In honor of Israel’s 75th birthday, Israel365 is excited to launch a new series of essays that will unlock the secrets of the Hebrew Bible!
Excerpted from Rabbi Akiva Gersh’s forthcoming book, 75 Hebrew Words You Need to Understand the Bible, these essays illuminate the connection between related Hebrew words, revealing Biblical secrets only accessible through Hebrew.
Enjoy the series – and happy 75th birthday to the State of Israel!
שÖø×××Ö¹×Ø
SHAMOR
SHA-MOR
GUARD
×ש××Ø ××Ŗ ×צ××Ŗ ×××× ×××Ŗ ×ק×Ŗ×× ×ש×Ø ×× ×× ×צ×× ×××× ×××× ××.
×××§× ×××× ××××× ××Ŗ ×××× ××× ××× ××× ×¢×× ××¢××× ××ש××Ø×.
Shamor, Hebrew for āguard,ā is frequently used throughout the Bible to exhort the people of Israel to guard Godās commandments. In the Ten Commandments, they are told to āguardā Shabbat as well as to ārememberā Shabbat. To āguardā Shabbat means keeping the detailed laws of the holy day of rest, and so a Jew who observes the laws of Shabbat is known as a shomer Shabbat, āone who guards Shabbat.ā By contrast, āremembering Shabbatā means infusing Shabbat with holiness and spirituality.
The sages explain that these two words, āguardingā and āremembering,ā were spoken by God simultaneously during the giving of the Ten Commandments, an impossible feat for human beings. For God, āguardingā and ārememberingā Shabbat are equally important and combine to create the ideal experience of the day of rest.
Shamor also describes Adamās role in the Garden of Eden. āGod settled man in the Garden of Eden, to work it and guard itā (Genesis 2:15). Adam was given permission to use the natural resources of the world for his own benefit. But alongside this gift, man was also given the responsibility to guard and protect Godās world. As the sages say, āWhen God created Adam, He said to him: āSee My creations, how beautiful they are. Make certain that you donāt ruin and destroy My world, for if you destroy it, there will be no one to mend it after you.āā
Alone among all of Godās creations, humanity has been entrusted with two holy tasks: to guard His word and to guard His world.