The Thirteen Attributes of Mercy or Shelosh-'Esreh Middot enumerated in the Book of Exodus (Exodus 34:6-7) are the attributes with which, according to Jewish tradition, God governs the world. According to the explanation of Maimonides these attributes must not be regarded as qualities inherent in God, but merely as the method of His activity, by which the divine governance appears to the human observer to be controlled. In the Sifre, however, these attributes are not called "middot," which may mean "quality" as well as "rule" and "measure", but "derakim" (ways), since they are the ways of God which Moses prayed to know and which God proclaimed to him.
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Famous quotes containing the words thirteen, attributes and/or mercy:
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