God of Judaism Is Unique
Judaism, the oldest of the Abrahamic monotheistic faiths and the one religion that embraces one God, centers around the belief in a single omnipotent omnipresent deity. While it’s often referred to as the God of the Jews, the God of Judaism is actually universal. While there are several schools of thought within Judaism as to who one’s God is, there is a widely accepted view that one’s God is the same God of all.
The God of Judaism is both all-knowing and all-powerful, they are the one and only all-encompassing and eternal being. Unlike a polytheistic religion, Judaism’s understanding of this deity is not limited by the theologies of other religious traditions. Judaism is the only religion that considers its beliefs concerning God to be both consistent and complete.
Unlike other monotheistic religions, Judaism does not subscribe to the notion of a personal, anthropomorphic God. Seeing God as both an individual and collective entity, Jews often cite references to God in the Third Person rather than the First Person. This is in contrast to Christianity, which defines the relationship between human beings and God as personal, and to Islam which defines God as one and indivisible.
God of Judaism Is Unseen & Unheard
Judaism does not allow for a visualization of the divine or a representation through an image. As such, Jews believe that God exists outside of any kind of corporeal form and can only be experienced interactively. This means that Jews cannot make a physical contact with Him, and that any attempt to do so is a form of idolatry. Jews instead rely on prayer and meditation to access the divine.
Judaism also does not permit a hearing of God’s voice. Jews maintain that no one can hear God’s voice in its fullest form. Rather, it is believed that in moments of spiritual inspiration, prayer, and meditation one can get a glimpse of the divine and enter into a deeper understanding of God’s presence in the world.
God of Judaism Cannot Be Understood
The God of Judaism is mysterious and unknowable. It is impossible to understand the being of God, let alone put God’s fullness into words. Jewish scholars have written at length about the nature of God, yet the mystery remains that only the divine knows itself.
Yet Jews are commanded to “Know the Lord” (Deuteronomy 6:5) and to love and fear Him (Deuteronomy 6:2-3). How can we then know what we cannot understand? The answer lies in recognizing the limitations inherent in our ability to comprehend God while striving to strive to foster holiness in the world. Judaism encourages us to ponder the divine and its potential existence, wondering at the Creator’s mysterious ways.
God of Judaism Is Unchanging
A unique aspect of the Jewish understanding of God is that the God of Judaism does not change. No matter what depths one plumbs into the question of God, He remains constant and true.
Every era and every occurrence in life is met with the same divine force and no situation results in God shifting His will or opinion. He stands unswervingly within that which He creates and remains an invisible figure throughout the entirety of existence.
God of Judaism Precedes Creation
The God of Judaism existed before creation itself. This is one aspect of the Jewish conception of God that sets it apart from other monotheistic religions.
As logical as it may sound, the Jewish view of a pre-existent deity is something that has been debated throughout the centuries. How can a Being exist in a world that was not even there? This is a question that has no answer and instead, it seems, faith steps in and fills in the blanks.
God of Judaism and Gender
Jewish tradition teaches that God transcends gender. Although pronouns may be used, they are often seen as arbitrary to the understanding of God and His relationship to the universe. Both traditional and contemporary interpretations of scripture teach that God has both male and female traits. Generally, within Judaism, it is accepted to refer to God using whatever pronoun feels most comfortable.
God of Judaism and Free Will
The God of Judaism grants humankind the gift of free will. This is seen in Jewish tradition as a spiritual transaction between God and human, giving us the freedom to make moral decisions. Judaism teaches that the choices we make and the thoughts we think are reflections of our own inner nature and not the whims of the divine.
God of Judaism and the Covenant
The God of Judaism and the covenant made between G-d and the Jewish people runs deep in the history of the religion. A covenant is a type of binding agreement between parties, usually one made between God and humans where God, in exchange for loyalty and dedication, promises to bestow certain divine privileges.
The God of Judaism promised the Jewish people many things, including the land of Israel and the knowledge of the Torah. This covenant was the basis of Judaism’s moral, spiritual and ethical teachings, and it shaped the development of the religion.
God Of Judaism and Divine Interventions
The God of Judaism is believed to be present in every moment, guiding, teaching and help to mankind. Jewish scriptures tell stories of many ways in which God has physically intervened in Jewish history, such as in answering prayers, providing sustenance and protection.
Believers have found these divine interventions to have a powerful influence in their lives, inspiring to do good and honouring the divine commandments. It is said that those who evidence this relationship by living their lives according to the teachings of the Torah and performing mitzvot will be blessed with a life which is in harmony with nature.
God of Judaism and the Human Soul
Central to the belief in the God of Judaism is the concept of the human soul. According to Jewish thought, God’s direct connection to a person comes through the soul, and it is through the soul that we make contact with the divine. The soul is a microcosm of the divine, with all the world’s potential existing within each person.
Part of that potential includes the ability to do good deeds and bring healing, mercy and justice into the world. This process is known as tikkun olam, which means “repair of the world” in Hebrew. Through performing tikkun olam, people are able to tap into the divine potential within each soul, living out the will of God while sharing it with the world.
God of Judaism and the World
The God of Judaism is rooted in a belief in the power and presence of the divine in the world. In the face of life’s challenges, Jews look to the Torah and its teachings as a source of understanding and enlightenment.
The poetic language of the Torah allows us to bridge the gap between the world we inhabit and the divine world. It does this by creating a bridge between the abstractness of the divine and the concrete reality of life on earth.
Through this approach, Jews come to appreciate the beauty of life despite its apparent flaws. In the words of the Prophet Isaiah, we believe that “we are all fashioned by the hand of God.” In recognizing this truth, we learn to view the world through a new lens, one that sees God as the ultimate creative force in our lives.
