The Greatest Commandment
(Matthew 22:34–40; Mark 12:28–34)

1  וְזֹ֣את (And this is) הַמִּצְוָ֗ה (the commandment), הַֽחֻקִּים֙ (the statutes), וְהַמִּשְׁפָּטִ֔ים (and the ordinances) אֲשֶׁ֥ר (that) צִוָּ֛ה (has commanded) יְהוָ֥ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֖ם (your⁺ God) לְלַמֵּ֣ד (to teach) אֶתְכֶ֑ם (you⁺), לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת (to do) בָּאָ֔רֶץ (in the land) אֲשֶׁ֥ר (that) אַתֶּ֛ם (you⁺) עֹבְרִ֥ים (are passing over) שָׁ֖מָּה (there) לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ׃ (to possess), 2  לְמַ֨עַן (so that) תִּירָ֜א (you may fear) אֶת־ (-) יְהוָ֣ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ (your God), לִ֠שְׁמֹר (to keep) אֶת־ (-) כָּל־ (all) חֻקֹּתָ֣יו (His statutes) וּמִצְוֺתָיו֮ (and His commandments), אֲשֶׁ֣ר (which) אָנֹכִ֣י (I) מְצַוֶּךָ֒ (am commanding you)— אַתָּה֙ (you) וּבִנְךָ֣ (and your son) וּבֶן־ (and the son) בִּנְךָ֔ (of your son)— כֹּ֖ל (all) יְמֵ֣י (the days) חַיֶּ֑יךָ (of your life), וּלְמַ֖עַן (that) יַאֲרִכֻ֥ן (may be prolonged) יָמֶֽיךָ׃ (your days). 3  וְשָׁמַעְתָּ֤ (Therefore hear), יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ (O Israel), וְשָׁמַרְתָּ֣ (and be) לַעֲשׂ֔וֹת (to do it), אֲשֶׁר֙ (that) יִיטַ֣ב (it may be well) לְךָ֔ (with you) וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר (and that) תִּרְבּ֖וּן (you⁺ may multiply) מְאֹ֑ד (greatly), כַּאֲשֶׁר֩ (as) דִּבֶּ֨ר (has promised) יְהוָ֜ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֵ֤י (God) אֲבֹתֶ֙יךָ֙ (of your fathers) לָ֔ךְ (you) אֶ֛רֶץ (a land) זָבַ֥ת (flowing with) חָלָ֖ב (milk) וּדְבָֽשׁ׃פ (and honey).

4  שְׁמַ֖ע (Hear), יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל (O Israel): יְהוָ֥ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ (our God), יְהוָ֥ה׀ (YHWH) אֶחָֽד׃ (is One). 5  וְאָ֣הַבְתָּ֔ (And you shall love) אֵ֖ת (-) יְהוָ֣ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ (your God) בְּכָל־ (with all) לְבָבְךָ֥ (your heart) וּבְכָל־ (and with all) נַפְשְׁךָ֖ (your soul) וּבְכָל־ (and with all) מְאֹדֶֽךָ׃ (your strength).

6  וְהָי֞וּ (And shall be) הַדְּבָרִ֣ים (the words) הָאֵ֗לֶּה (these) אֲשֶׁ֨ר (that) אָנֹכִ֧י (I) מְצַוְּךָ֛ (am commanding you) הַיּ֖וֹם (today) עַל־ (upon) לְבָבֶֽךָ׃ (your heart). 7  וְשִׁנַּנְתָּ֣ם (And you shall teach them diligently) לְבָנֶ֔יךָ (to your children) וְדִבַּרְתָּ֖ (and talk) בָּ֑ם (of them) בְּשִׁבְתְּךָ֤ (in your sitting) בְּבֵיתֶ֙ךָ֙ (in your house) וּבְלֶכְתְּךָ֣ (and in your walking) בַדֶּ֔רֶךְ (by the way) וּֽבְשָׁכְבְּךָ֖ (and in your lying down) וּבְקוּמֶֽךָ׃ (and in your getting up). 8  וּקְשַׁרְתָּ֥ם (And you shall bind them) לְא֖וֹת (as a sign) עַל־ (on) יָדֶ֑ךָ (your hand), וְהָי֥וּ (and they shall be) לְטֹטָפֹ֖ת (as frontlets) בֵּ֥ין (between) עֵינֶֽיךָ׃ (your eyes). 9  וּכְתַבְתָּ֛ם (And you shall write them) עַל־ (on) מְזוּזֹ֥ת (the doorposts) בֵּיתֶ֖ךָ (of your house), וּבִשְׁעָרֶֽיךָ׃ס (and on your gates).

