. Surely repentance and forgiveness does not await an appointed day—this exercise of bowing before our Lord and seeking His forgiveness is something that we do throughout the year as the Ruach convicts us of our sins and urges us to cleanse our hearts. So then why a yearly Festival to emphasize what is practiced throughout the year? The answer is that some things in our lives, things that need to be changed, may have been overlooked or may even have become commonplace. Like the dust that collects on the top of a high bookshelf (and is therefore out of sight and out of mind), we may have allowed things to collect in our lives that really need to be cleaned away. Yom Teruah is a time to stop, step back, and take an assessment. It’s a time to look at that top shelf and see what needs to be dusted.

But second, while this call to renew our love and loyal service to our King requires assessing our own motives and actions, it is also a time to recognize God’s love and mercy. He is the One Who, by an appointed day, announces that we have the opportunity to “begin afresh,” to reckon the past to be over and to start with a “clean slate.” One of my seminary professors had a unique twist on an old saying. He quoted it this way: “Anything worth doing is worth doing poorly.” Now before you become alarmed at this turnabout, let me explain. Many times we stop before we get started because we are so weighed down with our past failings that we are sure we will just fail again. So instead of taking the first step, we hesitate with the thought: “This is a very worthy task, but I’m not sure how well I will do.” But my professor’s challenge was this: anything really worth doing is worth trying to do, even if we’re not so sure we are the best at doing it. Or to say it another way: if the race is really worth running, then it’s important to start the race even if you’re quite sure you won’t turn in the fastest time. The shofar sound on Yom Teruah is God’s call to leave the sidelines and return to the race. After all, it is His strength that will enable us to finish the race—and all who finish receive a crown.

So be encouraged! As Paul wrote: “… forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Messiah Yeshua.” (Phil 2:13–14).

May the Holy One of Israel grant us great blessing, as individuals, families, and communities, on this comingYom Teruah!