G-d: A Sampling of Texts

“If I knew G-d, I would be G-d” - Rabbi Joseph Albo

Rabbi Joseph Albo was a 15th century theologian in Spain. His most famous work is "Sefer HaIkarim", which tries to define the fundamentals of Judaism. This saying encapsulates the challenges of defining the undefinable Lord.

Foundational Texts

This text from the Biblical Book of Deuteronomy states that G-d is one -- not 3, not many, just 1. It is the most important prayer in Judaism because it separates us from most other religions in the world. While Judaism is focused more on action than on belief, this helps to define the boundaries of belief - G-d is less than or equal to 1. Also, this prayer is good for reminding us that it is important to listen fully to somebody - give them your undivided attention, even when that's hard (and rare) these days.

Does this way of thinking about G-d work for you?

This is from the Biblical Book of Exodus, from the Ten Commandments. The first line isn't technically a commandment, which is why in Hebrew these are called "The Ten Utterances". It makes the claim that G-d took us out of slavery in Egypt, which is implied to be the reason why we should follow the rest of the rules. The second commandment says that we shouldn't pray to other gods, and that we can't create images of G-d -- this suggest a limit on G-d in some way.

Does this way of thinking about G-d work for you?

Two Ways of Relating to G-d

Adon Olam is a prayer that is found at the beginning of all morning services, but it is most often sung at the end of Shabbat and Festival morning services. It makes the claim that there are 2 ways of experiencing G-d - far-away and transcendent (lines 1-6), and nearby and imminent (lines 7-10).

Does this way of thinking about G-d work for you?

Avinu Malkeinu is sung on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur (as well as on other fast days). The first two words talk about the two ways we relate to G-d -- a parent (close) and a sovereign (distant). These are similar to the two aspects of G-d we focus on during the High Holidays - G-d's justice and G-d's mercy (considered G-d's male and female side respectively). The female side of G-d is sometimes called the Shechinah (the Divine Presence).

Does this way of thinking about G-d work for you?

How Much Does G-d Do, and How Much Do We Do?

This is the blessing we say for lighting Shabbat candles. It has the phrase "asher kidshanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu", ("who has sanctified us with the Lord's commandments and commanded us"), which is added to all blessings over things we do. Some of these blessings are for things we are commanded to do in the Torah (like sitting in a sukkah), and some of them are for things which came after the Torah (like lighting Chanukah candles). We still say that we are commanded to do these things because of Deut. 17:11, which the rabbis interpreted as meaning we should do what they say and it will be like G-d told us to do those things. A point about G-d being made in this blessing is that G-d gives us ways of living a better life.

Note that while the first word of the blessing has the root ב.ר.כ., meaning "bless", some people translate it in this situation as "praised" on grounds that G-d has everything and can't be blessed.

Does this way of thinking about G-d work for you?

This is the blessing for grape juice and wine. It doesn't have the "asher kidshanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu" phrase because it is a praising/thanking blessing, not a "doing" blessing. This blessing is an acknowledgement that unlike the creation of fake grapes, growing real grapes involves factors outside of human control. Because Jews don't have a different god for rain vs. sun vs. the earth, all compliments (and complaints) get addressed to G-d.

Does this way of thinking about G-d work for you?

This is the blessing over bread. It gives G-d credit for bringing forth bread from the earth, but G-d doesn't actually do that. Instead, G-d helps the wheat to grow and gives us the ingenuity to turn wheat into bread. We are G-d's partners in improving creation. As Eleanor Powell said, our talents are G-d's gift to us, and what we do with them is our gift to G-d.

Other examples of people partnering with G-d: G-d wanted the Israelites freed from Egypt, but Moses and Aaron had to talk to Pharaoh. G-d wants no chametz on Pesach, but people have to get rid of it. G-d wants the poor, widowed, orphaned, and foreigners among us to be taken care of, and people have to do it. G-d provides the vision, and people provide the execution. By doing things in partnership, our relationship with G-d is stronger.

