Hebrew for Christians 52 mins · Edited · Our Torah this week includes the first part of the Shema: Hear, O Israel, the LORD is our God; the LORD is One (Deut. 6:4). Note that this verse includes three Divine Names: Lord (יהוה), God (אלהים), and Lord (יהוה) again, which suggests the multiplicity-in-oneness (unity) that the word “echad” implies. Indeed, the word echad (אֶחָד) does not mean absolute numerical identity (the word for one and only one, i.e., unique, is yachid (יָחִיד)). For example, in Exodus 26:6 the parts of the Tabernacle (mishkan) are to be constructed so that it shall be one (echad) tabernacle, and Ezekiel spoke of two sticks (representing fragmented Israel) as being reunited into one: and they shall be one (echad) stick in My hand (Ezek. 37:19). Moses also uses echad in Genesis 2:24 when he says: And they (husband and wife) will become one flesh (basar echad). God’s attributes as Compassionate Source of life, Eternal Judge, and Savior, are unified and affirmed in the opening verse of the Shema. Ultimate Reality is multidimensional, personal and loving, which is part of the essence of God. There is no such thing as a Person - either human or Divine - that exists in an absolute vacuum, outside of relationship. Absolute monism is inconsistent with the idea of Divine Personhood, just as Aristotles Unmoved Mover is a logical absurdity.
Posted on: Wed, 06 Aug 2014 20:31:13 +0000