Mitzvah #3

Know and Believe that G‑d is one (Deuteronomy 6:4)

Category:

Positive

Definition:

The commandment to know and believe that G‑d is One, and there is none second to Him. (See Mitzvah #1 for belief that G‑d exists.)

Reason:

This is the foundation of belief of the Jewish People.

Who/When/Where?

        Must be kept by men and women

        At all times and under any circumstance

        At every moment of the day and night and at every turn in life.

        Someone who does not keep it excludes himself from the Jewish nation.

How do I keep it?

Contemplate on the idea that G‑d is One, unique and all-inclusive, until it becomes ingrained in your mind and heart.

This is what is also referred to as “accepting the yoke of Heaven” (קבלת עול)

Details:

One who denies this, denies the whole Torah.

One should allow themselves to be killed rather than deny this truth.

There are many more details discussed in the Code of Jewish Law, the works of Chassidut and by Jewish thinkers throughout the ages. The Talmud and Midrash tell many stories about those who chose to die for this belief.

Chassidic Perspective:

In the beginning, the existence of G‑d was the only existence. Then, G‑d “cleared a space”- concealed Himself from an area- thereby creating the concept of space. He then injected a small amount of G‑dliness into that space to power the worlds.

The worlds that are closer to the beginning of that ray of G‑dliness came first- thereby creating the concept of time.

Time and Space (and the rest of the world) are pluralistic by nature; there are 60 individual seconds in every minute, 1000 millimeters in a metre.

When we contemplate the Oneness of G‑d, we realize that G‑d never left time and space. He just concealed Himself from it to create the illusion of existence. We feel like we a really ‘something’ when in truth the entire world is merely the way G‑d expresses Himself through concealment rather than revelation.

The Mitzvah of having one G‑de is to think about and meditate on this concept and to feel this oneness in every aspect of life. To be completely subservient to G‑d and His Will (Mitzvot). It is not ‘Me and G‑d’ (two), rather I am just the instrument through which G‑d fulfills His will in this world. There are varying degrees to which this can be felt.   

This is a constant Mitzvah, going deeper each day.