SHEMA IS
PLURAL?
Edited by
Hugh Fogelman
The
Shema
“Shema Yisroel Adonai Elochenu Adonai Echad”
Hear, O
The SHEMA, has always been
Christians
say they are valid in using this verse since it should be noted that the very
words “our God” are in the plural in the Hebrew text and
literally mean “our Gods.” Oh, really?
Rabbis reply; who said so–Christians or Jews?
Christians
say the main argument lies in the word
“one,” which is the Hebrew word ECHAD. They continue on saying that to glance
through the Hebrew text where the word ECHAD is used elsewhere will quickly show that the word echad does not mean an absolute “one,” but a compound “one.” They say; “For instance, in Genesis 1:5 the
combination of evening and morning comprise one (echad) day. In Genesis
Christians
will now claim that in the Jewish Scriptures GOD IS AT LEAST TWO since Elohim and YHVH are applied to Two Personalities. As if to make the case for plurality even stronger
Christians claim there are situations in the Hebrew Scriptures where the term
Elohim is applied to two personalities in the same verse. One example is Psalm
45:6-7:
“Your throne, O God, is forever and
ever: A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom. You
love righteousness and hate wickedness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You
with the oil of gladness more than Your companions.”
Christians
say it
should be noted that the first Elohim is being
addressed and the second Elohim
is the God of the first Elohim. And so God's God has anointed him with the oil of gladness.
REALLY?
Let us see what the Hebrew really says and means; as Solomon said: The first to present his case seems right, till another comes
forward and questions him. Proverbs
Rabbi
Tovia Singer explains; “To support the Christian
claim that there are multiple persons within the ‘godhood’ Christians insist that the Hebrew word echad (one) at the end Deuteronomy 6:4 does
not mean an absolute one, but rather it can only signify a compound unity, or many things in one.
They will often site 2 verses to support this assertion. The first is Numbers
13:23.
And they came unto the
brook of Eshcol, and cut down from thence a branch
with one (echad) cluster of grapes, and they bare it between two upon a staff;
and they brought of the pomegranates, and of the figs.” Numbers
Rabbi Singers continues; “The second is in Genesis:
And God called the light Day,
and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the
first day. Genesis
“From these verses, they contend, it is clear that the Hebrew word
echad can only mean a compound
unity, or a fusion of a number of things into one. Although this “proof” is as
flawed as the doctrine it seeks to support, for those who lack an elementary
knowledge of the Hebrew language, this argument can be rather puzzling.
“If anyone is interested, the word echad in the Hebrew language functions in precisely the same manner as
the word “one” does in the English language. In the English language it can be
said, “these four chairs and the table constitute one dinette set.” OR
“There
is one penny in my hand.” Using
just these two examples, it is easy to see how the English word “one” can mean either many things in
one, as in the case of the dinette set, or one alone, as in the case of the
penny.
“Although
the Hebrew word echad functions in the exact same manner, Christians will never offer biblical examples
where the word echad means
“one alone.”
“Thus,
by only presenting scriptural verses such as Genesis and Numbers above, it
creates the illusion to the novice that the word echad
is somehow synonymous with a compound unity. Nothing, of course, could be further
from the truth. For example:
At the mouth of two
witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to
death; but at the mouth of one (echad) witness he shall not be put to death. Deuteronomy 17 (KJV)
OR,
There is one (echad) alone, and there is not
a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all
his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches;
neither saith he, For whom
do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? This is
also vanity, yea, it is a sore travail.“ Ecclesiastes 4:8 (KJV)
Rabbi Singer concludes; “If the Hebrew word echad can signify either a compound unity or one
alone, how
one can tell which definition is operative when studying a verse? The answer
is: In the exact same way the word “one” is understood in the English language,
that is, from the exact context. Without
taking anything “out of context” – four chairs and a table make up one dinette
set is indeed a compound unity, and “Hear O
Therefore, the Shema stands as it always has for over 3,500 years,
as Jews know―exactly as God said!
Hear, O
Rabbi
Stanley Greenberg of