Parashat VaEtchanan gives us one of the most important verses in the entire Torah - the famous verse:
"Hear O Israel, Adonai is our God, Adonai is One".
What is the meaning of this verse, which is apparently talking about the people of Israel - Shema Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One?
Apparently, the wording "Adonai is our God" does not necessarily imply a monotheistic statement. As if saying that Adonai is the God of Israel but what about the rest of the world? Who is their god?
Hence the greatest commentator, Rashi, interpreted the words somewhat paradoxically, but this is how he explains: "Adonai is our God and not (yet) the God of the nations". I add ‘yet’ in parentheses to emphasize that in the future all of mankind will accept Adonai as the One God.
This means that the expression "One" is not there to declare that God is the only God. We knew this even without this verse. The innovation is that the mission of the People of Israel, and the historical dynamics of the People of Israel are expressed at the first stage of its existence.
Israel is charged with advancing the entire world. Israel’s goal is to affect all of humanity to recognize Adonai’s dominion and to bask in its light. Consequently, the phrase "Hear O Israel, Adonai is our God, Adonai is one" is not a declaration of faith but rather a work plan.
In our times we are working together, the children of Israel and the children of Noah, to complete the great vision that God, who for the time being is the God of Israel, will become the God of one, for the entire world and for all human beings.
