Elohim-Plural

Question

Why is the name of God in plural ?

אֱלֹהִ֑ים

Genesis 1:1

בְּרֵאשִׁ֖ית בָּרָ֣א אֱלֹהִ֑ים אֵ֥ת הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וְאֵ֥ת הָאָֽרֶץ׃

0

Answers

  1. The Just Ask! - AskTheRabbi.org Team

    Grammatically, the root word of Elohim is “eleh,” the demonstrative pronoun “these.” In the plural, “these” connotes the binding unity between each of the individual items. For example: “These five buildings were all built by a famous architect.” Therefore, the plural of eleh, (elohim), represents the unity of many different things combined together.

    When G-d’s name Elohim is used in the Torah, it illustrates the concept that G-d is the “one through whom all the plurality, (by everything being related to him), becomes a unity.” Simply said, since G-d is the creator of everything in the universe, everything in the universe is unified through G-d. Thus, the word Elohim as a name of G-d in the Torah means that the individual things in the world, which seem separate and autonomous, are all unified through the Source – G-d – Who is the Ruler of everything. By extension, the Torah also uses the word elohim to refer to human rulers, law-givers and judges of the people, who each rule in their worldly domain.

    In the ancient world, the Oneness of G-d, as supreme Ruler and Judge over everything, was unique to Judaism alone. All early civilizations were polytheistic – they all believed in many gods who were each limited in power to their own domain. For a good harvest, one might invoke the god of rain, or the god of fertility, or even both, by worshipping in the prescribed (pagan) manner.

    In the Torah understanding of the world, nothing presupposed Creation, except G-d Himself Who created the world and everything in it. Therefore, it is not surprising that the very first time G-d is mentioned in the Torah, the name Elohim is used, teaching us that G-d is the unity of all these things that are created in the story of Creation. (Rabbi S.R. Hirsch, Parshat Bereshis ch. 1)

    Best wishes from the AskTheRabbi.org Team