I will attempt to lay out what I think our goals should be.
It is essential to raise a generation of Jews who are knowledgeable about our Torah, it's promises to our descendants, and to instill a sense of Jewish pride which has been lacking in the previous generation. I am blessed to have been brought up in what I consider one of the last great generations of Jews in Galut/Exile. The next Generation unfortunately has not been given the skills and knowledge necessary for continuation of the Jewish mission. The Torah and Jewish sages have always stressed the importance of Chinuch (education) of the Jewish children for continuity.
We must learn Torah and spread the teaching to all we encounter, Jews and non-Jews alike. We must assume the responsibility on our selves. When we say shema we must attempt to live it, as our great Rabbi Akiva lived it, even to the point of losing our lives if need be. Rabbi Akiva was executed by the Romans for teaching Torah and died with the Shema on his lips.
Once we have a generation of proud Jewish youth who understand that there is a reason to be Jewish (as Rabbi Kahane wrote the article 'Why be Jewish?' to explain this) we will be better positioned to make actual steps to re-settle the promised land. I fear that today we do not have the power to accomplish the goals which we seek (removal of the arabs and settlement of Jews in the historic land of Judea). Without a miracle I do not think we can make these moves (although I will listen to those who do believe it is possible).
Learning and Teaching Torah lessons which instill pride in our heritage is the first step toward a re-invigorated Jewish people, proud of our history, proud of of future, and proud of our home land which Hashem promised to our forefathers.
http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/955162/jewish/Laws-of-Reciting-the-Shema-Part-I.htmChapter six of Deuteronomy (verses 4-9) contains the first paragraph of the Shema. In verse 7 we read: "And you shall teach them to your sons and speak of them—when you sit in your house, and when you walk on the way, and when you lie down and when you rise up."
Our Sages explained that the words "when you lie down and when you rise up" is a charge to recite the Shema every morning and evening.1
The Shema includes three paragraphs (click here for the Hebrew and English texts). The theme of the first (Deuteronomy 6:4-10) is the acceptance of the “yoke of Heaven,” the second (ibid. 11:13-21) of the acceptance of the yoke of His commandments, and the third (Numbers 15:37-41) of remembering the Exodus from Egypt.2
Our Sages tell us that the creation of the entire world is considered a worthwhile endeavor just for the acceptance of the yoke of Heaven that we enact during the daily recital of Shema.3 It is said that one who prepares himself for prayer in the proper way,4 puts on tefillin, recites the Shema, and then prays, has fully accepted the yoke of Heaven.5
The Sefer HaChinuch writes6 that when a person reciting Shema remembers the unity and kingship of the Almighty, who supervises everything, he will take to heart that G‑d's eyes observe all of a person's ways. He will appreciate that G‑d counts our steps and that none of our thoughts are hidden from Him. Thinking this and saying this will guard a person throughout the day. Repeating it at night will guard him at night as well.
The reward for reciting the Shema at the right time is greater than the reward for studying Torah during the rest of the day,7 and Torah study is considered greater than all the other mitzvot.8
Topic: What are our beliefs (Read 1494 times)