He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our ancestors to teach their children. – Psalm 78:5

Today's Scripture Reading (September 25, 2025): Psalm 78

It is called "The Shema," or more properly "Sh'ma Yisrael." The Shema is a prayer that has become the centerpiece of Jewish Worship. The title comes from the opening words of the prayer, "Sh'ma Yisrael," which means "Hear, O Israel." The prayer consists of Deuteronomy 6:4-9, Deuteronomy 11:13-22, and Numbers 15:37-41.

As well as being recited at worship events, the first paragraph of the Shema is recited by Jews before they go to bed. This portion of the prayer is;

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

The prayer reminds Israel that their God is one, and it is their responsibility to ensure that the people, starting with their children, understand God's unity and the commandments given to Moses. The reason for saying the prayer before bed is probably given in the text of this first paragraph of the prayer. "Talk about them [the commandments, which also included a statement that "God is One"] … when you lie down and when you get up."

Asaph echoes this idea presented to us from the Shema. He understood that the decrees were given by God to the people. In the Shema, this idea is found in the comment," These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts." These commandments needed to be taught to the children and passed down through the generations. In the Shema, this concept is given with the words "Impress them on your children."

Occasionally, someone suggests that the law was written by a group of priests, possibly "The Great Assembly," following the Babylonian exile. And while it might be true that it was gathered and written down during this time, there is a strong oral tradition that was passed down from parents to children from the time of Moses to the days of the Judges and through the various reigns of the kings. The law existed and was commanded to be taught to the generations. And that command continues today. Maybe I can echo the words of a contemporary prophet: "Teach your children well" (Graham Nash, 1968).

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Psalm 80