Thirteen Attributes of Mercy

Jews believe that all existence in heaven and on Earth comes from God, and that God alone should be worshipped. Jews may describe the nature as of God as:

The nature of G-d is one of the few areas of abstract Jewish belief where there are a number of clear-cut ideas about which there is little dispute or disagreement.

G-d Exists

The fact of G-d's existence is accepted almost without question. Proof is not needed, and is rarely offered. The Torah begins by stating "In the beginning, G-d created..." It does not tell who G-d is or how He was created.

In general, Judaism views the existence of G-d as a necessary prerequisite for the existence of the universe. The existence of the universe is sufficient proof of the existence of G-d.

The Exodus and revelation at Sinai remain undisputed historical facts. As previously mentioned, witnesses are the greatest proof in a court of law – how much more so, the eye witness account of an entire nation! That is certainly a most scientific proof of the existence of G–d. Although we cannot see Him – like the blind man who can’t see color – our ancestors witnessed this revelation and transmitted the fact as both an oral and a written tradition. It may be for this reason that in the first commandment G–d says, “I am the L–rd your G–d who brought you forth from the land of Egypt.” The creation of the world is a much more complex and amazing phenomenon than the Exodus from Egypt, so why didn’t G–d say, “I am the L–rd your G–d who created heaven and earth”? One possible answer is that scientists today still question the origin of the cosmos and some ignore the G–d issue. When G–d communicated with the Jews, he made the communication very personal. “I am the G–d you have witnessed taking you out of Egypt, and who now is talking to you.” The people did not need any philosophical proofs. Their own eyes saw and their own ears heard. They were witnesses to the stand at Sinai. That is the greatest proof!

G-d is One

One of the primary expressions of Jewish faith, recited twice daily in prayer, is the Shema, which begins "Hear, Israel: The L-rd is our G-d, The L-rd is one." This simple statement encompasses several different ideas:

There is only one G-d. No other being participated in the work of creation.
G-d is a unity. He is a single, whole, complete indivisible entity. He cannot be divided into parts or described by attributes. Any attempt to ascribe attributes to G-d is merely man's imperfect attempt to understand the infinite.
G-d is the only being to whom we should offer praise. The Shema can also be translated as "The L-rd is our G-d, The L-rd alone," meaning that no other is our G-d, and we should not pray to any other.

G-d is the Creator of Everything

Everything in the universe was created by G-d and only by G-d. Judaism completely rejects the dualistic notion that evil was created by Satan or some other deity. All comes from G-d. As Isaiah said , "I am the L-rd, and there is none else. I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create evil. I am the L-rd, that does all these things." (Is. 45:6-7).

G-d is Incorporeal

Although many places in scripture and Talmud speak of various parts of G-d's body (the Hand of G-d, G-d's wings, etc.) or speak of G-d in anthropomorphic terms (G-d walking in the garden of Eden, G-d laying tefillin, etc.), Judaism firmly maintains that G-d has no body. Any reference to G-d's body is simply a figure of speech, a means of making G-d's actions more comprehensible to beings living in a material world. Much of Rambam's Guide for the Perplexed is devoted to explaining each of these anthropomorphic references and proving that they should be understood figuratively.

We are forbidden to represent G-d in a physical form. That is considered idolatry. The sin of the Golden Calf incident was not that the people chose another deity, but that they tried to represent G-d in a physical form.

G-d is Neither Male nor Female

This follows directly from the fact that G-d has no physical form. As one rabbi explained it to me, G-d has no body, no genitalia, therefore the very idea that G-d is male or female is patently absurd. We refer to G-d using masculine terms simply for convenience's sake, because Hebrew has no neutral gender; G-d is no more male than a table is.

Although we usually speak of G-d in masculine terms, there are times when we refer to G-d using feminine terms. The Shechinah, the manifestation of G-d's presence that fills the universe, is conceived of in feminine terms, and the word Shechinah is a feminine word.

