Parshas Devarim
“Hear O Yisrael, Hashem is our G-d, Hashem is One” (Devarim 6,4)
It is a positive commandment that we are commanded to believe that Hashem, may He be blessed, runs all of reality. He is the Master of everything, unique without any kind of partner as it says, ““Hear O Yisrael, Hashem is our G-d, Hashem is One”. This Passuk is a positive commandment and this is what it means, “Hear, O Yisrael” that is to say, “Accept this fact from Me, know it, and believe in it, that Hashem, who is our G-d, is one.”
The root of this commandment is well known for it is the main foundation of the belief of all mankind and it is the strong pillar (of belief) that the heart of any logical person relies on.
One of the laws of this commandment is that each and every one of Klal Yisrael is obligated to be killed rather that to transgress this commandment of (belief in the) Oneness of Hashem. This is because anyone who does not admit to the Oneness of Hashem, may He be blessed, is denying one of the principles of faith, for the completion and the glory of His Sovereignty can only come about through complete Oneness. The heart of any wise person will sense this, and therefore this commandment is considered part of the prohibition against idolatry, about which we are commanded to be killed rather than transgress it at any time and in any place.
This Mitzva applies in any place and at any time, both to men and women. One who transgresses this and does not believe in His Oneness, may He be blessed, is transgressing this positive commandment and also all of the other commandments in the Torah, for they all depend on belief in the G-dliness and Oneness of Hashem, may He be blessed. A transgressor is called a denier of the faith and is not included in Bnei Yisrael but is considered a disbeliever and is set aside by Hashem for punishment.
This is one of the Mitzvos that a person is continually incumbent on a person; that means that this obligation does not cease at any time, not even for a short minute.
