|
Hashem
Hashem has many names such as El, El Shaddai, Adonai, Elohim, Almighty, L-rd, King of the Universe. No matter what name we use, Hashem is One and Indivisible. Hashem has no human form and the use of terms such as "the hand of Hashem" is a metaphor since the human mind cannot comprehend Hashem on such a profound metaphysical level. There have been different views of Hashem throughout the ages by various Jews:
The Tanach view has nine basic beliefs regarding Hashem: monotheism (only One Hashem); Hashem has a name; nobody knows what Hashem look like; Hashem acts in this world; Hashem has made a special relationship with Klal Yisrael, Klal Yisrael has a special Covenant with Hashem; Hashem requires ethical behavior of humans; Hashem is a personal Hashem; and, the suffering of the righteous is not understandable.
The Rabbinic view of Hashem is similar to the Biblical view and includes: Hashem's existence; monotheism; angels act as Hashem's messengers; Hashem judges this world; Hashem and Klal Yisrael have a special bond; Hashem is a personal Hashem; the suffering of the righteous cannot be explained; and, there is an afterlife and a physical resurrection.
Philo Judaeus' view of Hashem includes: monotheism; Hashem cannot be described; Hashem cannot be named; Hashem's existence can be proven; Hashem does not have a physical body but He does control this world; Hashem operates in this world through "logos"; this "logos" is not a person; Hashem can be approached; Hashem has a special relationship with Klal Yisrael; and, evil does not come from Hashem but from the world of matter.
Maimonides' view of Hashem includes: Hashem exists and has no physical body; the existence of Hashem can be proven; the human mind cannot comprehend the totality of Hashem so man uses euphemisms to describe Hashem (i.e. the hand of Hashem); Hashem created the world out of nothingness; angels are the messenger of Hashem; evil results from human actions and an imperfect world; man has free will; and, man's goal in life is spiritual and intellectual perfection.
The Kabbalah's view of Hashem includes: Hashem exists but is unknowable; the ten sefirot is how Hashem manifests Himself in this world; the human body is a microcosm of the universe; Hashem is Self-limiting; the world is imperfect; and, man is partners with Hashem to help repair the world.
Baruch Spinoza's view of Hashem includes: Hashem and the universe are synonymous; Hashem is not a personal Hashem; Hashem is beyond good and evil and is relative to human experience; man has no free will; and, the human mind remains forever (man is immortal).
Martin Buber's view of Hashem includes: Hashem cannot be defined and Hashem's existence cannot be proven; man enters into a relationship with Hashem when man enters into a genuine dialogue with others in man's daily activities; laws are given by Hashem to individuals (there was no on-time revelation at Mount Sinai); and, evil comes about either through Hashem withdrawing from man or man's own lack of decision or direction.
Milton Steinberg's Theistic view of Hashem includes: monotheism; Hashem is a personal, spiritual being; Hashem is all-powerful (some theists - including Steinberg - believe that Hashem is all-good but not all-powerful), all-good, and all-knowing; Hashem is supernatural and transnatural; Hashem knows man and hears and answers prayers; Hashem is the source of good and evil although some theists - including Steinberg - limit Hashem’s power by claiming that evil is part of the universe but does not come from Hashem); human shortcomings limit our knowledge of Hashem; the existence of Hashem cannot be logically proven and must be taken on faith; Hashem has a relationship with mankind; and, man works with Hashem to repair the world.
Mordecai Kaplan's view of Hashem includes: naturalistic Hashem concept (the world can be explained by scientifically verifiable ideas); salvation for man is self-realization; Hashem is manifested in the moral responsibility of man; Hashem is a power not a being; miracles are part of natural law and not a suspension of this law by Hashem; man does not pray to Hashem - prayer is the first step to self-realization; and, evil is the part of life that does not allow self-realization.
Erich Fromm's view of Hashem includes: Hashem represents the ultimate goal for humanity; Hashem symbolizes man's mind; and, Hashem stands for man's inner experience and cannot be explained.
Nature of Hashem
Hashem Exists
The Torah begins by stating "In the beginning, Hashem created..." It does not tell who Hashem is or how He was created. The fact of Hashem's existence is accepted almost without question. In general, Judaism views the existence of Hashem as a necessary prerequisite for the existence of the universe. The existence of the universe is sufficient proof of the existence of Hashem.
Hashem is One
One of the primary expressions of Jewish faith, recited twice daily in prayer, is the Shema Prayer, which begins שמע ישראל יהוה אלהינו יהוה אחד (Hear, O Israel: The L-rd is our Hashem, The L-rd is one.) This single statement contains three central Jewish beliefs:
There is only one Hashem.
Hashem is a unity. He cannot be divided into parts or described by attributes.
Hashem is the only being to whom we should offer praise. Hashem is the Creator of Everything
Everything in the universe was created by Hashem and only by Hashem. As Isaiah said, "I am the L-rd, and there is none else. I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create evil. I am the L-rd, that does all these things." (Isaiah 45:6-7).
Hashem is Incorporeal
Although many places in the Tanach and Talmud speak of various parts of Hashem's body or speaks of Hashem in anthropomorphic terms, Judaism firmly maintains that Hashem has no body. Any reference to Hashem's body is simply a means of making Hashem's actions more comprehensible to beings living in a material world. We are forbidden to represent Hashem in a physical form. That is considered idolatry. The sin of the Golden Calf incident was not that the people chose another deity, but that they tried to represent Hashem in a physical form.
