Since ancient times, god has been described in anthropomorphic, human, terms. Rabbi Donna Berman writes, “We all know that God is neither male nor female, King or Queen. God is defined as beyond human conception and understanding, and all words used to praise this Divine Mystery or to address It are merely a ‘pointing toward’ that which cannot be comprehended or named.
“The feminine aspect of the Oneness of God, according to tradition, is known as the Schechinah or the Divine Presence. This is one of the ten phrases for god used in both traditional and contemporary prayerbooks. Many of these designations like Hashem (the Divine Name) and Mekor Chayenu (the Source of our life) are understood to incorporate masculine as well as feminine dimensions of the divine, who is not less than both god and goddess. Any words and images we use, therefore, are limited as well as limiting. Utilizing only masculine pronouns and images in the English translations of our liturgy is especially limiting since it excludes and marginalizes women...
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