Timeless Torah

Shema Yisroel is Judaism's most eloquent testimony of its belief in monotheism. And yet, these sacred words, so central to our prayers is not mentioned at all in the Books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus or Numbers. It is only in this week's Biblical portion, after four Books and forty years of wandering in the desert, do we come upon the cry of Shema Yisroel. Indeed, the phrase appears not once, but twice.
Many of the commentaries point out that the proximity of the Shema to the Ten Commandments indicates its importance in Judaism. However, one can still ask, why did the Torah wait with the message of "Hear O' Israel" until the second reading of the Ten Commandments in Deuteronomy? Surely if the declaration of the Shema occupies such a pivotal position in our religion, it should have been stated at Sinai when the Jews received the Ten Commandments the first time around?
Rabbi Shimshon Raphael Hirsch explains that the Hebrew word Shema summons the Jewish people not merely to obey the word of G-d, but to listen, absorb and then to teach it to others. The next generation can then fulfill their Shema mitzvah of hearing, repeating and teaching, creating a never-ending cycle of Oral tradition.
This methodology of transmitting our heritage was the basis of G-d's love for Abraham, as the Almighty Himself declared, "For I have loved him, because he commands his children and his household after him that they keep the way of Hashem."
As is obvious from this statement, the Oral Tradition was an integral part of our culture from the very beginning of our people. In fact, until Sinai it was the Oral Tradition that preserved our ancestors' faith during the abysmal period of bondage. Who can forget the poignant Midrash which paints for us a picture of the Jewish home in Goshen, Egypt where around the Shabbat table parents recounted to their children the soul-stirring adventures of Abraham and Sarah, the sacrifice of Isaac, the rough roads of Jacob and the courage of Joseph. Even after the Sinaitic revelation, the Jews did not possess a complete written Torah. Their learning primarily consisted of Moses repeating what he had heard directly from G-d.
But all that changed in Deuteronomy as the people stood upon the shores of the Jordan readying themselves for their conquest of Eretz Yisroel. The written Bible was basically a fait accompli. Thus with the Law now reduced to the written word, Moses was fearful that the teachings would become rigid and mummified. While an oral exchange guaranteed that the traditions would remain alive and vibrant, a book might deaden and stultify the Divine message.
The Karaites were an ancient sect of Jews who adhered to the written Bible alone. Where are the Karaites today? Their numbers dwindled because the Oral Tradition was absent so that their community became a valley of dry bones.
The vast number of Jewish books available on the market today, were unimaginable just one generation ago. We have Jewish tapes, videos and Torah on the Internet. The only thing lacking are teachers. So utilize your Shabbat table for a little Oral Tradition. Of course, it's important to give your child the latest in Jewish literature, but there is a gift even more precious. It's the mitzvah of Shema.