Hashem is Neither Male nor Female
Hashem has no body, no genitalia, therefore the very idea that Hashem is male or female is completely incorrect. We refer to Hashem using masculine terms simply for convenience's sake, because Hebrew has no neutral gender; Hashem is no more male than a book. There are times when we refer to Hashem using feminine terms. The Shechinah (a feminine word), the manifestation of Hashem's presence that fills the universe, is conceived of in feminine terms.
Hashem is Omnipresent
Hashem is in all places at all times. He fills the universe and exceeds its scope. Closely tied in with this idea is the fact that Hashem is universal. He is not just the Hashem of the Jews; He is the Hashem of all nations.
Hashem is Omnipotent
Hashem can do anything. The belief in Hashem's omnipotence has been tested during the many persecutions of Jews, but Jews have always maintained that Hashem has a reason for allowing these things, even if we cannot see the reason.
Hashem is Omniscient
Hashem knows all things, past, present and future.
Hashem is Eternal
Hashem has no beginning and no end. He will always be there to fulfill his promises. When Moses asked for Hashem's name, He replied, "I am that I am," but the Hebrew word used, ehyeh, can be present or future tense, meaning "I am what I will be" or "I will be what I will be." The ambiguity of the phrase is often interpreted as a reference to Hashem's eternal nature.
Hashem is Both Just and Merciful
Judaism has always maintained that Hashem's justice is tempered by mercy, the two qualities perfectly balanced.
Hashem is Holy and Perfect
One of the most common names applied to Hashem in the post-Biblical period is "Ha-Kadosh, Barukh Hu," The Holy One, Blessed be He.
Hashem is our Father and our King
Judaism maintains that we are all Hashem's children. A well-known piece of Jewish liturgy repeatedly describes Hashem as "Avinu Malkeinu," our Father, our King. It is said that one of Hashem's greatest gifts to humanity is the knowledge that we are His children and created in Hashem's image.
Names of Hashem
יהוה
Ineffable Name, Unutterable Name (Tetragrammaton) - Holy Name used only by the Kohen Gadol in the Holy of Holies. This name is never spelled out or pronounced except by the Kohen Gadol. The use of the terms Yahweh or Jehovah are misnomers. In scripture, this Name is used when discussing God's relation with human beings, and when emphasizing his qualities of loving-kindness and mercy.
אדון עולם
Adon Olam (Master of the World)
אדני
Adonai (My L-rd) This name is commonly used when studying Torah/Talmud or when in prayer.
אדני אמת
Adonai Emet (Truth)
אבינו מלכנו
Avinu Melkeinu (Our Father, Our King)
אהיה אשר אהיה
Ehiyeh asher Ehiyeh (I Am That I Am)
אין סוף
Ein Sof (Infinite” or “Endless)
אל
El (Hashem) used chiefly in poetry and prophetic discourse.
אלהי אברהם אלהי יצחק ואלהי יעקב
Elohei Avraham, Elohei Yitzchak v'Elohei Yakov (Hashem of Abraham, Hashem of Isaac, and Hashem of Jacob)
אלהי שרה אלהי רבקה אלהי לאה ואלהי רחל
Elohei Sara, Elohei Rivka, Elohei Leah ve Elohei Rachel (Hashem of Sarah, Hashem of Rebecca, Hashem of Leah, and Hashem of Rachel)
אלהים
Elohim (The Lawmaker) (Misspelled intentionally--spelled with a k not h in siddur (prayer book)/Tanach). In scripture, this Name is used when emphasizing God's might, His creative power, and his attributes of justice and ruler ship.
עליון
Elyon (Supreme or Most High) this Name appears chiefly in poetic and later Biblical passages.
השם
Hashem (The Name) This name is commonly used in everyday speech as well as in scripture.
הקדוש ברוך הוא
HaKodesh, Baruch Hu (The Holy One, Praised be He)
קדוש ישראל
Kadosh Yisrael (Holy One of Israel)
מגן אברהם
Magen Avraham (Shield of Abraham)
מקום
Makom (The Place, The Omnipresent)
מלך המלכים
Melech HaMelachim (The King of Kings)
רבונו של עולם
Ribbono shel Olam (Master of the World)
רועה ישראל
Ro'eh Yisrael (Shepherd of Israel)
ידש
Shaddai (acronym - Guardian of the Doors of Israel) This Name is the one written on the mezuzah scroll.
צור ישראל
Tzur Yisrael (The Rock of Israel)
Writing Hashem's Name
Judaism does not forbid the writing out of the Names of Hashem per se. However, Judaism does forbid taking the Names of Hashem in vain and erasing or defacing the Names of Hashem. Observant Jews do not write out the Names of Hashem in order to protect the Names from later being erased or defaced. The commandment not to erase or deface the name of God comes from Deuteronomy 12:3-4.
You shall break apart their altars; you shall smash their pillars; and their sacred trees shall you burn in the fire; their carved images shall you cut down; and you shall obliterate their names from that place. You shall not do this to Hashem, your Hashem.
The rabbis taught that we are commanded not to erase or deface a Name of Hashem. This ruling is applicable only to a permanent form of writing a Name of Hashem. Observant Jews will be careful when writing out the Names of Hashem on a non-permanent medium such as the computer since the Names may be printed out and erased or defaced. Any permanent writing of the Names of Hashem that are old and/or unusable are to be buried in a Jewish cemetery inside a geniza (a box used to bury holy objects) according to Jewish Law.
|