G-d is Omnipresent

G-d is in all places at all times. He fills the universe and exceeds its scope. He is always near for us to call upon in need, and He sees all that we do. Closely tied in with this idea is the fact that G-d is universal. He is not just the G-d of the Jews; He is the G-d of all nations.

G-d is Omnipotent

G-d can do anything. It is said that the only thing that is beyond His power is the fear of Him; that is, we have free will, and He cannot compel us to do His will. This belief in G-d's omnipotence has been sorely tested during the many persecutions of Jews, but we have always maintained that G-d has a reason for allowing these things, even if we in our limited perception and understanding cannot see the reason.

G-d is an all knowing, omnipotent, intelligent energy; According to Albert Einstein energy and mass are different forms of the same thing. Einstein's assertion of General Relativity has been proven accurate to five decimal places. The universe indeed had a beginning. To have a beginning then there had to be a creator, a G-d!

The Minbari on Babylon 5 believe that the universe itself is conscious in a way we can never truly understand. It is engaged in a search for meaning. So it breaks itself apart, investing its own consciousness in every form of life. We are the universe trying to understand itself.

Click on the image below to see the video

God is a living energyG-d is an all knowing, omnipotent, intelligent energy; According to Albert Einstein energy and mass are different forms of the same thing. Einstein's assertion of General Relativity has been proven ac

G-d is an all knowing, omnipotent, intelligent energy

I believe that G-d is an all knowing, omnipotent, intelligent energy. G-d not only wrote the Torah and the ten commandants, but he also laid down the laws of physics. Seeing that the laws of physics are perfect, G-d can do anything he wants and never violate his own laws. For example, because G-d is energy, he could turn part of this energy into any form he wants and appear to Moses. Energy and matter cannot be destroyed; it can only change itself from energy into matter, or matter into energy.

G-d is Omniscient

G-d knows all things, past, present and future. He knows our thoughts.

G-d is Eternal

G-d transcends time. He has no beginning and no end. He will always be there to fulfill his promises. When Moses asked for G-d's name, He replied, "Ehyeh asher ehyeh." That phrase is generally translated as, "I am that I am," but the word "ehyeh" can be present or future tense, meaning "I am what I will be" or "I will be what I will be." The ambiguity of the phrase is often interpreted as a reference to G-d's eternal nature.

G-d is Both Just and Merciful

I have often heard Christians speak of Judaism as the religion of the strict Law, which no human being is good enough to fulfill (hence the need for the sacrifice of Jesus). This is a gross mischaracterization of Jewish belief. Judaism has always maintained that G-d's justice is tempered by mercy, the two qualities perfectly balanced. Of the two Names of G-d most commonly used in scripture, one refers to his quality of justice and the other to his quality of mercy. The two names were used together in the story of Creation, showing that the world was created with both justice and mercy.

One of my favorite chapters within the Tanakh, among many comes from

Yechezkel - Ezekiel - Chapter 18

20 The soul that sins, it shall die; a son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, and a father shall not bear the iniquity of the son; the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.

a son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, and a father shall not bear the iniquity of the son;

The present generation cannot be judged for the sins of his forefathers!

21 And if the wicked man repent of all his sins that he has committed and keeps all My laws and executes justice and righteousness, he shall surely live, he shall not die.

A righteous man could not atone for the sins of the wicked! If we sin, and know that we have sinned, feel remorse, and this important, FEEL REMORSE, pray to G-d asking him to forgive us, I feel with all my heart and soul, HE WILL FORGIVE!

22 All his transgressions that he has committed shall not be remembered regarding him: through his righteousness that he has done he shall live.

23 Do I desire the death of the wicked? says the Lord God. Is it not rather in his repenting of his ways that he may live?

24 And when the righteous repents of his righteousness and does wrong and does like all the abominations that the wicked man did, shall he live? All his righteous deeds that he has done shall not be remembered; in his treachery that he has perpetrated and in his sin that he has sinned, in them shall he die.

Judaism is not about “Do this and you get a ticket to heaven.” The Mishnah tells us that we shouldn’t be “as servants who serve master so that they will receive a reward.”

