The Nature of God and the Divine Presence

One God, not separate powers

Judaism is monotheistic: Jews believe in only one God. God is also understood to be indivisible, rather than made up of separate parts. Describing God as Creator, Judge and merciful therefore describes different qualities of the same God, not different gods.

This belief is expressed in the Shema, a central Jewish prayer: ‘Hear O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one’ (Deuteronomy 6:4). Reciting it expresses loyalty to God. The commandment ‘You shall have no other gods before me’ (Exodus 20:3) connects belief in one God with worshipping God alone.

Jews understand God as all-powerful and all-knowing. God is not limited as human beings are, yet can be present and active in human life. This helps explain how Jews can believe both that God created the universe and that God is close to people today.

Monotheism and belief in God as Creator are teachings shared by Judaism and Christianity. Both traditions teach that the world depends on one God for its existence, although they do not understand every aspect of God's nature in the same way.

God as Creator: the world and human life have value

The Torah begins: ‘In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth’ (Genesis 1:1). For Jews, this means that the world owes its existence to God. Creation expresses God's power, and the belief that God sustains the world gives people reasons for gratitude and loyalty to God.

Genesis also teaches that human beings are created ‘in the image of God’ (Genesis 1:27). This does not mean that God has a human body. It gives human life dignity and supports the responsibility to treat other people with respect. Belief that life is God's gift helps explain the importance Jews attach to preserving life.

Jews differ in how they interpret the creation account. Some understand the six days of creation literally. Others read the account non-literally, as teaching that God is the source of everything rather than giving a scientific description of how the universe developed. Both interpretations can affirm God as Creator.

The weekly observance of Shabbat connects this belief with practice: resting recalls God's rest after creation. Creation is therefore not simply a belief about the distant past; it shapes how Jews understand life and organise their week.

God as Law-Giver and Judge

Jews believe that God gives guidance about how people should live. According to the Torah, God revealed commandments to Moses, including the Ten Commandments. These include duties towards God and towards other people, such as worshipping God alone and not stealing.

Jewish tradition identifies 613 mitzvot, or commandments, in the Torah. These guide religious and ethical life. Following them can be understood as responding to God's authority and maintaining a relationship with God, rather than merely obeying human rules.

God is also believed to be a Judge, who holds people accountable for their beliefs and actions. Law-giving and judgement belong together: God establishes standards of behaviour and judges whether people live by them. This encourages moral responsibility, including when wrongdoing could remain hidden from other people.

At Rosh Hashanah, Jews particularly reflect on God's judgement. Belief in judgement encourages people to examine their conduct, recognise wrongdoing and try to change. The details of judgement after death belong to beliefs about the afterlife, but God's role as Judge also affects everyday choices.

Loving and merciful: justice does not exclude forgiveness

God's judgement is not understood only in terms of punishment. Jews also believe that God is loving and merciful: God cares for people, shows compassion and is willing to forgive.

Exodus 34:6 describes God as ‘compassionate and gracious, slow to anger’. In the Torah narrative, this description follows the Israelites' worship of the golden calf and Moses' breaking of the first tablets. Its setting shows why mercy matters: wrongdoing is serious, but it need not bring the relationship with God to an end.

Justice and mercy answer different needs. Justice means that wrongdoing matters and people are accountable. Mercy means that people are not treated only according to their failures; repentance and forgiveness remain possible. Together, these beliefs encourage Jews both to take responsibility and to seek a fresh start.

They also provide a model for treating others. A person who believes God is compassionate may try to show patience, forgive and help people in need. Reform Jewish teaching often emphasises this ethical connection: serving God includes pursuing justice and showing compassion towards all people, not only one's own community.

Shekhinah: God's presence among people

Shekhinah means God's divine presence. The word is connected with the idea of ‘dwelling’ or ‘settling’. It describes God's presence among people, not a second god or a separate part of God.

Although the word itself does not appear in the Hebrew scriptures, the scriptures contain accounts of God's presence. In Exodus, God's presence guides the Israelites in the wilderness through a pillar of cloud by day and fire by night. God also instructs them to make a sanctuary ‘that I may dwell among them’ (Exodus 25:8). The tabernacle, a portable sanctuary used during their journey, expressed this continuing relationship.

These accounts connect God's greatness with God's closeness. The Creator is not understood as simply making the world and then abandoning it: Jews believe that God's presence can still be experienced.

How belief in Shekhinah shapes Jewish life

Jews may seek a connection with God through studying scripture, prayer and communal worship. Studying the Torah can therefore be more than learning information: it can be a way of drawing closer to God and understanding how to live.

The Talmud associates God's presence with ten people gathered for prayer. This gives communal prayer a particular significance and helps explain the importance of the minyan, the quorum for certain communal prayers.

In a synagogue, the Ner Tamid, or eternal light, burns near the ark where Torah scrolls are kept. It symbolises God's continuing presence. The light is not itself God; it reminds worshippers of the presence to which their prayer is directed.

For some Jews, worship and the lighting of Shabbat candles bring a sense of peace and closeness to God. Belief in Shekhinah can therefore influence both public worship and life at home, encouraging attentive prayer, regular study and a continuing awareness of God.

God's nature

• One: one indivisible God; worship God alone. The Shema declares, ‘The Lord our God, the Lord is one’ (Deuteronomy 6:4).
• Creator: everything owes its existence to God. Genesis 1:1 supports this belief; creation connects with Shabbat and respect for human life.
• Law-Giver: God revealed commandments to Moses. The Ten Commandments and 613 mitzvot guide Jewish life.
• Judge: God holds people accountable. This encourages moral responsibility and reflection at Rosh Hashanah.
• Loving and merciful: God cares, shows compassion and forgives. Exodus 34:6 describes God as ‘compassionate and gracious, slow to anger’.

Connections and differences

• Justice makes wrongdoing significant; mercy allows forgiveness and a fresh start.
• Some Jews read the six days of creation literally; others interpret them non-literally. Both can affirm God as Creator.
• Judaism and Christianity share monotheism and belief in God as Creator.

Shekhinah

God's divine presence, not another god.

• Biblical examples: cloud and fire guiding the Israelites; God dwelling among them through the tabernacle (Exodus 25:8).
• Experienced through scripture study, prayer and worship.
• Ner Tamid: symbolises God's continuing presence in the synagogue.
• Influence: encourages study and communal prayer, and can bring peace and closeness to God.