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Chabad.org » Learning & Values » Questions & Answers » G‑d and Us » Is There a Logical Proof that there's only One G-d?
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Is There a Logical Proof that there's only One G-d?


Question:

I accept that some sort of "Higher Being" created the universe. But why couldn't there be many such beings? Is there any logical reason to say that there is only one god?

Answer:

The definition of G-d is: "a Being without definition." G-d cannot be defined, because if I define Him then I limit Him. And something limited is not G-d. By defining something, I give it borders. If for example I define an apple as a sweet, round fruit that is green or red, then when I find a long purple fruit, I know that it can't be an apple. An apple is limited to being round and red or green. That is its definition. G-d can't be defined, because by defining Him you are saying that there's something He can't be; but this could not be true, because G-d is unlimited.

That's why there can be only one G-d. Because if you don't have a definition, then there is nothing outside of you. There can be no "other".

An example: two neighboring countries can only be called two countries when there is a border in between them. But if a country has no borders, if there is no defined place where it ends and another country begins, how can you say that there are two countries?

G-d has no borders, so how can there be more than one god? Where would one god end and one begin if there is no dividing line between them?

The act of creation is the act of making borders and drawing definitions: this is an apple and not a banana, this is land and this sea. Creation has definitions. The Creator doesn't have a definition. That's what makes Him G-d. And that's why there can only be one.

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By Aron Moss   More articles...  |   RSS Listing of Newest Articles by this Author
Rabbi Aron Moss teaches Kabbalah, Talmud and practical Judaism in Sydney, Australia, and is a frequent contributor to Chabad.org.

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Latest Comments:
Posted: Aug 20, 2011
Is there only one G-d?
I believe there is only one G--d
Posted By Anonymous, Sydney, nsw

Posted: Feb 25, 2010
John to Jon
You're right, of course, that I'm speaking tongue in cheek. But let's go on a bit further:

No, I'm not saying G-d is a liar. I'm saying that the hypothetical half-pint angel who hypothetically created our world is a liar. I think that what you are saying, Jon, is that, given the the truth of Genesis, Genesis is true. But the main article concerns logic, not faith.

Your argument reminds me of the old joke about the man who boasts that his rabbi is so holy that G-d speaks with him. Someone asks the man how he knows this. The man replies: Because my rabbi told me. And how do you know your rabbi isn't a liar? Because, the man replies (with some sort of perverse logic), G-d would not speak with a liar.

I agree that (in monotheism) there can be only one ultimate source. But that does not mean that there are not lesser sources, so to speak, which are wicked, deceitful, or, as I said earlier, just not very bright.
Posted By john Plotz, hayward, california

Posted: Feb 25, 2010
c'mon John
If the earth was made by a stupid angel, then God is a liar (Genesis 1: 1). Of course, I know you're speaking tongue in cheek there a bit (at least I hope you are). Indeed, angels and other spiritual being might rightly be called gods of a lesser nature... we generally abstain from calling them such so as not to confuse folks thinking we support mythology. Elohim is sometimes translated God (god), but it means "a mighty one." But there can only be one source, and all other things come from that one source. Of course, the Israelites wandered off often to serve "other gods" and were always reproved for it.... so it's not surprising to see some of His people today with the same leanings.
Posted By jon hanning, Nelsonville, OH

Posted: Feb 24, 2010
One God or Many
Numerous problems with Aron Moss's answer. One is that although there might be only one god without boundary, there might be many lesser gods that do have boundaries -- call them angels, if you want. They might be beings who could create and control things on a local scale -- a planet here, a galaxy there, something the way we might set up an aquarium. And maybe such beings would set themselves up as the local god to be worshipped by the local creatures. And such a being could also CLAIM to be the one universal god -- and who could gainsay him (or her or it)? Such a being might be doing its local creation-thing in accordance with G-d's will, or maybe not in accordance with G-d's will. Weak little human beings sometimes do evil things. Why not angels, too? Maybe the world (meaning our local Earth, not the universe as a whole) was made by a wicked or stupid angel. Actually, that would explain quite a lot.
Posted By John Plotz, Hayward, California

Posted: Sep 7, 2009
but then...
...when you say "G-D cannot be defined", you are claiming a duality by implying that there is G-D (1) and his inability to be defined (2). i like reading the mitzvot and the applications for this world instead of worrying about these issues because they wont be understood until the messianic age.
Posted By danny, London

Posted: Nov 4, 2008
Anonymous says...
that all the books are good. And, let us say that each group has a covenant with Gd to go by the book he gave them.

Fine.

But we stood at Sinai and promised to abide by the book he gave US.

Remember that day at Sinai? Remember the beautiful greenery and flowers at the base of the mountain? Remember the smoke and the noise and the fire and the thunder and the lightning? But we were not afraid. We were souls, in no danger of death lilke the living Bnai Yisrael around us. We were thrilled and excited to join in this glorious covenant of service. When Bnai Yisrael said We will do and we will listen, we said it too! We PROMISED.

Let the other books inspire those to whom they were given. We SAW Gd's Voice, he heard Gd's Face. We stood at Sinai and we received Gd's loving gift to us of the way he wanted us to live.

What love!

Gives me chills just to think of it.

And we promised. Hallelujah!
Posted By Ann in Texas

Posted: Nov 3, 2008
G-D
Dear Jon - God was a busy writer. He had a number of different publishers in a variety of languages. He also took the time to whisper in the ear of many a spiritual leader of groups that had no written word and gave them an injunction to repeat His message by word of mouth.
So when you speak of "The Book" to which book do you refer. To whom does that book belong? Is it a spoken book or a written book? Does it matter? I think it better to be like the child who just has faith that there is something bigger and greater who has set the rules by which we are asked to play.
Posted By Anonymous, Osceola, Wi

Posted: Nov 3, 2008
Aron, think about this... G-d can be defined if he chooses to give himself limits. Or, at least he describes himself to humanity in terms of limits we can understand.

But I certainly agree with you that there can logically only be one G-d. Either there is one G-d or no g-d, there cant be many g-ds.
Posted By Scott

Posted: June 2, 2008
The problem of evil
If there is nothing that He cannot be, does it mean He can be evil ?

Not that He "is" evil but that He includes everything, including evil. Look at Isaiah 45:6-7--

I am the Lrd, and none else [ayn od, nothing else]. I form the light and create darkness: I make peace and creae evbil. I, he Lrd, do all these.

Notice
ayn od: nothing else. Nothing else exists.

We think we exist. We think evil exists. This is from our limited perception. We are no more real than the personalities in a computer game. Our ONLY reality, our only hope of reality, lies in our link to Gd. And our link to Gd lies in our doing the mitzvos.

Gd, in love, came down at Sinai and gave us that link. Baruch haShem!
Posted By Ann V. Nunes

Posted: June 2, 2008
dear anon
If it matters to God then it should matter to us. It would seem strange that He gave so much information regarding Himself in the Book... and so we are so think that it doesn't matter which religion one follows? That generic thinking is dangerous.. and if you had exercised it in Moses day you would have breathed your last. He didn't have His Word published so that we might ignor it and run off and read Confucious
Posted By Jon Hanning, Athens, Oh/Usa



 


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