Nature of God

• Characteristics of God:

  • One
  • Creator
  • Law-Giver
  • Judge
• Why is God One?

  As said in the Shema " the Lord your God, the Lord is One" or in the Decalogue "You shall have no other Gods before me"
• Why is God Creator?

  He alone created all life and gave it to humans to be stewards of Earth, as shown in Genesis 1: "on the sixth day he created humans" and gave them a special role to caretake all He has created"
• Why is God Law-giver?

  As he gave the 613 mitzvot including the Decalogue to Moses, giving laws for the Jews to live by.
• Why is God Judge?

  He judges people on how well they followed the Torah and the Mitzvot and provides a fair punishment for those who do bad
• They respect God as One for they:

  • Have no statues in Synagogues
  • Some Jews don't write his name
  • The Shema is inside Mezuzahs and Tefilins
• They respect God as Creator as they:

  • Celebrate Rosh Hashanah and Shabbat
  • Not allowing euthanasia
  • Follow the principle Pikuach Nefesh
• They respect God as Law-giver as they:

  • Orthodox try to follow all the 613 mitzvot
  • Reform choose what mitzvot to follow
  • Acts of kindness
• They respect God as Judge as they celebrate Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur as God begins judgement of good and bad deeds