Ethics

Is Judaism is a monotheistic religion given that the Hebrew Bible shows traces of polytheism
Judaism in its current form is a monotheistic religion(1) and followers worship Yahweh(2) as the supreme power. It has been argued that Judaism started out as a polytheistic religion but with passage of time the idea of a monotheistic religion began to influence the thought processes of the worshipers. The concept of monotheism developed gradually throughout the various books of the Hebrew Bible like the Jewish Bible (Tanakh) or the Torah where Judaisms earliest history, beliefs, laws, and practices are preserved.

In the various Psalms like Psalm 953 For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. there are references that there is a central God who reigns supreme over the lower Gods.(3) In the initial years of Judaism Elohim was worshipped along with Yahweh. Elohim occurs frequently throughout the Torah. The choice of word or words for God varies in the Hebrew Bible. These variations are due to the different source texts.  Elohim is used as the name of God in the Elohist and the Priestly source, while Yahweh is used in the Jahwist source. Modern Judaism forbids the use of the word Elohim under the belief that Elohim is one of Gods names, and that speaking his name out loud is forbidden by the Torah. Whereas Elohim was initially described as the Lord of all the Gods, later Jews propounded that Elohim was the name of the Lord and He should be called as Yahweh which was his personal name.

The Torah describes Yahweh as the one true God who delivered Israel from Egypt and gave the Ten Commandments. In the older Psalms, Yahweh, the God of Israel, is shown as a member of a larger divine council of which El is the head. In Torah, Yahweh reveals himself to be the supreme God. In Isaiah 446 it is written, Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his redeemer, the Lord of hosts I am the first and I am the last besides me there is no god.  According to Torah God guides humanity through ethical principles. God is supernatural, personal and holy. Monotheism is the core tenet of Judaism.

The earliest mention of Abraham occurs in Jewish scriptures. According to the Book of Genesis, Yahweh appeared to Abraham and said the following, Go forth from your native land and from your fathers home to a land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, bless you and make great your name, that it may be a blessing. Abraham was given a code of conduct to follow and act as an example to his fellow brethren. The idea of a universal God i.e. Yahweh was first expounded by Abraham. The need for man to be a subject of Yahweh and follow a moral law in accordance to the will of God was given. The original faith or the laws were given to Abraham.