Ask A Jew: Is God Masculine or Feminine?

What questions do you have about Judaism? Submit them online, or fill out the form below.

What is the masculine/feminine view of God from a Jewish perspective?

By Hyphen Parent

In Judaism, G-d is discussed using both masculine and feminine words, with the masculine being used most often.

Generally, the Hebrew used in the Torah uses the masculine forms of the words when referring to G-d; there are, however, times in Jewish literature when G-d is described in a feminine form. The most popular example is the word “Shechinah,” which is feminine and means G-d’s divine presence.

G-d is not believed to have any human form, so he cannot be masculine or feminine. G-d is referred to most often as male because Hebrew has no gender-neutral option. However, Jews have used both to describe Him depending on what attributes are being discussed and if they’re societally seen as being attributed to men or women.