Making a Rainbow Connection

Sh'ma Ysrael YHVH Eloheynu YHVH Echad! Deut 6:4

The above verse is taken from the Torah and is at the core of Jewish prayer. It can be loosely translated Listen God-wrestlers, IS/WAS/WILL BE is OUR DIVINE SOURCE, IS/WAS/WILL BE ONE!



The greatest bit of knowledge comes from listening to the syllables of the Sh'ma itself.


Shhhhhhhh-mmmmmmmmmmm- aaaaaaahhhhhhhhh



Shhh -- the sounds of silence, quieting our inner voices if you will so that we can hear that still small voice.

mmmm -- the sound of grateful fullness and abundance, of having enough no matter what our circumstance

ahhh -- the release into wonder, the unknown, letting go of all we hold dear to be filld once again with life giving spirit.

We are asked to listen to a God who is bigger than any one dimension or faith tradition or belief system. Who can speak to us in many and varied and unexpected ways.

Listen, what do you hear?

(excerpted from a reflection by Rabbi Shawn Israel Zevit in Listen A Seeker's Resource for Spiritual Direction International April 2009, Vol 3 Issue 2.)

Just after I read the above passage yesterday I drove to pick up my daughter from her class. It had just stopped raining and the sun was shining. As I drove through the Shining sun A huge rainbow, probably the largest one I have ever seen in my lifetime, appeared on the horizon in front of me as I crested a hill just before the turn. It was totally awe inspiring and a perfect example of what I had just read. Sh'ma!

Somehow I understood that prayer in a way I never had before because of the words I had read and the rainbow in the sky. My senses were full of the majesty of God. I was awestruck and humbled, and felt very loved all at the same time.

God is so good. I just wanted to share with you.

Pax