God's Gender

While the word "Adonai" is considered masculine in Hebrew, we work to take that male gender image away from our diety. It is difficult to picture God and it is also difficult "not to picture" God in our prayers and study of Torah.

We discussed this and read about the use of the unpronounceable Hebrew four letters (yud hey vav hey) in the new Woman's Commentary translation of Torah. The book notes that it is not translated in this Commentary because we all 'should struggle with how to approach the divine.'

There was discussion of the Orthodox's use of "Hashem" which means "The Name". As the name of God is only used for prayer and not even for study.

There was some debate as to the significance of God's gender as it is written in our texts. Does it make a difference? While Larry felt that the male gender in the words should not make a difference, Antoinette took the side that the anthropomorphic representation as a male gender does influence people's attitudes.

The visualization of God as a male with tallit and tefillin is not uncommon in ultra-religious communities.

However, a reference to the poem by Rabbi Margaret Moers Wenig - made me go look this up - link on title for the whole thing - it is a beautifully written message that was published in 1997:

"God is a Woman and She is Growing Older"
"Turn us, O God, back to You and we shall return."

. . .

Today I invite you to imagine God along with me. I invite you to imagine God as a woman, a woman who is growing older.

God is a woman and she is growing older¹. She moves more slowly now. She cannot stand erect. Her face is lined. Her voice is scratchy. Sometimes she has to strain to hear. God is a woman and she is growing older; yet, she remembers everything.

- - - Read the whole thing! - - -

NOT REALLY RELATED but...

... to add a little humor to the scene IF you have not seen the movie : THE TRIBE it is great! and that image came to mind when I mixed these two concepts...