22 Seconds
We are obligated to say the Shema every day and every night. The Shema consists mainly of verses from Deuteronomy, followed by verses from Numbers, and includes verse 5 of Chapter 6 of Deuteronomy which reads:

“And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul (1) and with all thy might.”
​
In stating this, God is instructing us to love Him deeply, and significantly, to express that love. In doing so, He is telling us something quite profound: He is telling us that He loves us very much (2). We only want people we love to express their deep love for us. 

There is an additional profound truth. God created the world with love. That is evident from the breathtaking beauty of so much of His creation. It is evident too from  the love which we have for one another, the love we often share with animals which reciprocate  that love, and the love animals exhibit for one another, especially the love between a  mother and her offspring. As far as we know the only creature who is aware of God and can love Him is man.  If not for love it is impossible to think of why  God would  have created the world. And so it follows that the purpose of creation was love.(3)
(1) It is significant that the verse is conveying that we have a soul - the "I" contended for in Insight 3.
(2) See below The Centrality of Love under New Insights on the Authenticity of the Torah .
​(3) That this was His purpose is my understanding of a recent  address of Rabbi Shimon Green, to whom I feel indebted for that valuable insight.

Podcast ChaiFM - Insight 11

Podcast ChaiFM - Insights 11 & 13