One

Echad means one, and it is far more than a number in Jewish consciousness. The most important declaration in Judaism — the Shema — concludes with the word echad: 'Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One.' This single word encapsulates the entire theological revolution of monotheism: there is one God, indivisible and absolute. Jewish martyrs throughout history have died with the word echad on their lips, drawing out the final letter dalet as their souls departed. Rabbi Akiva, tortured to death by the Romans, famously prolonged the word echad as his life ebbed away, fulfilling the commandment to love God 'with all your soul' — interpreted as 'even if He takes your soul.' The letter dalet in echad is traditionally written larger than the other letters in Torah scrolls and prayer books. The mystical tradition finds profound meaning in echad's numerical value. Aleph (1) + chet (8) + dalet (4) = 13, the same value as ahava (love). This gematria (numerical equivalence) teaches that true oneness and true love are the same thing — to recognize the unity of all existence is to love it completely. In modern Hebrew, echad is everywhere: 'am echad' (one people), 'lev echad' (one heart), and the phrase 'kol echad' (everyone/each one). The concept of Jewish unity — 'achdut' — derives from echad and is invoked whenever the diverse, argumentative Jewish people need to remember what holds them together despite their differences.