Maimonides is considered the great codifier of Judaism. He distilled thirteen principles of the Jewish faith. Two of those are directly connected to belief in reward in an afterlife: The belief in reward for the righteous and punishment for the wicked—which quite obviously does not happen in this lifetime—and the belief in the revival of the dead in a time to come.

I’ll add my 2 cents worth. Many people believe that the evil soul burns forever in hell? I can’t believe that G-d can be so cruel. It does say in many places within the Tanakh that G-d is a vengeful G-d. But it is also written in the Tanakh that G-d is also a forgiving G-d. Not that I think that we can go to the Amen corner, ask for forgiveness and do it all over again!

We must remember

G-d is Omnipresent

G-d is in all places at all times. He fills the universe and exceeds its scope. He is always near for us to call upon in need, and He sees all that we do. Closely tied in with this idea is the fact that G-d is universal. He is not just the G-d of the Jews; He is the G-d of all nations.

G-d is Omnipotent

G-d can do anything. It is said that the only thing that is beyond His power is the fear of Him; that is, we have free will, and He cannot compel us to do His will. This belief in G-d's omnipotence has been sorely tested during the many persecutions of Jews, but we have always maintained that G-d has a reason for allowing these things, even if we in our limited perception and understanding cannot see the reason.

G-d is an all knowing, omnipotent, intelligent energy

I believe that G-d is an all knowing, omnipotent, intelligent energy. G-d not only wrote the Torah and the ten commandants, but he also laid down the laws of physics. Seeing that the laws of physics are perfect, G-d can do anything he wants and never violate his own laws. For example, because G-d is energy, he could turn part of this energy into any form he wants and appear to Moses. Energy and matter cannot be destroyed; it can only change itself from energy into matter, or matter into energy.

G-d is Omniscient

G-d knows all things, past, present and future. He knows our thoughts.

He knows our heart, so the Amen corner won’t work!

Let’s take another look at Yechezkel - Ezekiel - Chapter 18

24 And when the righteous repents of his righteousness and does wrong and does like all the abominations that the wicked man did, shall he live? All his righteous deeds that he has done shall not be remembered; in his treachery that he has perpetrated and in his sin that he has sinned, in them shall he die.

“in them shall he die.” I personally believe that after our death our souls await the coming of the Mashiach, resurrected, then judged. If the soul does not enter Olam Ha-ba, it is then put back to death forever, nothingness.

According to Jewish belief, the Day of Judgement, or Yawm ad-Din, will occur after the coming of the Messiah.

Jews believe that God judges how good or bad people have been in order to decide their destiny in the afterlife. This is often seen as motivation to behave well and obey all of God’s rules.

Some Jews believe that they will be judged as soon as they die, while others believe that they will be judged by both God and the Messiah on the Day of Judgement. On this day, some Jews believe that everyone will be resurrected so that they can be judged, while others believe that only those who are morally good will be resurrected.

G-d is Holy and Perfect

One of the most common names applied to G-d in the post-Biblical period is "Ha-Kadosh, Barukh Hu," The Holy One, Blessed be He.

Avinu Malkeinu: G-d is our Father and our King

Judaism maintains that we are all G-d's children. A well-known piece of Jewish liturgy repeatedly describes G-d as "Avinu Malkeinu," our Father, our King. The Talmud teaches that there are three participants in the formation of every human being: the mother and father, who provide the physical form, and G-d, who provides the soul, the personality, and the intelligence. It is said that one of G-d's greatest gifts to humanity is the knowledge that we are His children and created in his image.

The first Name used for God in scripture is Elohim. In form, the word is a masculine plural of a word that looks feminine in the singular (Eloha). The same word (or, according to Rambam, a homonym of it) is used to refer to princes, judges, other gods, and other powerful beings. This Name is used in scripture when emphasizing God's might, His creative power, and His attributes of justice and rulership. Variations on this Name include El, Eloha, Elohai (my God) and Elohaynu (our God).