Judaism & The Nature of Judaism & The Nature of GodGod

God ExistsGod Exists

God’s existence is accepted God’s existence is accepted without questionwithout question

Proof is not needed and is rarely Proof is not needed and is rarely offeredoffered

The Torah begins by stating "In The Torah begins by stating "In the beginning, God created..." the beginning, God created..." – It does not tell who God is or how He It does not tell who God is or how He

was created. was created.

God is OneGod is One

One of the primary expressions of One of the primary expressions of Jewish faith, recited twice daily in Jewish faith, recited twice daily in prayer, is the Shema.prayer, is the Shema.– "Hear, Israel: The Lord is our God, "Hear, Israel: The Lord is our God,

The Lord is one." The Lord is one." – There is only one God. No other There is only one God. No other

being participated in the work of being participated in the work of creation. creation.

God is a unity.God is a unity.He is a single, whole, complete indivisible He is a single, whole, complete indivisible

entity. entity. He cannot be divided into parts or described by He cannot be divided into parts or described by

attributes. attributes. Any attempt to ascribe attributes to God is merely Any attempt to ascribe attributes to God is merely

man's imperfect attempt to understand the infinite. man's imperfect attempt to understand the infinite. God is the only being to whom praise should God is the only being to whom praise should

be offered. be offered. – The Shema can also be translated as "The The Shema can also be translated as "The

Lord is our God, The Lord alone," Lord is our God, The Lord alone," Meaning that no other is God, and Jews should not Meaning that no other is God, and Jews should not

pray to any other. pray to any other.

God is One cont…God is One cont…

God is the Creator of God is the Creator of Everything Everything Everything in the universe was created Everything in the universe was created

by God and only by God. by God and only by God. Judaism completely rejects the dualistic Judaism completely rejects the dualistic

notion that evil was created by Satan or notion that evil was created by Satan or some other deity. some other deity.

All comes from God. All comes from God. – As Isaiah said, "I am the Lord, and there is As Isaiah said, "I am the Lord, and there is

none else. I form the light and create none else. I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create evil. I darkness, I make peace and create evil. I am the Lord, that does all these things." (Is. am the Lord, that does all these things." (Is. 45:6-7). 45:6-7).

God is Incorporeal God is Incorporeal

God has no bodyGod has no body Although many places in scripture and Talmud speak Although many places in scripture and Talmud speak

of various parts of God's body (the Hand of God, God's of various parts of God's body (the Hand of God, God's wings, etc.) or speak of God in anthropomorphic terms wings, etc.) or speak of God in anthropomorphic terms (God walking in the garden of Eden, etc.), Judaism (God walking in the garden of Eden, etc.), Judaism firmly maintains that God has no body.firmly maintains that God has no body.

Any reference to God's body is simply a figure of Any reference to God's body is simply a figure of speech, a means of making God's actions more speech, a means of making God's actions more comprehensible to beings living in a material world comprehensible to beings living in a material world

Jews are forbidden to represent God in a physical Jews are forbidden to represent God in a physical form.form.– That is considered idolatry. That is considered idolatry. – The sin of the Golden Calf incident was not that the The sin of the Golden Calf incident was not that the

people chose another deity, but that they tried to people chose another deity, but that they tried to represent God in a physical form. represent God in a physical form.

God is Neither Male or God is Neither Male or FemaleFemale This follows directly from the fact This follows directly from the fact

that God has no physical form or that God has no physical form or body. body.

Jews refer to God using masculine Jews refer to God using masculine terms simply for convenience's saketerms simply for convenience's sake

Hebrew has no neutral genderHebrew has no neutral gender God is no more male than a table is. God is no more male than a table is.

God is OmnipresentGod is Omnipresent

God is in all places at all times.God is in all places at all times. He fills the universe and exceeds its He fills the universe and exceeds its

scope. scope. He is always near to be called upon in He is always near to be called upon in

need, and He sees all. need, and He sees all. Closely tied in with this idea is the fact Closely tied in with this idea is the fact

that God is universal. that God is universal. He is not just the God of the Jews; He is He is not just the God of the Jews; He is

the God of all nations. the God of all nations.

