The Denver Jewish news., 1921-08-10
What Do Jews Believe?
By H. G. Enelow. d. u. Rabbi of TEN
pie Emanuel. New York.


What do Jews believe? Both Jews
and non-Jews are often heard TO put
this question the former to make sure
where they stand, to render to Them
selves what the old rabbis called an
account of the soul: the latter be-
cause they are eager to know just
why we remain Jews in the religious
sense and at all cost keep from merg-
ing with any other religious body.
Are there any beliefs at all that Jews
are agreed upon and that may be said
To form the groundwork of universal
and perennial Judaism? Such beliefs
think there are. and the purpose Of
this paper is to describe them briefly.
The first belief of Judaism relates
to God. II is as clear as daylight that
no matter how broad or liberal or ad
Nnnced one may be. one can nor COIL
slider oneself true Jew il one does
not believe in God. Religion without
God, is n decentralization. and alto
gethcr out of question. In fact, be-
lief in God with us has not only been
a matter of reason, but also of intui-
tion, of that side of our soul which
che old rnbbis regarded ns phase of
reason, and which after all plays n
very important part in the life of all.
This is not to say hat Judaism has
undervalued reason. Quite the con-
trary Is true. Reason Is invoked by
both the Bible and the Jewish think
ers of later times ny confirming the
ruth of Gods existence. But primar-
lily the Jew has always felt the exist
ence of God as basic truth in life.
Not experience. hut his own soul first
taught him to exclaim: Hear, o
Israel. the Lord our God, the Lord
is One" those stirring words which
from time immemorial have comprised
the foremost mOtrO and epitome OF the
Jewish faith.
This. then, is our first belief. With
out 1t Judaism is impossible. Without
it one may be, descended of Jews. as
sociate with Jews, belong to a Jew
ish club or lodge, marry n Jewish
husband or wife-one may he Jewish
In racial or social relations--but one
is not II Jew in the trne historic sense
OF the term.
But, in relation to God, Judaism has
always held another characteristic be-
lief, namely, as to His attributes. or
qualities. Judaism lays stress on the
Oneness of God, and, If l may say so.
the Uniqueness of God. Oneness, in
the sense chat true Judaism has never
admitted the possibility of more than
one God, or of the division of the
Deity into different parts, powers, or
forms. But God also is Unique. lone.
and there is no unity like unto His
Unity" as the old Hebrew hymn has
it. The meaning of this assertion Is
that Judaism has invariably consider
ed that God is Perfect, and In this
respect different from all other gods.
To put 1t In other words. the Jews
believe that God is not only One, but
also free from those infrmities and
limitations which have been ASSOCIATE
ed with the gods of other peoples.
Such accounts Of the contests, ambi-
tions, rivalries, and moral imperfec-
tions of the deities as may be found,
for example. in the mythology of the
Babylonians. of the Greeks. or of the
Teutons, are unthinkable in connection
with the Jewish God idea. From ear
liest times We have been taught that
God is Holy. Allwise, AllpOwerful, and
that His sole plan in the Universe Is
to cause within it the triumph OF
Holiness and Righteousness. Holy,
Holy, Holy" as we read in Isaiah, "is
the Lord of Hosts the whole earth is
full of His glory" wi, 81
This leads us to another Jewish de-
world. 1.-The whole earth is full of
His glory" 1t is well known that
some people believe that the world as
such is tainted with sin, chat being
matter 1t is inherently corrupt. that
it is in reality but II place in which
one is to prepare for another life, and
that those are the most pious men
and women who Withdraw from it as
much as possible. This belief has
given rise to morbid views of the
world. as well as to the various or
ders of monks and nuns. What do
Jews believe on this point? 1t may
be said that the common belief of the
Jews of all ages has been the contrary
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