Questions regarding our understanding of God, such as it is. NOT for every question about Jewish beliefs.
18
votes
7answers
693 views
Bereishit vs. science
How does Judaism deal with the differences between scientific evidence of the beginning of the world and the account(s) in Bereishit?
17
votes
4answers
329 views
How does one explain God to little kids?
As I understand it, the ability to understand abstract concepts develops gradually in kids and is certainly not all there when they first start having conversations. This comes into play when kids ...
15
votes
1answer
145 views
Can a Noachide continue to believe in religious tenets that are against the Torah?
Say you have a Christian* or a Muslim (or a member of any other monotheistic religion) who accepts the Seven Noachide Laws, and (as per Mishneh Torah, Hil. Melachim 8:11) does so because he believes ...
12
votes
6answers
730 views
How do we know that God exists?
Simple enough question, and very much related to the topic.
According to the sources, on what basis should people believe that there's a God?
12
votes
4answers
605 views
What is the machlokes between the Gra and Ba'al HaTanya?
What is the famous argument between the Vilna Gaon and the Ba'al HaTanya in understanding the Sod HaTzimtzum? And what are some ma'areh mekomos in their works where this Machlokes is seen?
11
votes
7answers
948 views
How does Judaism deal with God and paradoxes?
How does Judaism deal with paradoxes relating to the omnipotence of God?
For example: Can God create a rock that he himself cannot lift?
11
votes
6answers
487 views
Reconciling the evidence for the Uncertainty Principle with belief in an omniscient G-d
One of the foundations of modern quantum mechanics is the Uncertainty Principle. This principle is not an assumption, but rather is derived from assumptions made with regard to the structure of ...
11
votes
4answers
311 views
Is belief in a G-d a commandment?
I am studying to convert to Judaism and one of the questions I was asked was about the Ten Commandments. I remember reading at that time that there was debate about the division of the statements ...
11
votes
3answers
218 views
Do people have an effect on the mood of God?
If a person commits idolatry or fornication he is sinful. Not only that, but the curse of Hashem is with that person. On the other hand, if a person does a lot of mitswots (commandments) and believes ...
11
votes
1answer
95 views
Is God swayed by popular appeal?
When we pray for someone to be healed, we pray this individually in the Amidah but we also often have a community misheberach list. I assume that there is a theological reason for the public prayer, ...
10
votes
5answers
203 views
Why did Yonah run away?
If Yonah understood that he was being commanded by God, then how could he have possibly thought that he could run away? Did he believe that God was tied to a particular land, the way pagan gods were ...
9
votes
3answers
218 views
How do scientists such as Natan Aviezer and Gerald Schroeder understand the fourth day of creation?
If I understand correctly, scientists such as Natan Aviezer and Gerald Schroeder have readings of Genesis Chapter 1 that fit with the current scientific understanding of how the universe/planet/life ...
8
votes
5answers
784 views
Have Jews believed that Ezra was the son of God?
In reading the Qur'an, I noticed this passage:
Qur'an 9:30 The Jews say, "Ezra is the son of Allah "; and the Christians say, "The Messiah is the son of Allah ." That is their statement from their ...
8
votes
5answers
662 views
Sheidim, fact or fiction?
Are there really such thing as sheidim? If so, what are they? Please include sources.
7
votes
4answers
166 views
If the odds are against you in life (Bais Shammai's opinion), why did G-d bother?
I'm asking this question only because I recall hearing an answer, but unfortunately I don't remember the answer, or from which rabbi. Help me please?
Mesilas Yesharim says G-d made creation out of ...
7
votes
3answers
334 views
How do you know what is God's will in a particular situation?
After reading this superb article by the great Rabbi Noah Weinberg I'm left pondering point number 5 "Make your will God's will".
I understand that this does not mean that whatever you personally ...
7
votes
2answers
2k views
Do religious Jews generally believe the serpent of Gan Eden was Satan?
Upon reading the recent CNN article, That Actually Isn't In The Bible, one not-really-in-the-Bible misconception they cite is the idea that serpent in the Garden of Eden was the Satan.
