The First and the Second

Sh'ma Yis'ra'eil Adonai Eloheinu Adonai echad. V’ahavta et Adonai Elohecha B’chol l’vavcha uv’chol nafsh’cha uv’chol m’odecha.

"Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one! "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might” (Deut 6).

V’ahavta l’reyacha kamocha.

“…and you shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Lev 19).

The Sh’ma of Deut 6 is the greatest foundation and core instruction of who Israel was/is to be. Jesus affirms this in the NT, and agree with the Torah “expert” of his day.

The second greatest command comes from a Hebrew word, ve’ahavtah (ואהבת) which is the English phrase “you shall love” found in the Deut 6 (sh’ma). Jesus (along with others throughout the ages) makes his interpretation very clear by taking the “ve’ahavtah (you shall love) from Deut 6, and glues it together with Leviticus 19 which uses the same phrase “and you shall” love you neighbor as yourself.