Hear, O Israel
At the heart of Jewish faith and practice stands the Shema:
“Hear, O Israel: YHVH our Elohim, YHVH is one. You shall love YHVH your Elohim with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might” (Deuteronomy 6:4–5).
These words are more than a daily prayer—they are a declaration of covenant loyalty. They remind us that love for God is not confined to ritual moments, but is lived out “when you sit at home, when you walk along the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.” To bind His commandments on our hands, on our eyes, and upon the doorposts of our homes is to mark every aspect of life with devotion to the One who is King.
The Shema is both a command and a rhythm—a way of shaping heart, mind, and body into alignment with God’s reign.
The Season of Selichot
Today is Rosh Hashanah, the beginning of the High Holy Days. It is the head of the year and the opening of the Days of Awe—ten days set apart for repentance, reflection, and renewal. In Jewish tradition, the month of Elul prepared the heart for this season, with daily prayers and self-examination leading to these sacred days when the shofar is sounded and God is proclaimed as Judge and King.
Selichot, meaning “forgiveness,” are penitential prayers recited during this time. They call the soul to humility and honesty before the Lord. Drawn from the Psalms, the Siddur, and the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy revealed to Moses, these prayers train us to seek God’s face with sincerity.
The blast of the shofar pierces the heart like an alarm clock for the soul, calling God’s people to awaken, return, and prepare to meet the King. It is a sound of both warning and hope, reminding us that the gates of repentance are still open.
The message of Selichot is clear: we approach the King not in arrogance, but with reverence, with one heart and one voice, trusting in His compassion and His mercy. The season of the High Holy Days reminds us that repentance is not a burden but a gift—the opportunity to turn, to be cleansed, and to begin anew.
The Four Steps of Teshuvah
Repentance, or Teshuvah, is God’s merciful gift. No matter how far one strays, the way back remains open. Jewish teaching outlines four steps:
Leaving the Sin – Cease from the wrong action. True repentance cannot coexist with ongoing rebellion.
Regret – A deep sorrow and shame for the sin committed, acknowledging the harm it has caused before God.
Confession Before God – Speak the truth aloud: “I have sinned, I regret my actions, and I resolve to change.”
Acceptance for the Future – Resolve never to return to the sin, walking forward with new strength.
God does not demand perfection in this process—what He looks for is sincerity. Psalm 51 reminds us: “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.”
Why This Matters to Christian Women For Israel
For Christian Women For Israel, the themes of Shema, Selichot, and Teshuvah are not distant rituals—they are spiritual lessons that enrich our own walk with Christ. Just as Israel turns back to God with a contrite heart, Christians understand repentance as central to life in Jesus, who is Himself the once-for-all atonement for sin. Repentance is not simply feeling regret—it is a turning of heart and life toward the Lord, trusting in the forgiveness secured through the cross.
As modern-day Esthers, we look to Christ with hope, not fear. He is the King of Kings, our Redeemer, who has opened the way for us to approach God’s throne with boldness, forgiveness, and joy. “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).
Living as a People of Covenant
The Shema calls us to daily devotion. The Selichot prayers teach us to approach God’s throne of mercy with humility. And Teshuvah shows us how to return when we have wandered.
Together, they form the pattern of covenant life: to hear, to love, to repent, and to walk in God’s ways. As Psalm 27 declares during these days of reflection:
“YHVH is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? YHVH is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?”
In learning the protocol of the King, we do not approach Him in dread, but in awe and in hope. For He is merciful, faithful, and near to all who call upon Him in truth.
