Is G-d Male or Female?

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Is G-d Male or Female?

Understanding why the Creator is so often referred to in the masculine in Jewish tradition, and why the kabbalists often refer to G-d as female as well.

Topics:

Transcendence & Immanence, Men & Women, G-d

By David Aaron

Rabbi David Aaron is founder and dean of the Isralight Institute and the internationally recognized author of several books on Kabbalah. Click here to purchase his books

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2 Comments

John G. Angeletta UK June 3, 2016

The first beings of flesh and bone What is the Jewish faith concerning Adam and Eve? Reply

David Chester Petach Tikva, Israel June 3, 2016

This explanation is unsatisfactory. In our prayers we speak of G-d as being a Father and not as a Mother. Also according to our Shema words, G-d punishes as a father would, that is to say he loves us on condition, in a fatherly way and not unconditionally as mother love is always expressed. So I find that even though your daughters may want it to be otherwise, G-d should be regarded in certain aspects as a Father and not as a Mother.

There is also a problem here with comparison with Christianity where the property of the Almighty is divided between both sexes and G-d is represented as a 3-fold entity.

The nature of the US way of family life is to apply a mostly motherly attitude from both parents. Reward, not punishment of children is the style commonly adopted, and for good psychological reasons. In Victorian England, the opposite was the situation. So we need to decide what attitude is best for our society--do we really want to molly-coddle our young? Reply