The article ...
7
votes
2answers
167 views
What is the proof that HaShem's purpose in creation was to bestow good?
Rabbi M Ch Luzzatto in Derech HaShem (1:2:1) gives HaShem’s purpose in creation to “bestow of His good to another”. (Translation Aryeh Kaplan.) The translator in his notes gives several ...
7
votes
2answers
83 views
Why are several Biblical characters called “man of the Lord” (Ish HaElokim), but no one in the Bible is ever “man of God” (Ish Hashem)?
Ramban makes this observation (Deut. 33:1), and says "anyone with a good intellect" can figure out the reason. Okay I'm stumped ... help me out here please?
7
votes
2answers
198 views
What did the 70 elders see?
Parshat Mishpatim says of the 70 elders who went up on Har Sinai with Moshe and Aharon:
וַיִּרְאוּ, אֵת אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל; וְתַחַת רַגְלָיו, כְּמַעֲשֵׂה לִבְנַת הַסַּפִּיר, וּכְעֶצֶם הַשָּׁמַיִם, ...
7
votes
2answers
113 views
Yearning for Moshiach while the Temples stood
Did we (the Jewish people) yearn for the complete Redemption (with the Techias HaMasim, etc) like we do today, at the time the either Temple was standing? It can't be that we just assumed "This is ...
6
votes
4answers
377 views
Does God love non-Jews?
I've read the topic of whether or not God discriminates between Jews and non-Jews, but does God love non-Jews? Does it say anywhere that He does love non-Jews. I don't believe that God hates non-Jews ...
6
votes
3answers
156 views
What is the Yetzer Harah?
What is the meaning of the "Yetzer Harah" - יצר הרע? How does it compare to the סטן?
6
votes
2answers
220 views
Is there sufficient evidence to support the theory that ancient Israel practiced monolatry?
I just came across this Wikipedia article on monolatrism that says some people believe ancient Israel practiced monolatry.
The highest claim to be made for Moses is that he was, rather than a ...
6
votes
3answers
97 views
What happened to Avraham's students?
We read how Avraham was going around convincing people to believe in one G-d and of his many students. Yet we don't hear of those students (or their descendants) ever again.
What happened to them ...
6
votes
8answers
336 views
do we really have free choice?
I was told Hashem created us with free will; so we can make a choice to do good or evil, right? Well, Hashem knows what we are going to do in 10 minutes. So do we really have free will? Hashem can see ...
6
votes
1answer
134 views
Does G-d only hear one language?
I'm a little confused by Rambam Hil. Tefilla 1:4.
Consequently, when someone would pray, he would be limited in his ability to request his needs or to praise the Holy One, blessed be He, in ...
6
votes
1answer
598 views
Is there any difference between Jewish G-d and Muslim G-d? [closed]
Do Jews and Muslims worship the same G-d? If so, do they understand G-d the same way? As a related point, is there any linguistic or theological connection between "Allah" and "Eloha" (or "Elohim")? ...
6
votes
4answers
187 views
Why is God so hidden from us
Why did God institute a natural order so that His presence would be hidden. I know so many people who are hopelessly convinced of the scientific perspective that the world is basically a machine ...
5
votes
4answers
200 views
God's Pair of Teffilin
How when moshe turns his head not to see God's face, he sees He's got on teffilin? I thought God had no physical form.
5
votes
3answers
223 views
The Absolute Unity of G-d
As we all who know Hebrew can assert, the sufix "im" in the words usually means plurality. How can HaShem be Elohim or Elokim if He is absolutely One and the Only Lord?
5
votes
4answers
283 views
Hashem is here and there and everywhere?
Is Hashem really in front of us, behind us, next to us, etc?
5
votes
1answer
98 views
What is the Shekhina?
To what are people referring when they talk about the Shekhina? Is it a form of God? A part of God? An attribute of God? Perhaps it is something else entirely?
Also, what is the etymology of the ...
