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I recently learned according to the Torah ("Shema Isroel, Hashem is our God, Hashem is one"), that G-D is one and single. Please help me understand this unity.

Loewian
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Scott Perciful
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    It's simple. He's one. He isn't split into parts, or personalities, or anything - He's G-d, and that's that. What's there not to understand? – ezra Jan 09 '18 at 22:34
  • Exactly! One = One. No sons, uncles, or brother-in-laws. One = one. Infinity cannot be split into pieces. Any questions? BTW, the triune God was a steal from the cult of Hermes Trismegistus, but it was helpful for converting Gentiles in terms they already understood. – Gary Jan 09 '18 at 22:48
  • THe best way to start is reading Rambam http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/904960/jewish/Yesodei-haTorah-Chapter-One.htm #7 an on. – Al Berko Jan 09 '18 at 22:57
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    Why so many downvotes? I mean, it's a very basic and simple question, but that's no reason to say it's a bad one. – ezra Jan 09 '18 at 23:14
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    @ezra We edited it to appear as a question and not competing with Christianity. We also expect people to do some basic background research before asking question, don't we? – Al Berko Jan 09 '18 at 23:20
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    @ezra And I quote a wise man's thought's about this question: "It's simple. [...] What's there not to understand?" – Double AA Jan 10 '18 at 00:40
  • @ezra . I agree with Ezra. God is One is the basic statement of our faith. But to oversimplify this concept of such importance seems, to me, wrong. The OP is hardly the first to ask the meaning of this concept of oneness. . – JJLL Jan 10 '18 at 00:49
  • For the record I voted to close as unclear an earlier version of the question. This question is now clear and it is not at all reasonable to mark it as a duplicate. The other questions asks a very targeted question about a detail about one opinion on the top. This question is much more general. – Yishai Jan 10 '18 at 01:50
  • @DoubleAA Some "wise man" indeed... ;-P – ezra Jan 10 '18 at 04:11
  • Simple; G-d is One. – Turk Hill May 28 '20 at 03:26

1 Answers1

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The Shema conveys three fundamental Jewish ideas on the Nature of G-d.

First, that G-d is the only G-d. There are no other gods except Him. He alone created everything there is, and there was no other power or force present in the beginning. Only Him.

Second, that G-d is a unity. He is not split into parts, or personalities, or attributes. He is complete and indivisable. He is everywhere - everywhere. G-d is not limited by time or space.

Lastly, that to G-d alone should you offer your prayers. No other thing may you beseech or use as an intermediary between you and G-d.

This is unarguably the basis of all Jewish belief. To deny any of these three facts constitutes heresy.

ezra
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    His being everywhere doesn't obviously follow from anything in Shema. – Double AA Jan 09 '18 at 23:10
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    Where does Shema indicate that we should only offer prayers to God? – Double AA Jan 09 '18 at 23:11
  • @DoubleAA When it says Hashem Elokeinu. Also Ani Hashem Elokeichem emes. – ezra Jan 09 '18 at 23:13
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    How is that supposed to convince me? Or anyone? (Note the word emes does not appear in Shema; it is commonly customarily said afterwards but that doesn't seem relevant in the context of this question.) – Double AA Jan 09 '18 at 23:20
  • I agree that the Shema is correctly defined above. G-d is only one being, the transliterated "echad" or "one single" defines his unity. This is what set apart Israel's G-d from the other nations. Other nations were polytheistic believers, believing in multiple gods or deities. In the Greek text, in latter times as recorded, Rome was a polytheistic religious nation worshipping multiple gods or deities. – Scott Perciful Feb 18 '18 at 06:29