Shema, Mezuzah, Tzitzit and You...

No, those aren't the names the Vilhauers are considering for their baby... although Shema Vilhauer does have a nice ring to it.  As most of you know, our verse for this week is Deut. 11:18-21 (have you memorized it yet?).  If you've read carefully, you see that God is calling upon us to keep his words in our hearts and our souls, in fact He says to fasten them to our bodies and our homes.  But what words?  Well, the Jews believed that those words were the Shema, or to you and I, Deut. 6:4-9; 11:13-21, and Numbers 15:37-41.  As scripture instructs ("when you lie down and when you rise"), these prayers were and are recited each morning and night.  They always begin with Deut. 6:4-5, and I love those verses:

     "Hear, O Israel: the Lord is our God, the Lord alone.  And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and will all your soul and with all your might."

Every morning and every night they are reminded of God's covenant, his supremacy, and their relationship.  Christ reiterated this same language when he was asked what the greatest commandment was in Matt. 22 and Mark 12.  What a great way to focus the mind on things that are pure and excellent as Paul also instructed in Romans.  So that's the Shema, but what about those other two?

     If you have ever been to a Jewish home, you have probably seen a Mezuzah when you walked in the doorway.  Normally placed on the right side of the door frame, about 2/3 of the way up and tilting toward the home, the Mezuzah is a small box containing the Shema.  Again, following the instructions in Deut., the Jews put God's word on their doorposts.  A reminder as they come and go of God's covenant, and a blessing on the home.

     Finally the Tzitzit.  In Numbers, God tells Moses to command the Israelites to make fringes on the corners of their garments and to "put a blue cord on the fringe at each corner" so that:

      "when you see it, you will remember all the commandments of the Lord and do them, and not follow the lust of your heart and your own eyes.  So you shall remember and do all my commandments, and you shall be holy to your God."

    God instructed the Israelites do many things to keep His words in the forefront of their minds.  Why?  Is there a benefit to constantly reminding ourselves about the promises, blessings and commands of God?  Are there other ideas, commands or words that battle for that same space, reminding us daily of what we should do, who we are, what we need to be?  Does the word of God have any real power?  Think about these things and lets discuss it.

      So what about "You?"  Where do you fit in?  As I've read these scriptures and the significance of them to the ancestors of our Faith, I've been thinking of ways to bring it into my life.  Erin and I had to work out the specifics, but we've decided that we're going to place God's words on our doorpost.  I think we are going to write them on a ribbon and placing it above the door.  And as much as I like the whole tasseled fringe look of Orthodox Judaism (and to be honest my head could use a yarmulke about now if you know what I mean), I think I'm going to do something a little different, like maybe a simple blue piece of string or leather around my wrist, to remind of God's words ("Shema Yisrael Adonai Eloheinu Adonai Echad.": "Hear Oh Israel, The Lord is Our God, The Lord Alone.")  How about you?  I'm willing to share my blue bands if you want one... or maybe your a tassel kind of guy or gal....  Oh, one last question... why the blue?  Is that just God's favorite color or is there something more to it... let me know what you think.

May the Lord Shine His Face Upon You- Blessings,

Brice