We talk about God all the time, saying He is compassionate, loving, just etc. We love His Torah and try our best to follow His commandments, the Mitzvohs. But, what exactly is God? What are we referring to when we say God?
Join me as we discuss the complexity in properly understanding God’s essence, and how despite that we can still understand different elements of God.
In the course of the discussion, we’ll also discover the difference between God’s various name and how some of science’s most modern thinking also hints to a Creator God.
Happy Listening!
Rabbi Moshe
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Sources:
Rosh on Yoma 8:19, Tetragrammaton is name of essence – https://www.sefaria.org/Rosh_on_Yoma.8.19?lang=bi
Maimonides, Guide to the Perplexed 1:61, difference between Tetragrammaton and other names of God – https://www.sefaria.org/Guide_for_the_Perplexed%2C_Part_1.61?lang=bi
Sifsei Chachamim on Rashi Genesis 2:5, Name of essence is contraction of was, is and will be – https://www.sefaria.org/Siftei_Chakhamim%2C_Genesis.2.5.6?vhe=Siftei_Hakhamim&lang=bi&with=Rashi&lang2=he
Sh’lah, Asarah Ma’amaros 1:8, more on above (Hebrew only) – https://www.sefaria.org/Siftei_Chakhamim%2C_Genesis.2.5.6?vhe=Siftei_Hakhamim&lang=bi&with=Rashi&lang2=he
Vilna Ga’on, Aderes Eliyahu, Genesis 1:1, Creation of time is hinted in the word Bereishis – https://www.sefaria.org/Genesis.1?lang=bi&aliyot=0&p2=Aderet_Eliyahu%2C_Genesis.1.1.2&lang2=bi&w2=all&lang3=bi
Article regarding the beginning of the big bang – https://www.space.com/13347-big-bang-origins-universe-birth.html
Quote from Stephen Hawking regarding beginning of the big bang – https://tinyurl.com/hawkingbeginningtime, see also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Initial_singularity
Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan, Innerspace pg. 98, God as a being and a principle – not available online