10  וְהָיָ֞ה (And it shall be), כִּ֥י (when) יְבִיאֲךָ֣׀ (brings you) יְהוָ֣ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ (your God) אֶל־ (into) הָאָ֜רֶץ (the land) אֲשֶׁ֨ר (that) נִשְׁבַּ֧ע (He swore) לַאֲבֹתֶ֛יךָ (to your fathers), לְאַבְרָהָ֛ם (to Abraham), לְיִצְחָ֥ק (to Isaac), וּֽלְיַעֲקֹ֖ב (and to Jacob), לָ֣תֶת (to give) לָ֑ךְ (to you) עָרִ֛ים (cities) גְּדֹלֹ֥ת (large) וְטֹבֹ֖ת (and beautiful) אֲשֶׁ֥ר (that) לֹא־ (not) בָנִֽיתָ׃ (you did build), 11  וּבָ֨תִּ֜ים (and houses) מְלֵאִ֣ים (full) כָּל־ (of all) טוּב֮ (good things) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (that) לֹא־ (not) מִלֵּאתָ֒ (you did fill), וּבֹרֹ֤ת (and wells) חֲצוּבִים֙ (dug) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (that) לֹא־ (not) חָצַ֔בְתָּ (you did dig), כְּרָמִ֥ים (vineyards) וְזֵיתִ֖ים (and olive trees) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (that) לֹא־ (not) נָטָ֑עְתָּ (you did plant). וְאָכַלְתָּ֖ (And you have eaten) וְשָׂבָֽעְתָּ׃ (and are satisfied) 12  הִשָּׁ֣מֶר (then take heed) לְךָ֔ (to it) פֶּן־ (lest) תִּשְׁכַּ֖ח (you forget) אֶת־ (-) יְהוָ֑ה (YHWH) אֲשֶׁ֧ר (who) הוֹצִֽיאֲךָ֛ (brought you) מֵאֶ֥רֶץ (out of the land) מִצְרַ֖יִם (of Egypt), מִבֵּ֥ית (out of the house) עֲבָדִֽים׃ (of slavery).

13  אֶת־ (-) יְהוָ֧ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ (your God) תִּירָ֖א (you shall fear), וְאֹת֣וֹ (and Him) תַעֲבֹ֑ד (you shall serve), וּבִשְׁמ֖וֹ (and by His name) תִּשָּׁבֵֽעַ׃ (you shall swear). 14  לֹ֣א (Not) תֵֽלְכ֔וּן (you⁺ shall go) אַחֲרֵ֖י (after) אֱלֹהִ֣ים (gods) אֲחֵרִ֑ים (other), מֵאֱלֹהֵי֙ (the gods) הָֽעַמִּ֔ים (of the peoples) אֲשֶׁ֖ר (who are) סְבִיבוֹתֵיכֶֽם׃ (all around you⁺). 15  כִּ֣י (For) אֵ֥ל (a God) קַנָּ֛א (jealous) יְהוָ֥ה (is YHWH) אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ (your God) בְּקִרְבֶּ֑ךָ (among you), פֶּן־ (lest) יֶ֠חֱרֶה (be kindled) אַף־ (the anger) יְהוָ֤ה (of YHWH) אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ (your God) בָּ֔ךְ (against you) וְהִשְׁמִ֣ידְךָ֔ (and destroy you) מֵעַ֖ל (from) פְּנֵ֥י (the face) הָאֲדָמָֽה׃ס (of the earth).