5
votes
1answer
75 views
Is there any concept of “troubling” G-d?
Is there any idea mentioned on Judaism of not wanting to "trouble" G-d with something too trivial? Obviously, G-d is infinite, and it's no more trouble for Him to do a thousand things than it is to do ...
5
votes
2answers
55 views
In Kaddish — what consolation can we offer G-d?
In the Kaddish, we say that may G-d be praised "beyond any blessing, hymn, praise, and consolation said in this world."
I understand how we can bless or praise G-d -- but how exactly (or even ...
5
votes
2answers
92 views
How is knowledge of G-d different from any other knowledge?
The Rambam, in his Morei Nevuchim, says that when it comes to knowledge about G-d, we can only know what G-d is not. I.e. He is not limited in space, or time, He does not have property A, nor does he ...
5
votes
1answer
73 views
Hashem calls people twice and Hinneni
In many places in the Tanach Hashem uses a name twice (ie Avraham, Avraham in Breshit 22:11; Jacob Jacob in Breshit 46:2; Shmuel shmuel in Shmuel Aleph 3:10 and more).
Rashi says that this is an ...
4
votes
7answers
575 views
How can God be just in light of Deuteronomy 23:3?
Deuteronomy 23:3: A bastard shall not enter into the assembly of the
LORD; even to the tenth generation shall none of his enter into the
assembly of the LORD.
I asked a similar question here ...
4
votes
3answers
234 views
Is Hashem corporeal?
I heard of a discussion over Peseach about whether Hashem is corporeal.
Which classical Jewish sources (Talmud/Achronim/Rishonim) offer definitive opinions about this? (Please cite references!)
I ...
4
votes
5answers
262 views
Why is learning Torah today harder than 1000 years ago?
Why did Hashem make it harder for this generation to learn Torah, rather than making it equal for every generation? We have all these distractions like tv or games.
4
votes
1answer
96 views
Better for Man to Not have Been Created
The Talmud in Eruvin 13b concludes that it were better for a man not to have been created than to have been created.
How can we understand this given that God is absolutely benevolent.
Wouldn't it ...
4
votes
1answer
89 views
What about the Kohen?
It is a given that the Kohen blesses the people, but who blesses the Kohen? Is the Kohen excluded from the Brakha or is he included in the one he makes on the kehillah's behalf?
4
votes
1answer
191 views
What is the difference between Orthodox, Reform and Conservative? (Re: Theology)
I'm asking purely in a da ma l'hoshiv context. I grew up frum (Orthodox) and currently work for a Jewish organization that hires a lot of non-jews as well as Conservative and Reform Jews.
One of the ...
4
votes
1answer
53 views
Why does the Rambam require repentance, and not just more good deeds, before Yom Kippur?
The Rambam says if someone's virtues-vs-sins balance is even as of Rosh Hashanah, their verdict happens on yom kippur. If they did teshuva in those ten days, they get a pass; if not, they don't.
...
4
votes
1answer
59 views
Is idolatrous belief forbidden for gentiles, or is it just practice?
Suppose a non-Jew believes that there are multiple gods, but he does not worship them in any way. Is this a violation of the prohibition against idolatry for gentiles?
4
votes
0answers
68 views
Writing HaShem's actual name in English
Is it permissible to write out HaShem's actual name (the "Tetragrammaton") in English (or any other, non-Semitic, language)?
Does it make a difference how you spell it, ie., whether you write it in ...
4
votes
4answers
204 views
3
votes
4answers
349 views
Does Judaism recognize other religions?
Does Judaism acknowledge that there are some other religions that come from G-d?
If yes, how? Which religions are that? Please give me some examples. And what are the reference for this claim?
3
votes
3answers
175 views
Does God benefit from our keeping of the Mitzvos?
Does Hashem benefit from mankind doing the commandments of the Torah?
3
votes
2answers
216 views
In Judaism, does God have a body?
In the Bible it says [Gen 3:8]: "And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day". It seems God has carnal body (thus he could walk). In Judaism compared with ...
