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Why does the Shema emphasize that Hashem (ה׳) is "echad" after mentioning both His attributes of justice and mercy? The Baal HaTurim reveals that din and rachamim are not separate divine behaviors but one unified approach - being meitiv (doing good for us). True kabbalas ol malchus shamayim means recognizing that everything Hashem does is solely for our benefit.
Rabbi Zweig explores a profound insight from the Baal HaTurim on the Shema that transforms our understanding of Divine providence and mitzvah (מצוה) observance. The Baal HaTurim notes that in the Torah (תורה) scroll, there is a break (pisuk) between "Hashem (ה׳)" and "echad" in the Shema, indicating that the verse should be read as: "Shema Yisrael, Hashem Elokeinu [midas hadin], Hashem [midas harachamim], echad." This raises a fundamental question: why does the Torah need to tell us that God's attributes of justice and mercy are "one"? Isn't it obvious that they both come from the same Divine source? The answer reveals a revolutionary understanding of how Hashem relates to the world. Rabbi Zweig explains that midas hadin and midas harachamim are not two different approaches or moods of the Divine, but rather one unified midah with a single purpose: to be meitiv (to do good). Hashem has no independent interest in punishment or mercy as ends in themselves. Rather, He has only one concern - what is the best way to benefit each person in each situation. Sometimes the greatest good comes through being demanding and holding people to high standards (like a parent with a child), and sometimes it comes through compassion and forgiveness. But the underlying motivation is always identical: maximizing the good for the recipient.
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Parshas Vaeschanan - Shema Yisrael
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