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We know G-d has no gender yet our Scriptures use masculine pronouns when referring to Him and also when He refers to Himself in the third person. Obviously there are only three options: male, female or just neutral but referring to G-d as "It" would seem very disrespectful. Why does the Torah refer to G-d paternally?
Note: I realize the Shechinah is considered feminine but I cannot recall one instance in the Torah where it's addressed as "she" or "her."
Hebrew has no gender neutral nouns whatsoever. As an example, Chinese has a special gender neutral reference, while the reference he includes as part of it the symbol for human. Thus referring to Hashem as He would involve blasphemy. While English does have the word it, that word refers to something that is inanimate and sexless like a table or chair. As a result, it would not be proper to refer to Hashem as It. It in English does not refer to a being whose gender is indeterminate or a mixed group. In Hebrew a mixed group or indeterminate being uses the masculine construct.
Thus the references are based on the language construct rather than any particular attribution of a sexual identity to the mal'achim (usually translated as angels) or to terms that refer to Hashem.