The Rabbis in the Talmud also talk about this idea. They noticed that in the story of Creation, when it says that G-d finished creating on Shabbat, the Torah uses the word “vayechulu”, meaning the heavens and the earth “were finished” (Gen. 2:1). However, by changing the vowels, the same word could be read “vayechalu”, meaning “they finished”. Rava interpreted this to mean that we partner with G-d to finish Creation. (Shabbat 119b:2).

​​​​​​​Saying Motzi helps us find spirituality in Judaism. By stopping to say a blessing before we eat, we are more present and have more mindfulness. Saying Motzi helps us find G-d in the ordinary act of eating.

Does this way of thinking about G-d work for you?

Wrestling with G-d

This is from the Biblical Book of Genesis. Jacob had tricked his brother Esau out of Esau's birthright and blessing 20 years prior to this text, and now that Jacob was coming home Esau was coming to meet him with 400 of Esau's closest friends. The night before they meet, Jacob sends his family across a stream in case Esau tries a night attack, and Jacob wrestles all night. It is unclear if Jacob is wrestling with Esau (doesn't explain why the name change involves wrestling with a divine being) or with Jacob's own conscience (doesn't explain why he sustains a physical hip injury) or with an angel (Esau's guardian angel or some other angel). The key point is that Jacob's name changes to Israel, "the G-d-wrestler". As descendants of Jacob/Israel, we get to wrestle with G-d and that's OK.

Does this way of thinking about G-d work for you?

This is from the Biblical Book of Genesis, where G-d tells Abraham that G-d is going to destroy the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham has the chutzpah, the gall, to argue with G-d and say that G-d is making a mistake. After G-d agrees to not destroy the cities if 50 good people are found there, Abraham has the further chutzpah to keep arguing G-d down. As the descendants of Abraham, we get to tell G-d when we think G-d is wrong, though G-d may not respond.

Does this way of thinking about G-d work for you?

Covenant with G-d

This is from the Biblical Book of Exodus, right before G-d reveals the Ten Commandments at Mt. Sinai. Here we have the covenant of G-d with the Jewish people. Some people are uncomfortable with the idea of the Jews as the Chosen People, though it does not imply superiority but rather distinct responsibilities that anybody else is welcome to join us in sharing. This text suggests that the Jewish people have a relationship with G-d; many modern thinkers suggest that each people can have a special relationship with G-d if they so choose, just like a parent can have a treasured relationship with more than 1 child.

Does this way of thinking about G-d work for you?

What Do We Know About G-d?

Rambam/Maimonides (1135-1204, a little less than half an hour) created these Thirteen Principles of Faith, which Rabbi Daniel bar Judah turned into Yigdal in the 1300s based on Immanuel of Rome’s efforts earlier. This form of the principles is sung at the end of Friday evening services, as well as appearing at the beginning of weekday morning services (as a prayer it is called “Yigdal” because that’s the first word). These principles try to encapsulate some ideas about G-d. Some people have trouble with the idea of G-d bringing people back to life when the Messiah comes; this can also be understood as people living on in the memories of others, or the trees coming back to life after they appear dead in the winter.

Which of these ways of thinking about G-d work for you?

This is from the Biblical Book of Exodus. After the Golden Calf incident, Moses needed some more support from G-d while receiving the second set of the Ten Commandments. Moses stood in the cleft of a rock and hid his face while G-d passed before him. Moses only saw G-d's "back" (the Bible uses anthropomorphisms to describe G-d, but since G-d has no body this simply is to help humans understand G-d), and then G-d describes G-d's-self with these terms. When these are said on Yom Kippur and in the Festival Torah Service the verse cuts off before "visiting the iniquity...". Also, while it is true that the actions of one generation affect the next generation (think climate change), the rabbis noticed that in Deuteronomy 24:16 children weren’t to be put to death for the mistakes of their parents so in the Talmud the rabbis said that children only get punished if they act like their parents (Sanhedrin 27b:14-18).