16  לֹ֣א (Not) תְנַסּ֔וּ (you⁺ shall test) אֶת־ (-) יְהוָ֖ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֑ם (your⁺ God), כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר (as) נִסִּיתֶ֖ם (you⁺ tested Him) בַּמַּסָּֽה׃ (in Massah). 17  שָׁמ֣וֹר (Keeping) תִּשְׁמְר֔וּן (you⁺ shall keep) אֶת־ (-) מִצְוֺ֖ת (the commandments) יְהוָ֣ה (of YHWH) אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֑ם (your⁺ God), וְעֵדֹתָ֥יו (and His testimonies), וְחֻקָּ֖יו (and His statutes) אֲשֶׁ֥ר (that) צִוָּֽךְ׃ (He has commanded you). 18  וְעָשִׂ֛יתָ (And you shall do) הַיָּשָׁ֥ר (right) וְהַטּ֖וֹב (and good) בְּעֵינֵ֣י (in the eyes) יְהוָ֑ה (of YHWH), לְמַ֙עַן֙ (that) יִ֣יטַב (it may be well) לָ֔ךְ (with you) וּבָ֗אתָ (that you may go in) וְיָֽרַשְׁתָּ֙ (and possess) אֶת־ (-) הָאָ֣רֶץ (the land) הַטֹּבָ֔ה (good) אֲשֶׁר־ (that) נִשְׁבַּ֥ע (swore) יְהוָ֖ה (YHWH) לַאֲבֹתֶֽיךָ׃ (to your fathers), 19  לַהֲדֹ֥ף (to cast out) אֶת־ (-) כָּל־ (all) אֹיְבֶ֖יךָ (your enemies) מִפָּנֶ֑יךָ (from before you) כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר (as) דִּבֶּ֥ר (has spoken) יְהוָֽה׃ס (YHWH).

Teach Your Children

20  כִּֽי־ (When) יִשְׁאָלְךָ֥ (asks you) בִנְךָ֛ (your son) מָחָ֖ר (hereafter), לֵאמֹ֑ר (saying), מָ֣ה (What are) הָעֵדֹ֗ת (the testimonies) וְהַֽחֻקִּים֙ (and the statutes) וְהַמִּשְׁפָּטִ֔ים (and the ordinances) אֲשֶׁ֥ר (that) צִוָּ֛ה (has commanded) יְהוָ֥ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ (our God) אֶתְכֶֽם׃ (you⁺)? 21  וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ (And you shall say) לְבִנְךָ֔ (to your son), עֲבָדִ֛ים (Slaves) הָיִ֥ינוּ (we were) לְפַרְעֹ֖ה (of Pharaoh) בְּמִצְרָ֑יִם (in Egypt), וַיּוֹצִיאֵ֧נוּ (and brought us out) יְהוָ֛ה (YHWH) מִמִּצְרַ֖יִם (of Egypt) בְּיָ֥ד (with a hand) חֲזָקָֽה׃ (mighty). 22  וַיִּתֵּ֣ן (And showed) יְהוָ֡ה (YHWH) אוֹתֹ֣ת (signs) וּ֠מֹפְתִים (and wonders) גְּדֹלִ֨ים (great) וְרָעִ֧ים׀ (and severe) בְּמִצְרַ֛יִם (on Egypt), בְּפַרְעֹ֥ה (on Pharaoh), וּבְכָל־ (and on all) בֵּית֖וֹ (his house), לְעֵינֵֽינוּ׃ (before our eyes). 23  וְאוֹתָ֖נוּ (And us) הוֹצִ֣יא (He brought out) מִשָּׁ֑ם (from there), לְמַ֙עַן֙ (that) הָבִ֣יא (He might bring in) אֹתָ֔נוּ (us) לָ֤תֶת (to give) לָ֙נוּ֙ (us) אֶת־ (-) הָאָ֔רֶץ (the land) אֲשֶׁ֥ר (that) נִשְׁבַּ֖ע (He had sworn) לַאֲבֹתֵֽינוּ׃ (to our fathers).

24  וַיְצַוֵּ֣נוּ (And commanded us) יְהוָ֗ה (YHWH) לַעֲשׂוֹת֙ (to observe) אֶת־ (-) כָּל־ (all) הַחֻקִּ֣ים (the statutes) הָאֵ֔לֶּה (these), לְיִרְאָ֖ה (to fear) אֶת־ (-) יְהוָ֣ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ (our God), לְט֥וֹב (for good) לָ֙נוּ֙ (to us) כָּל־ (all) הַיָּמִ֔ים (the time), לְחַיֹּתֵ֖נוּ (to keep us alive) כְּהַיּ֥וֹם (as the day) הַזֶּֽה׃ (this). 25  וּצְדָקָ֖ה (And righteousness) תִּֽהְיֶה־ (it will be) לָּ֑נוּ (for us) כִּֽי־ (if) נִשְׁמֹ֨ר (we are careful) לַעֲשׂ֜וֹת (to observe) אֶת־ (-) כָּל־ (all) הַמִּצְוָ֣ה (the commandment) הַזֹּ֗את (this) לִפְנֵ֛י (before the face of) יְהוָ֥ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ (our God), כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר (as) צִוָּֽנוּ׃ס (He has commanded us).