⚖️ Just
He judges fairly. Good is rewarded and wrong is called to account. This is one reason Jews take their actions seriously.
Jewish Beliefs about the Universe and Human Beings » The Almighty and the Shema
What you'll learn this session
Study time: 30 minutes
Edexcel spec: Paper 1, 1.5 (Judaism)
- Why Jews believe the Almighty is holy, just and merciful, and the creator
- What the Shema says and how tefillin and the mezuzah put its words into practice
- Why Judaism is strictly monotheistic and does not allow images of the Almighty
- Why some Jews write 'G-d' and avoid saying the divine name
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Unlock This CourseThe nature and character of the Almighty
In the lesson Ultimate Reality: One God, Many Gods or None you met the idea of monotheism, belief in one God. Judaism is one of the world's oldest monotheistic religions. Jews call God 'the Almighty', and the Torah, the first five books of the Jewish Bible, describes his character in many ways. Three are on the spec: holy, just and creator.
Key terms:
- Holy: set apart, completely special and far above everything in the world.
- Just: fair, always judging with what is right.
- Merciful: willing to forgive and show kindness instead of giving people what they deserve.
The Almighty is holy
In Hebrew the word for holy means 'set apart'. Jews believe the Almighty is completely different from anything he has made. Nothing in the world can be compared with him. In a vision recorded in the book of Isaiah, angels call out: 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts' (Isaiah 6:3).
Holiness is not only about God. In Leviticus 19:2 the Almighty tells the people: 'You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.' For Jews this means that they are meant to live in a special, set-apart way. They try to copy the Almighty's goodness through the mitzvot, the commandments of the Torah.
The Almighty is just and merciful
Jews believe the Almighty is a fair judge. Abraham, the first ancestor of the Jewish people, once pleaded with him over the fate of a wicked city and asked: 'Shall not the Judge of all the earth do justice?' (Genesis 18:25). The question shows a basic Jewish belief. The Almighty is always just, and people can expect him to be fair.
Jews also believe he is merciful. When the Almighty describes himself to Moses, the leader who brought the Torah to the Jewish people, he is 'merciful and gracious, slow to anger' (Exodus 34:6). The rabbis, the teachers of Jewish law, taught that the world could not survive on justice alone, because nobody is perfect. They taught that the Almighty uses justice and mercy together.
🙏 Merciful
He forgives those who are truly sorry. At Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, Jews ask for forgiveness and trust that he will listen.
The Almighty is the creator
The Torah opens with the words: 'In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth' (Genesis 1:1). As you saw in Creation, Humanity and Tikkun Olam, Jews believe the Almighty made everything and that everything depends on him.
The Shema
The Shema is the most important statement of Jewish belief. Its name is the first word in Hebrew, 'Shema', which means 'Hear'. It comes from Deuteronomy 6:4-9, part of a speech by Moses. Its opening line is: 'Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one.'
The passage then gives instructions.
- Love the Almighty. 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your might' (verse 5). Jews understand this as loving him with every part of life, including their feelings, their lives and their possessions.
- Keep these words in your heart and teach them to your children. Parents are to talk about them at home, when out walking, when lying down and when getting up (verses 6-7). This makes passing on the faith a duty.
- Bind them as a sign on your hand and on your forehead (verse 8). This is the source of tefillin.
- Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates (verse 9). This is the source of the mezuzah.
Key terms:
- Shema: the Jewish declaration of belief in one God, from Deuteronomy 6:4-9.
- Tefillin: two small leather boxes holding tiny scrolls with passages from the Torah, including the Shema. One is strapped on the arm and one on the forehead.
- Mezuzah: a small case holding a scroll with the words of the Shema, fixed to the doorposts of a Jewish home.
📜 Tefillin
Traditionally worn at weekday morning prayer. One box is strapped on the arm and the other sits on the forehead, so the words are close to a Jew's actions and thoughts. Orthodox men wear them as a duty. Some Progressive Jews choose to wear them too.
