Questions About God - Part 2
Q. Why do you not spell out the word “God” but abbreviate it as “G-d”? It seems disrespectful to God or you have something against saying it like you don’t believe in a one true God. If it’s because you don’t want to spell it out because of some reason then it’s still bad because you are causing people to say it in their mind/heart. Jesus said if you think it then you committed it.
A. Many of us do spell out “God” (as I have just done) but some people write it G-d specifically as a sign of respect. I’m sure you are aware of the prohibition against taking God’s Name in vain; accordingly, we do not say or write God’s Name frivolously. Now, “God” is not actually God’s Name (it’s an English word derived from a Germanic root) but some people write “G-d” symbolically because it’s the name by which we call Him in English. It’s an optional practice, symbolic of not using His Name frivolously.
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Q. In the Torah, why does G-d command us to love Him? I thought that love was a natural response that could not be demanded of someone?
A. God commands us to love Him because it’s good for us. Proximity to God is the greatest good we could know, and distance from Him is the greatest lack we could experience. But we aren’t expected to just spontaneously love Him. In order to love Him, we have to get to know Him. Once we understand how much God does for us, we will love Him naturally!
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Q. In Exodus 24, verses 9-10 tell us that Moshe and the 70 elders saw Hashem. How was it possible? What did they see? What is it telling us? So did Moshe see God twice?
A. Thanks for your question. Of course they didn’t literally see God Himself because, as you rightly suggest, that would be impossible. Onkelos clarifies the meaning of the verse: they saw a vision of God’s glory. What exactly that means I couldn’t tell you. Prophets perceived spiritual things that defy mundane description.
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Q. The Christians divide Hashem into three parts but we divide Hashem into ten parts. Not sure what to do from here.
A. For the record, we understand God to be exactly one indivisible Being; we don’t “divide” him into any “parts.” The Rambam even rejects the idea that God has 13 “attributes.” Anything that speaks of different “parts” of God is not meant literally, it’s just speaking in terms more approachable by humans.
Rabbi Jack's latest book, Ask Rabbi Jack, is now available from Kodesh Press and on Amazon.com.