Number One is “Community”
Before I begin, I will be using the word “Jewish”. I have read that there are negative connotations to the word “Jew” and so to try to be as respectful as I can, I will use the term “Jewish”.
I’m so excited to be working on these blog posts. My YouTube feed suggested this video and I watched it with fascination! I know very little about the Jewish Community. I have known a few people that were Jewish but, they were not Hasidic.
I’ll be showing these videos in the way that they match my topics and not necessarily the way they were filmed.
Here’s the first video I watched:
The first thought that came to mind when watching these videos is the word “Community“.
It is said in many of the videos that the people in this community are descendants of Holocaust survivors. They don’t trust outsiders and I understand that.
- There are no homeless people
- There is no one who is alone
- They pray together at the same time
- They follow the commandments that are in the Bible
As a Christian, what can we learn?
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
Hebrews 10: 24-25 (NIV)
“Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”
Matthew 19:17 (NIV)
“Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind.”
Ecclesiastes 12:13 (NIV)
The Greatest Commandment
“One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”
“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.” Mark 12:27-29 (NIV)
The last scripture above refers to the “Shema Yisrael”
“Shema Yisrael (Shema Israel or Sh’ma Yisrael; Hebrew: שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל; “Hear, O Israel”) is a Jewish prayer, and is also the first two words of a section of the Torah, and is the title (better known as The Shema) of a prayer that serves as a centerpiece of the morning and evening Jewish prayer services. The first verse encapsulates the monotheistic essence of Judaism: “Hear, O Israel: the LORD our God, the LORD is one” (Hebrew: שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ יְהוָה אֶחָֽד׃), found in Deuteronomy 6:4.”
quote from above Wikipedia article
It is also found in the mezuzah on Jewish doorposts
Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.[a]
Deuteronomy 6:4 Or The Lord our God is one Lord; or The Lord is our God, the Lord is one; or The Lord is our God, the Lord alone
Deuteronomy 6:4 in all English translations
What can we learn as Christians? Keep the Commandments, help one another and remember that there is only one God.
Wow! This is really so interesting and full of things to contemplate.
Thank you! I hope you enjoy the series!