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Judaism

The Jews and their God

Was early Judaism polytheistic?:

Some scholars have suggested that early Judaism was polytheistic. While it is true that many names for God are used in the Hebrew Bible this may be because the people from whom the various Biblical passages were collected spoke a different dialect or different ancient Hebrew traditions referenced God in different ways (Elohim, Yahweh, Adonai, El Shaddi). However, using a different name for their god need not mean they were actually worshipping different gods. The Bible also mentions the gods of other cultures by name (e.g. Ba'al). This does not mean the Jews gave any regard to these gods (i.e., in terms of worship) but it does mean they may not have denied the existence of such deities. However, they could have felt that these were the gods for other people, the Jews had their own god. Early Judaism was likely more of a henotheism than a true polytheism: Henotheism means that one may believe that, while there are many gods, only one is worthy of your devotion.

If early Judaism did actually become polytheistic over time, it was clearly seen as a regression to the earlier religions, an adoption of other people's gods. The prophets spoke out against this tendency, warning that the Hebrew people, in giving attention to these other gods, were going against the wishes of their God (even king Solomon was not immune to this tendency in that he allowed his non-Hebrew wives to worship idols of their deities in the Hebrew palace). This possible polytheism was not an acceptable belief. It has been suggested that the Babylonian Exile and subsequent loss of the Hebrew monarchy was actually God's way of punishing the Jews for going astray, for being swayed by surrounding peoples.

Another interpretation of this possible polytheism might be to consider that the different gods/names worshipped by the early Jews were the gods of different Hebrew tribes which eventually came together as the One God (possibly only because, with the exile, only one tribe: Judah [origin of the terms "Jew" and "Judaism"], remained so it was their god that became the One God). We see a similar phenomenon much later in pre-Muslim Arabia: each Arab tribe had their own deity but, under Muhammad's guidance, all but Allah were rejected.

The name of God:

Why don't Orthodox Jews say or write the word "God"?

From ancient times it has been believed by many cultures that there is power in a name. Native Americans have private spirit names that are carefully guarded. If you know someone's name you can call them and they will respond. So, imagine if someone knew or used God's name - that would give the person power over God, the ability to control and manipulate God by using the sacred name.

This may be the premise behind the importance of "saying the magic words" in magical ritual - without these words the magical or sacred power cannot be accessed. It would be improper for mere humans to have power to control God. Thus God's name ought never be uttered.

Many Christians are familiar with the name of God being Yahweh (anglicized as Jehovah). But you should be aware that Jews do not refer to God this way (regardless of what you might read in some text book invariably written by a Christian, not a Jew). Some more observant Jews don't even refer to God as "God" and won't spell out the word without leaving out the vowel ("G-d"). A little background is needed by way of explanation:

The origin of the name Yahweh comes from the Hebrew of the Torah where vowels are not used. Thus the name becomes YHVH (in old times there was no W, it was V). These letters come from the initial letters of the phrase spoken by God to Moses on Mt. Sinai when Moses asked "who shall I say has sent me [back to Egypt to free the Hebrews]?". And God replied "I am that I am" (Ex. 3:14). That is not really a name so much as a statement about God's being (that God is, God exists). I find it interesting that even God could (or would) say little more to Moses about God's own nature. It is as if the most important thing to know about God is simply that God is.

The sacred tetragrammaton YHVH is the unspeakable "name" of God. This is as if to say that anything we might say about God is not enough so we'd best say nothing - remain silent. A name is a label, a description. Any description we give of God's nature would be too limiting. Indeed, it's not just a name - it is a grand statement that, in its very simplicity, tells us that God is so much more than any mere name can communicate to us.

Thus it is that Jews do not pronounce the name of God. They address God as "The Lord" (Hebrew: Adonai) or as "HaShem" ("the name").

Christians are, of course, quite familiar with the term "The Lord" and invariably think of Jesus. What the phrase "The Lord" means will, of course, differ between Christian and Jew. The Jew would never even begin to associate Jesus with the title "Lord". Most Jews never even give Jesus a first thought.

In the Hebrew Bible, especially in the books of the Prophets, many many times reference is made to "The Lord God" - e.g., "The Lord God said...". These books were composed long before Jesus was known to history so these Old Testament references would have had no reference to Jesus.

Of course, in hindsight Christians tend to interpret much of the Hebrew Bible in light of Jesus (as a prophecy of his coming) but this is strictly a matter of Christian interpretation. Jews just don't see it this way.

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