God is Omnipotent God is Omnipotent

God can do anything.God can do anything. It is said that the only thing that is It is said that the only thing that is

beyond His power is the fear of Him; beyond His power is the fear of Him; That is, Man has free will, and God That is, Man has free will, and God

cannot compel us to do His will. cannot compel us to do His will. This belief in God's omnipotence has This belief in God's omnipotence has

been tested during the many been tested during the many persecutions of Jews, but they have persecutions of Jews, but they have always maintained that God has a always maintained that God has a reason for allowing these things, even if reason for allowing these things, even if in their limited perception and in their limited perception and understanding cannot see the reason. understanding cannot see the reason.

God is Omniscient God is Omniscient

God knows all things, past, God knows all things, past, present and future. present and future.

He knows our thoughts. He knows our thoughts.

God is Eternal God is Eternal

God transcends time. God transcends time. He has no beginning and no end. He has no beginning and no end. He will always be there to fulfill his promises. He will always be there to fulfill his promises. When Moses asked for G-d's name, He When Moses asked for G-d's name, He

replied, "Ehyeh asher ehyeh." replied, "Ehyeh asher ehyeh." – That phrase is generally translated as, "I am that I That phrase is generally translated as, "I am that I

am," but the word "ehyeh" can be present or future am," but the word "ehyeh" can be present or future tense, meaning "I am what I will be" or "I will be tense, meaning "I am what I will be" or "I will be what I will be." what I will be."

– The ambiguity of the phrase is often interpreted as The ambiguity of the phrase is often interpreted as a reference to God's eternal nature. a reference to God's eternal nature.

God is Both Just and God is Both Just and Merciful Merciful Christians speak of Judaism as the religion of the Christians speak of Judaism as the religion of the

strict Law, which no human being is good strict Law, which no human being is good enough to fulfill (hence the need for the sacrifice enough to fulfill (hence the need for the sacrifice of Jesus). of Jesus).

This is a mischaracterization of Jewish belief.This is a mischaracterization of Jewish belief. Judaism has always maintained that God's Judaism has always maintained that God's

justice is tempered by mercyjustice is tempered by mercy Of the two Names of God most commonly used Of the two Names of God most commonly used

in scripture, one refers to his quality of justice in scripture, one refers to his quality of justice and the other to his quality of mercy. (Elohim & and the other to his quality of mercy. (Elohim & Adonai)Adonai)

The two names were used together in the story The two names were used together in the story of Creation, showing that the world was created of Creation, showing that the world was created with both justice and mercy. with both justice and mercy.

God is Holy and God is Holy and Perfect Perfect One of the most common names One of the most common names

applied to God in the post-Biblical applied to God in the post-Biblical period is "Ha-Kadosh, Barukh Hu." period is "Ha-Kadosh, Barukh Hu."

The Holy One, Blessed be He. The Holy One, Blessed be He.

Avinu MalkeinuAvinu Malkeinu: God is : God is our Father and our our Father and our King King Judaism maintains that we are all God's Judaism maintains that we are all God's

children. children. A well-known piece of Jewish liturgy A well-known piece of Jewish liturgy

repeatedly describes God as "repeatedly describes God as "Avinu Avinu MalkeinuMalkeinu," our Father, our King. ," our Father, our King.

The Talmud teaches that there are three The Talmud teaches that there are three participants in the formation of every human participants in the formation of every human being: the mother and father, who provide being: the mother and father, who provide the physical form, and God, who provides the the physical form, and God, who provides the soul, the personality, and the intelligence. soul, the personality, and the intelligence.

It is said that one of God's greatest gifts to It is said that one of God's greatest gifts to humanity is the knowledge that we are His humanity is the knowledge that we are His children and created in his image. children and created in his image.