🚪 Mezuzah
Fixed on the right-hand doorpost as you enter, and on the doors of most rooms in the home. Many Jews touch it as they pass. It reminds them that the Almighty is part of everyday life, at home and on the way out.
The Shema is also said in daily prayer. That is studied in Jewish Prayer: Daily, at Home and in the Synagogue.
One God and no images
The Shema's central claim is that the Lord is one. Jews are strict monotheists. They believe there is only one God, who cannot be divided into parts or shared with any other being.
The second of the Ten Commandments forbids making a carved image of anything to worship (Exodus 20:4). Jews believe the Almighty has no body and no form, so he cannot be shown in a picture or statue. Any image would give a false idea of him. A synagogue, the Jewish place of worship, therefore has no statue or picture of the Almighty.
Writing 'G-d' and the divine name
The Torah gives the Almighty a special name, written with four Hebrew letters. Jews consider this name so holy that it is not said out loud. When reading from the Torah or praying, Jews say 'Adonai', which means 'my Lord'. In everyday speech many say 'HaShem', which means 'the Name'.
Some Jews also avoid writing the word 'God' in full. They write 'G-d' or 'L-rd' with a dash. The reason is respect. Holy names that are written down should not be erased or thrown away carelessly. Writing a dash means the word is not the holy name, so nothing is damaged if the paper is thrown away. Not all Jews do this. Many write 'God' without worry.
Common mistakes
- Saying the Shema is about many things. Its first line is about one thing: the Lord is one.
- Saying tefillin and the mezuzah are worshipped. Jews see them as reminders of the Shema's words. They are not objects of worship.
- Saying all Jews write 'G-d'. Some do, to show respect. Many do not.
- Saying Jews avoid images because God is hidden. The belief is that he has no body, so any picture would be wrong.
Exam-style question
(a) Identify three ways in which Jews put the teaching of the Shema into practice. [3 marks, AO1]
(b) Choose one religion. Outline two beliefs about the nature of God in this religion. [4 marks, AO1]
(c) Choose one religion. Explain why the Shema is important to followers of this religion. [6 marks, AO1 and AO2]
(d) 'It is impossible to love a God you cannot see.' Evaluate this statement, showing you have considered different points of view. In your answer you should refer to at least one religion. [12 marks, AO1 and AO2]
Model answer
(a) 1. Wearing tefillin (1). 2. Fixing a mezuzah to the doorposts (1). 3. Teaching the words to their children (1).
(b) Judaism. Jews believe the Almighty is holy (1), which means he is set apart and completely different from anything he has made (1). Jews also believe he is just and merciful (1), because he judges fairly but forgives people who are truly sorry (1).
(c) Judaism. The Shema is important to Jews because it states the most basic Jewish belief: 'the Lord our God, the Lord is one'. This means Jews worship only the Almighty, and it separates Judaism from belief in many gods.
It also tells Jews to love the Almighty with all their heart, soul and might. This means their whole lives should show their faith, not only the time spent praying.
It gives practical duties. Jews bind the words on arm and head as tefillin, and write them on the doorposts as a mezuzah. These are daily reminders of the Almighty at home and in prayer.
(d) Plan. For: love is usually felt for people we can see and know; Jews believe the Almighty has no body and may not be pictured, so there is nothing to look at; some non-religious people say love needs evidence.
Against: the Shema commands love of the Almighty, and Jews believe this is possible because they see his work in creation and in the Torah; Jews show love through the mitzvot, tefillin and the mezuzah, which turn belief into daily actions; many people love someone they have never met, or an idea such as justice.
Possible conclusion: judge each point as you go, then pick a side. For example: I disagree. Jews believe they can see the Almighty at work in creation and in the mitzvot, so love does not need an image.
Exam tip
In part (c), do not just describe tefillin and the mezuzah. For each one, say why it matters to Jews, using words such as 'because' and 'this means'. That is what lifts an answer to the top level.