The meaning of the Shema goes way beyond the belief in only one G‑d. “Hashem Echad” declares that there is no existence outside of G‑d. Our world, and everything inside it, is created from G‑d’s speech at every given moment. (To learn more about that, please read Juice and What is G‑d?) For a few moments every morning, we close our eyes and live this reality. Our breakfast, our shirt, our job . . . behind all the packaging, it’s all essentially G‑dliness.

We then open our eyes and see a very different-looking place in front of us.

But we can make it past this. For we have been reminded.
And this reality remains with us until evening, when it will be time for our next charge, the nighttime Shema.