When reciting the Shema without a minyan, we introduce the prayer with the words Kel melech ne’eman, “G-d is a faithful king.”

Why the introduction? Well, a midrash says, “Let the recitation of Shema not be seen as trivial, for its 248 words match the 248 parts of the human body. G-d says, ‘If you guard the 248 words of my Shema by reading them correctly, I will guard the 248 parts of your body.’

There’s only one problem: the Shema has only 245 words! So the custom began of adding three words in the beginning to get up to 248.

When we daven with a minyan, we don’t add these words. Instead, we make up the extra three when the shaliach tzibbur, the person representing the congregation by leading the prayers, repeats at the end of the Shema “Ad-nai El-kaychem emet.” “The Lord your G-d is Truth.”

Why the emphasis on this number? The Shema begins with the words, “You shall love the Lord your G-d with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength.” Haven’t we heard a friend who’s head over heels about someone say, “I love him with every bone in my body?” With G-d, we should do no less.

But back to Kel melech neeman. If you look at the first letters of each word, aleph (we add a “k” to the first word when typing it just so that we aren’t writing G-d’s name exactly), mem, nun, it spells out “amen.” In the Talmud it says, in the name of Resh Lakish, “If you say amen with all your might, the gates of the Garden of Eden will be open to you.” (Shabbat 119b).

Obviously, there’s a lot of hyperbole in these expressions—or perhaps wishful thinking. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if all we had to do is say a prayer correctly to gain G-d’s protection? Who knew that the Garden of Eden was so close by and so easy to get into?! But there’s no need to take all this at face value. What the rabbis were trying to point out is that there is real value for us in experiencing, if only for a few moments a day, complete focus. Our lives are so scattered, we are pulled in so many directions, we are torn by so many conflicting emotions, that every now and then, if would be a real relief to say with complete kavannah (intentional mindful concentration) that all is truly “echad” —all is one.

And who knows? Maybe the gates of the Garden of Eden really will open to us!