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What Jews Believe: G‑d

Jewish Theology, Lesson 1

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What Jews Believe: G-d: Jewish Theology, Lesson 1

Who or what is G‑d? How do we define the undefinable? Is there an intelligent way to speak of G‑d? If so, what is it? First in a six-part course on core Jewish beliefs.

Handouts:	What Jews Believe 1
Audio:	Listen to Audio \| Download this MP3
Topics:	Faith; Belief in G-d, Knowledge of G-d, G-d

Questions for Discussion
1. According to Maimonides, is G‑d defined by His role as the creator?
2. How do you reconcile that G‑d is “perfect existence” with the fact that He engaged in the act of creation? Explain why these two concepts need reconciliation.
3. How does considering G‑d’s infinity help us understand how G‑d can care about seemingly insignificant things?
4. What is the difference between G‑d being unique or alone (yachid) and G‑d being One (echad)?

Texts Cited
Genesis—Chapter One
Maimonides, Yesodei Hatorah—Chapter One
Essays
G‑d—The Not-thing
Can We Speak Intelligibly About G‑d?

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37 Comments

Gonzalo Ruiz Diaz Minnesota via JewishTV iOS April 10, 2024

I believe in God🙏🏼. One God. I am not Jewish, but I am learning about God from my Jewish friends Reply

John Speer November 2, 2023

This kind of knowledge flows as water and then the truth comes out! I agree in whole with Joshua's comments. Reply

Joshua Kassanis December 3, 2020

'I can exist without you, but what kind of meaning would that existence have'
I have never heard such profound words of love before. This moved me so deeply.
Thank you Rabbi Friedman, thank you, Chabad! Reply

Eddy Joseph April 13, 2020

I believe in one God Reply

Emese Oseni Scarborough August 30, 2018

B'H, G-d, King of the Universe is Perfect!!! Thank you Rabbi for this meaningful segment! Reply

Anonymous September 23, 2016

I wish there were subtitles available for your videos! Reply

Jerry T. Cohen Reseda, Ca. June 4, 2020

in response to Anonymous:

I wish they were also. I am in a room with others. Please make captions available Reply

Chabad.org Staff June 5, 2020

in response to Jerry T. Cohen:

We hear you loud and clear :)
Captions are available on the Chabad.org/courses classes and we hope to integrate them in more videos in future upgrades G-d willing. Reply

Tuvia Brooklyn May 4, 2016

Dear rabbi can you please post the source for your comment that God created the world so that he should not be alone and that would complete his Oneness. Thank you. Reply

Yehuda Meyer Robbins via JewishTV iOS November 4, 2024

in response to Tuvia:

The medrish Reply

Christopher January 27, 2016

God is not a being that exist, God is being itself. God is not an item in reality but reality itself. God is not perfect for you need a standard of perfection to compare God with. God does not understand for God is knowledge itself. Reply

Eugina Giovanna Herrera New York City, New York February 7, 2015

One G-d I will continue believing in One G-d.

Thank you Reply

Gil Great Neck, N.Y. January 8, 2015

What Jews Believe- G-D One cannot describe G-D because by doing so one limits Hashem. G-D was, is, and will be G-D. It is futile to describe a Being that creates everything "De Novo", out of nothing. "What we have now, we had before, Nothing is new under the sun." Wisdom of Solomon. Reply

Anonymous January 7, 2015

Thank you so much for explaining so well and so patiently, this was nicely done! You touched upon some concepts I had never thought about before, such as why did He create and why is He considered perfect. I always thought He created because he likes to create and He saw that it was good to create. Reply

John Puerto Rico May 12, 2014

A unique Jewish concept, are you saying do you believe that Hashem is unique to the Jewish peoples or are you suggesting that this small group of the Chosen are a microcosm of all other peoples there by having the same Father Creator and your uniqueness is only that you were Chosen. Does Hashem only limit His pleasure to those acts by Jews, could you possible put those limitations on Hashem ? Reply

HH Salem, OR January 23, 2014

re. anonymous from camarillo 11/20/13 It seems reasonable that real rejection of authentic Judaism would require complete and accurate knowledge of what one is rejecting---but, could it not be said the same for real acceptance? Who indeed has accurate knowledge of the true tenants of Judaism or,for that matter, of G-d Himself? Reply

Marwan Hassan Germany January 12, 2014

Very nice Thank you Rabbi Manis Friedmann,
I love listening to this. How very similar we all are in our roots of belief, but we shut our eyes and ears to one each other. Reply

Tom Cincinnati January 2, 2014

In saying that the creator, created in in order to provide meaning or rather a third dimension to it's own meaning placing a human limitation on said creator. Or does it follow that creation is an example of it's infinite love? Reply

Gil Great Neck December 29, 2013

Who did this? An attempt to answer your question, rust is an natural phenomena, related to the oxidation of most metals. That which is termed "natural" is part of the schema of G-D in the creation of the Universe. It may not be to our liking, but keep in mind the world was not created to one's idealized world. One change in a world of no oxidation would enter other problems, too numerous to mention. It is sort of akin to the child's rhyme of "The House That Jack Built." As to suffering, you can write volumes on the subj. There is psychological, physical, etc. Anything from an insect sting, stubbing one's toe, to a major heart attack, cancer, even giving birth. Anxiety, depression, loss or injury of a loved one. It is too complex a world to give you a pat answer. We as Jews, as well as others who believe in a G-D, are taught that humans were given the gift of Free Will. Many of our sufferings, can be remedied by our endeavors, including the "rust" you mentioned. Reply

Anonymous ny November 26, 2013

re: anonymous from camirillo 2 You find hatred of Jews who keep authentic Judaism not to be "baseless"? You are aware, I presume, that even meshumadim were included in the holocaust... Reply

Hany ben Nahash mtl November 26, 2013

End of discussion The discussion ends at Ayn Sof. Albeit it commences with In the beggining there was * TOHU VA BOHU *

L* Chaim Reply

john luquillo, puerto rico November 26, 2013

incarnation The Rebbe answered my question: a convert who converts, a spark that has been awakened. Reply

Anonymous Camarillo, CA, USA November 25, 2013

re: anonymous from ny What you are saying is my point. You can say that authentic Judaism may remain the same, but "What Jews believe" doesn't remain the same, because most Jews don't believe in anything that can be called "authentic Judaism".

I'm in favor of accurate knowledge, even if it is rejected. I'm opposed to saying that it is believed by those who rejected it. Reply

What Jews Believe: G‑d

Jewish Theology, Lesson 1

What Jews Believe: G-d: Jewish Theology, Lesson 1

Further Reading:

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What Jews Believe: G-d: Jewish Theology, Lesson 1

Further Reading:

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