Does this way of thinking about G-d work for you?

Where Do We Find G-d?

This is from the Biblical Book of Exodus, right before the giving of the Ten Commandments. Sometimes G-d is found / experienced in the big flashy moments.

Does this way of thinking about G-d work for you?

This is from the Biblical Book of First Kings. Elijah had convinced the Israelites that the priests of Ba'al weren't priests of a real god, and their sponsor Queen Jezebel put a price on his head. Elijah went into the wilderness and needed some more support from G-d. This text shows that sometimes G-d is found / experienced in the quiet moments, like listening to our conscience.

Does this way of thinking about G-d work for you?

G-d Acts Through Nature

This is from the Biblical Book of Exodus, when the Israelites are trapped at the Sea of Reeds. Moses holds up his staff, but the waters don't instantly part. Rather, they part through the action of a wind which blows all night. Similar to the Ten Plagues, which also could have taken place through natural occurrences (starting with red algae), G-d is acting through nature here.

Does this way of thinking about G-d work for you?

This is a blessing for big things in nature - seeing a sunset, mountains, one of the Great Lakes, etc. It makes the case that G-d is present in nature. There's also a different blessing for individual beautiful things like a specific flower or animal.

Does this way of thinking about G-d work for you?

G-d Acts Through People

"Al Hanissim" is an extra paragraph added to the Amidah and Birkat Hamazon on Purim (and Chanukah, and Yom HaAtzmaut). It gives credit to G-d for saving the Jews of Persia from Haman. Yet G-d is never explicitly mentioned in the Book of Esther! This prayer makes the case that G-d acts through people. Where was G-d during the Holocaust? One answer is that G-d was acting through the people who tried to make a difference.

One more way that the Rabbis make this point is that the story of Esther only starts to change when she invites the king and Haman to the first feast. The Rabbis noticed that the phrase “yavo hamelech v’Haman hayom” (the king and Haman should come today) is an acronym for G-d’s 4-letter name. Therefore, they deduced that G-d was present when Esther took action (kippah tip to Rabbi Michael Siegel).

Another story that gets at this point is that there is a flood and a very pious man is sure that G-d is going to rescue him. He turns down people with a rowboat, a canoe, and even a helicopter, and eventually he drowns. Upon arriving in the afterlife, his soul asks G-d why G-d didn't rescue him, and G-d responds, "Who do you think sent you the people with the rowboat, canoe, and helicopter?"

Does this way of thinking about G-d work for you?

Why Does G-d Allow Evil?

This text is from Pirkei Avot, a Talmudic collection of quotes from the rabbis who lived between 200 BCE and 200 CE. Rabbi Akiba brings up the idea of free will - G-d has given us free will as part of the rules of the universe which G-d set up. G-d is a cheerleader for us to make good decisions (and some define G-d as "the force for good in the world"), and G-d is sad when we don't make good decisions. The rabbis depicted G-d as crying and going into exile when the Second Temple was destroyed. Only through free will, though, can we be held responsible for our actions.

Does this way of thinking about G-d work for you?

How Do We Bring G-d Into Our Lives?

The Shehechiyanu blessing is one which we say any time we do something for the first time, or for the first time in a year, or when we reach a milestone worth marking. It's a way of bringing holiness into moments, recognizing that we didn't reach a certain point by our own actions solely, but rather through the aid of others (including G-d). Saying this blessing is a way of marking how special moments are also. One of the Big Ideas in Judaism is having an attitude of gratitude, and saying this blessing keeps us grateful that we made it to whatever moment we are marking.

Does this way of thinking about G-d work for you?

There are many names for G-d in the Jewish tradition (the Kitzur Baal HaTurim on Numbers 11:16 lists 70). These are some of them.

Which ones most appeal to you?

Context: This is a song by Eliana Light about G-d, written around 2020.