Listening and the Power of Witness

Scripture“Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord is one.”— Deuteronomy 6:4

“Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute.”— Proverbs 31:8

The Sh’ma begins with a command: Hear.This command is not only about devotion to God—it is about how we respond to the world around us. To hear rightly is to become attentive to voices that might otherwise be ignored.

In Scripture, hearing and justice are closely connected.

The call in Proverbs is clear: “Open your mouth for the mute.” But before one can speak on behalf of others, one must first listen to them. Advocacy begins with attention. Justice begins with hearing what has long been silenced.

Throughout history, change often begins when people refuse to ignore voices that have been pushed to the margins.

Movements for justice frequently start with a simple demand:

This demand is not complicated, but it is powerful. It challenges individuals and communities to confront realities they may have overlooked, minimized, or denied.

When people begin to hear stories of injustice—truly hear them—the moral landscape begins to shift. What once seemed normal becomes........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)